The Gallatin and Park County region of Montana comprises
one of the fastest growing economic areas in the northern Rocky Mountains and
offers one of the most naturally beautiful and recreationally rich geographies
in the United States---if not the world!
The terrain is home to YellowstoneNational Park, Big Sky Ski Resort, famous
for world-class downhill skiing; majestic mountain ranges (the BridgerRange,
the Absaroka Range, the BeartoothRange, the MadisonRange, TobaccoRootMountains
and the CrazyMountains) plentiful trout streams,
national forest lands, breath taking wilderness and more.
The area is also central to 5 “blue ribbon”
fly-fishing rivers: the Yellowstone, the Madison,
the Gallatin, the Missouri
and the Boulder.
Outside Magazine rated Bozeman as one of
the “15 best sport cities” in the United States, because of its easy
accessibility to fly-fishing, skiing, hunting, hiking, camping, climbing,
canoeing and kayaking and other outdoor sports.
GallatinCounty consistently ranks as one of the nation’s
most “livable
areas” for “healthy living and small business” in ColoradoCollege’s
research report, The State of the Rockies Report Card. The area has also received high
ratings for “vibrancy and vitality” and “civic capacity engagement.”
Bozeman is just one of the communities located in GallatinCounty, which still retains and nurtures
its “small town” character, its historic downtown business and cultural
districts, in addition to newer businesses and commercial developments.
In the 2005 report in American Cities Business Journals (a national publisher of business
newspapers in 41 major American cities), Bozeman ranked first among the
nation’s top sixteen small-sized business markets (cities with a population
fewer than 100,000 people), citing a high ratio of small businesses per 100,000
people and a two-year growth rate of 10.7 percent. The population of Bozeman grew 28% between
2001 and 2008. Other cities in Gallatin and ParkCounties
have grown at similar rates.
In 2001, Bozeman was
among just 10 American communities to win the All-America City Award, the
longest running and most prestigious civic award given, in the United States.
Sponsored by the American Civic League, in cooperation
with Allstate Insurance Company, the award recognizes the results of combined
civic collaboration in resolving critical community issues, on the parts of
government, businesses, non-profit agencies, schools, churches and community
clubs.
Bozeman's representation
featured more than 50 cooperative public/private programs, including the
Downtown Revitalization Project and the SkatePark.
At least 15 of these creative programs are regional or national models, an
extraordinary achievement for a community of its size.
Bozeman is also home to MontanaStateUniversity.
Forty-three percent of the city’s residents have a bachelor’s degree or higher,
contributing to a highly educated and qualified workforce.
The unincorporated community of Big Sky, nationally
recognized as one of the top ten winter ski destinations in North America, is
located 45 miles south of Bozeman.
Big Sky has received national recognition as one of
the top ten winter ski destinations in North America
(Snow Country ski magazine).
Belgrade, located eight
miles west of Bozeman, is the quintessential Montana community---the
perfect blend of small-town hospitality, city commerce and exceptional outdoor
recreation.
Park County, (just east of GallatinCounty, situated on the northern
border of YellowstoneNational Park and including Paradise and ShieldsValleys),
is Montana’s 12th
most populated county, with 16,189 residents. ParkCounty’s
diverse economy includes agriculture, logging, mining, recreation, services,
and technology businesses. ParkCounty has a rich ranching and railroad heritage, and
is a hot spot for anglers and floaters of the YellowstoneRiver,
which courses through the county.
According to the Montana Almanac, the county was
established in 1887 and named after YellowstoneNational Park because of
its proximity to the area. The majority of YellowstoneNational Park’s land is located in Wyoming. Approximately,
one-fifth of ParkCounty’s residents travel out of the county for
employment in Bozeman or in Wyoming.
The town of Livingston
(east of Bozeman, along the YellowstoneRiver,
north of YellowstoneNational Park) is steeped in the histories of the
Lewis and Clark Expedition, Calamity Jane and YellowstoneNational Park.
An eclectic blend of shops, museums,
galleries and restaurants lines the downtown area.
A wealth of cultural and arts and entertainment
experiences are also available through many arts organizations, museums, art
galleries, theatre and music venues, including the Broadway play series at
Montana State University the Bozeman Symphony, The Montana Ballet,
Intermountain Opera, Shakespeare in the Parks, the Emerson Arts Center, The
Museum of the Rockies and the annual Sweet Pea Festival of the Arts.
* Prospera Business Network, 2009 Business Relocation
and Business Guide, Gallatin and Park
Counties, Montana
