Montana

Big Horn

13,124
2020 population
1920
first census record
11
census records

About Big Horn

Big Horn, Montana, first appears in the United States federal census in 1920, when it recorded a population of 7,015. At the most recent census, in 2020, its population stood at 13,124.

The county's recorded population has risen across the decades to its highest level in 2020.

On the ground today, 40 documented military engagements have been recorded within the county, among them Medicine Crow Site Massacre – Montana, Battle of Tongue River (Connor's Expedition), Arapaho Village Attack — Powder River 1865, and 39 places are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Population by decade

Census YearPopulationChart
202013,124
201012,865
200012,671
199011,337
198011,096
197010,057
196010,007
19509,824
194010,419
19308,543
19207,015
Source

Population data from the United States decennial census, U.S. Census Bureau (public domain).

Battles & engagements in Big Horn

Military engagements that took place in Big Horn, Montana.

Medicine Crow Site Massacre – Montana
1400
Battle of Tongue River (Connor's Expedition)
1865
Arapaho Village Attack — Powder River 1865
1865
Powder River Expedition — Cole's Column Fight (September 1865)
1865
Fort C.F. Smith Hay Field Fight Prelude
1866
Hayfield Fight — Relief Column from Fort C.F. Smith
1867
Hayfield Fight (August 1, 1867)
1867
Hayfield Fight
1867
Hayfield Fight Montana
1867
Red Cloud's War — Fort C.F. Smith Siege Operations
1867
Sawyer Expedition Fight
1867
Hayfield Fight — Morning Assault (August 1, 1867)
1867
Hayfield Fight (Fort C.F. Smith)
1867
Hayfield Fight — Afternoon Counterattack (August 1, 1867)
1867
Fort C.F. Smith — Bozeman Trail Closure 1868
1868
Battle of Hayfield Fight
1868
Battle of Pryor Creek — Crow vs. Sioux (1874)
1874
Crow Agency Defense vs. Sioux 1875
1875
Reynolds Fight — Powder River (March 17, 1876)
1876
Powder River Attack (Reynolds' Fight)
1876
Battle of the Little Bighorn — Medicine Tail Coulee Assault (June 25, 1876)
1876
Battle of Rosebud — Crow Rescue of Crook
1876
Battle of Little Bighorn — Benteen's Relief Column
1876
Crook's Fight at Powder River — Reynolds Attack (March 17, 1876)
1876
Battle of the Rosebud — Mills's Canyon Charge
1876
Rosebud Battle — Kollmar Creek Phase
1876
Battle of the Rosebud — Conical Hill Fight
1876
Battle of Little Bighorn — Reno's Timber Stand
1876
Black Elk at the Battle of Little Bighorn
1876
Battle of Little Bighorn — Tom Custer and Boston Custer's Deaths
1876
Battle of Rosebud — Crook's Final Position on Rosebud Creek
1876
Battle of the Rosebud — Crow and Shoshone Allies
1876
Crow Scouts vs. Sioux at Little Bighorn 1876
1876
Battle of the Rosebud
1876
Battle of the Little Bighorn — Weir Point Advance
1876
Battle of Powder River 1876
1876
Battle of the Little Bighorn — Benteen-Reno Hilltop Fight
1876
Battle of the Rosebud — Buffalo Calf Road Woman Rescue
1876
Battle of Little Bighorn — Custer's Last Stand
1876
Fort Pease Rescue (1876)
1876

Historic places in Big Horn

National Register of Historic Places listings in Big Horn, Montana.

Chief Plenty Coups (Alek-Chea-Ahoosh) House
Pryor
Fort C. F. Smith Historic District
Fort Smith
Rosebud Battlefield-Where the Girl Saved Her Brother
Kirby
St. Joseph Catholic Church
Hardin
Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument
Hardin
Bighorn Ditch Headgate
Fort Smith
Chivers Memorial Church
Lodge Grass
Camp Four
Fort Smith
Browse all Montanahistoric sites ›

Other counties in Montana

Explore census history and historic records for more Montana counties.

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Everything a full report reveals about Big Horn County, Montana

This page charts the census history of Big Horn County, Montana. A full Aubrey report for an address here pulls together everything the historical record holds about the ground, from the earliest settlement to the twentieth century:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Frequently asked about Big Horn

When does Big Horn first appear in the US census?
Big Horn, Montana first appears in the federal census in 1920, with a recorded population of 7,015.
What is the population of Big Horn?
At the most recent federal census (2020), Big Horn had a recorded population of 13,124.
Were any battles fought in Big Horn?
40 documented military engagements took place in Big Horn, including Medicine Crow Site Massacre – Montana, Battle of Tongue River (Connor's Expedition), Arapaho Village Attack — Powder River 1865.
How many historic places are in Big Horn?
39 sites are listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Big Horn, Montana.
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