Town file
Fort Smith, Montana
Fort Smith, Montana (Big Horn County, Montana) is the town in one episode of Small Town Murder, the comedy true-crime podcast: episode 312, "Drowning In Stupidity & Evidence" (25 August 2022). Catherine Daniel Little was born on 27 October 1970 and grew up in Arlington, Texas, the daughter of Dr Thomas Daniel and Mary Lou Daniel.
- Town
- Fort Smith
- County
- Big Horn County
- State
- Montana
- Country
- USA
- Episodes
- 312
- Approximate location
- 45.317, -107.935
Episode 312 / 25 August 2022 / 161 min / full
Drowning In Stupidity & Evidence
"This is Fort Smith, Montana, in southern Montana, in Big Horn County." about 0:05:03
The case: Murder of Catherine Little Laird (July 30, 1999). Read the case file.
The figures, as told in 2022
- Population
- 113
- Median age
- 61
- Median household income
- $15,536
- Median home value
- $94,200
- Two-bedroom rent
- about $667
- Cost of living
- 72
- Religious
- 66%
- Property crime
- ▼ about a third
- Violent crime
- ▼ about a quarter
History, in brief
- Fort Smith was established in 1866, because the Bozeman Trail ran through the area. about 0:06:21
- The fort was built about 400 yards from the Bozeman Trail, so travellers did not have to leave the trail. about 0:06:51
- The Devil's Canyon overlook has cliffs a thousand feet above the lake. about 0:07:20
- Hardin, next door, has the largest wheat farm in the area, on 95,000 acres. about 0:08:20
- The Holly Sugar Company established a sugar beet processing plant in 1937. about 0:08:30
- Little Big Horn Days is a four-day festival with an 1876 Grand Ball, lessons the night before, and quilting displays at the local library. about 0:21:19
- The Battle of the Little Big Horn reenactment is held on the banks of the Little Big Horn River where Sitting Bull's camp was, between Crow Agency and Garryowen, hosted by the Real Bird family. about 0:22:31
- The reenactment was in its thirty-first year, and 2023 is the 147th anniversary of Custer's Last Stand. about 0:22:51
The reviews read out
5 stars
"I live and work here and absolutely love the town and how small it is; Hardin isn't overpacked with traffic."about 0:09:22
3 stars
"The store is easy to find with good parking, but for the past year the automatic doors did not close, making the store cold and shopping uncomfortable; the aisles are a mess and the writer suggests a larger store."about 0:09:49
2 stars
"There are several sheriffs and BIA officers around but a lot of drug activity, and despite reservations trying curfews the perpetrators are back on the streets quickly; many violent crimes occur and you learn who looks safe and who to avoid."about 0:13:00
Nearest Small Town Murder towns
- Powell, Wyoming56 miles
- Sheridan, Wyoming60 miles
- Pavillion, Wyoming148 miles
- Stanford, Montana167 miles
- Manhattan, Montana168 miles
- Geraldine, Montana193 miles
Everything here is as told in the episode, on the date it went out; figures and places may have changed since. Endings are covered: open an episode and use the spoiler switch to read them.