Town file
Manhattan, Montana
Manhattan, Montana (Gallatin County, Montana) is the town in one episode of Small Town Murder, the comedy true-crime podcast: episode 429, "A Clean Cut Serial Killer" (5 October 2023). Manhattan, Montana, lies in Gallatin County in the south-west of the state, about twenty-five minutes from Bozeman and an hour from Helena and Butte.
- Town
- Manhattan
- County
- Gallatin County
- State
- Montana
- Country
- USA
- Episodes
- 429
- Approximate location
- 45.859, -111.330
Episode 429 / 5 October 2023 / 179 min / full
A Clean Cut Serial Killer
"This is in southwestern Montana ... This is in Gallatin County." about 0:06:34
The case: Murder of Bernie Pullman (March 1967); Murder of Michael Rainey (Early May 1968); Kidnapping and murder of Susie Jager (June 1973); Murder of Sandra Dykeman (1974). Read the case file.
The figures, as told in 2023
- Population
- 1,884
- Median age
- about 41 and a half
- Median household income
- about $60,625 a year
- Median home value
- $559,400
- Two-bedroom rent
- $1,630 a month
- Religious
- 33%
- Property crime
- ▼ about half
- Violent crime
- ▼ less than half
History, in brief
- In 1865 it was established as the first town in the area and was called Hamilton. about 0:07:24
- In 1868 a post office was established under the name Hamilton. about 0:07:32
- By 1874 a newspaper described it as a typical western town with one store, a blacksmith's shop and a schoolhouse. about 0:07:32
- In 1883 the Northern Pacific Railroad ran about a mile north of the town. about 0:08:05
- The town was renamed Morland after a railroad worker named Morland. about 0:08:16
- In the winter of 1883 John Potters General Store was moved, pulled by a team of bulls. about 0:08:41
- In 1890 it was renamed Manhattan; the population then was 150. about 0:09:15
- In 1892 the Manhattan Malting Company came to make beer; it closed when Prohibition came. about 0:09:31
- By 1904 ranching and agriculture dominated and blacksmith shops were everywhere. about 0:09:44
- In 1912 the town got its water system going. about 0:09:56
- In 1925 a series of earthquakes destroyed over half the town, including many houses. about 0:10:01
The reviews read out
5 stars
"Better than Bozeman down the road, very affordable and lovely, with some exclusive properties; the area is not spoiled, and it mentions Sir Scott's Oasis."about 0:10:34
5 stars
"There is crime, capitalised for emphasis, but it is pretty minimal and non-threatening; most people take care of themselves."about 0:11:49
5 stars
"The best recreation anywhere, by the reviewer's own standards."about 0:12:00
4 stars
"A very small country town where you can smell cow manure almost all the time, but with an amazing community, sunrise and sunset views, swimming and fishing, and spectacular stars at night."about 0:12:19
3 stars
"Safe community and great for raising children, but not much to do and too small as children grow up; good location just outside Bozeman."about 0:14:26
Nearest Small Town Murder towns
- Butte, Montana59 miles
- Stanford, Montana104 miles
- Ovando, Montana119 miles
- Geraldine, Montana131 miles
- Darby, Montana137 miles
- Powell, Wyoming146 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.