WESTBY ON THE WEB
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The real Montana!
Westby is a friendly farming and ranching community nestled in the rolling hills of Northeastern Montana, right on the North Dakota border and only a few miles from Canada. We produce the world's finest durum wheat and prime beef cattle. In case you are wondering, here's a map to show you where we are.
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- Friendly People
- Westby has a population of about 300, mostly farmers and ranchers and a quaint hometown atmosphere.
- Beautiful Natural Environment
- Westby is situated in the gently rolling mixed grass prairie of Northeastern Montana. The area is dotted with hundreds of small lakes and wetlands which consitute one of the most important waterfowl breeding areas in North America. Westby is surrounded by more than 20 federally administered Waterfowl Protection Areas which provide opportunities for viewing the more than 200 species of birds that call the area home. For the non-birdwatchers, almost every day offers a beautiful prairie sunset.
- Great Place to Raise Kids
- Westby Public School offers a quality education for grades K-12, with an excellent teacher to pupil ratio. The school also offers Distance Learning, which enhances the educational opportunities for the students. After school, there are various activities including 4-H, Boy Scouts, church groups, tennis, basketball and a summer recreation program. The safe, healthy environment and wide open spaces also make Westby ideal for children.
- Low Cost of Living
- Compared to most metropolitan areas our cost of living is relatively low. You can buy a house in Westby for under $10,000.
- Healthy Climate
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Summers in Westby are very pleasant with an average high temperature of 84 degrees in July which because of low humidity cools off to a comfortable 64 at night. Winters are cold, there's no denying it. Our average January high is 17 degrees Fahrenheit but the days are usually sunny and dry. There is no smog in Westby, only pure prairie air.
- Peace and Quiet
- In Westby, the sounds of traffic, car horns, sirens and noisy neighbors are replaced by the chatter of western king birds, the sad calls of mourning doves, the song of the meadowlark and of course, the sound of the wind in the grass.
- Great Place to Retire
- Westby is a safe, friendly place where neighbors look out for each other. It is ideal for active retired people interested in outdoor recreation and rural living. In Westby you will find a grocery store, a hardware store, hair salons, a cafe and hobby and gift shops. There is a modern hospital thirty minutes away in Plentywood, the county seat, which also boasts two doctors, a dentist and an optometrist. Plentywood is also home to the County Library. 75 miles away is Williston, North Dakota which has a major hospital and medical center. 140 miles away is Regina Saskatchewan which offers a wide range of live entertainment including ballet, theater and classical and country music. Westby residents enjoy the countryside with the advantage of larger communities within driving distance. For those who don't drive, there is a weekly senior citizen's bus to Plentywood and occasionally Williston.
- No Crime
- Okay, somebody did drive through the stop sign last year. The resident deputy is kept busy with reports of hay bales on the highway and dogs at large. No place can ever be completely free of crime but most people in Westby still don't lock their doors at night. The town also has a Quick Response unit and a Volunteer Fire Department.
- Slower Pace of Life
- It's not that people in Westby don't work hard, we are very busy people, but we don't commute, we spend no time in traffic jams, waiting in line or dealing with crowds so we have more time for our families, friends and neighbors.
- Outdoor Recreation
- Westby offers abundant opportunites for outdoor recreation:
Birdwatching - the Westby area is part of one of the most important waterfowl breeding areas in North America. At the Medicine Lake National Wildlife Refuge 25 miles to the southwest, 228 species of birds have been identified. Common birds include grassland birds such as the meadowlark and Baird's sparrow, shorebirds such as the avocet and marbled godwit and ducks including blue-winged teal, ruddy ducks and shovelers. The sight of magnificent white pelicans soaring over the prairie is quite common in the summer. Endangered species such as the whooping crane, bald eagle, peregrine falcon and piping plover may also be spotted. For a detailed list of birds take a look at the Northern Prairie Wildlife Center's Bird Checklists of the United States for Medicine Lake.
Hunting - Every Fall hunters come from all over the United States to hunt pheasant, deer, ducks and geese. For more information, check out the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks site.
Fishing - Local fisherman fish for pike and perch in Skjermo Lake east of Westby, at the Plentywood Dam, Raymond Dam and in the Missouri River only 50 miles away.
Swimming and Boating - There are opportunities for both swimming and boating on Clear Lake and Brush Lake south of town. For swimming, there is a public pool in Plentywood.
Hiking and Horseback Riding - Inviting vistas all around Westby beckon hikers and riders.
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