Saugus, Montana
Encyclopedia
Saugus is a rural unincorporated community
in Prairie County
, Montana
, United States
, along the Yellowstone River
. It was the location of the Custer Creek train wreck
.
Saugus was once one of the biggest cattle
and horse
shipping points in eastern Montana. In 1909, then in Custer County
, Saugus opened its Post Office. Saugus was also home to a school. In 1925 the post office was discontinued. The community is now served by the Terry
post office (Zip Code 53949).
The town was on the Milwaukee Road railroad line. On June 19, 1938 the Olympian #15, a Trans-Missouri passenger train derailed when bridge piers were undermined by the high water of Custer Creek caused by a cloudburst
. 7 of the 11 cars derailed. Of the 175 people aboard, 47 people drown and 75 were injured. Some bodies were never recovered. The Milwaukee Road changed the named of the station to Susan to honor Cattlewoman Susan Haughian who, along with her sons, owned it and to remove its association with the accident.
The last railroad to run through Saugus was the Burlington Northern Railroad
.
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
in Prairie County
Prairie County, Montana
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 1,199 people, 537 households, and 354 families residing in the county. The population density was -Demographics:...
, Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, along the Yellowstone River
Yellowstone River
The Yellowstone River is a tributary of the Missouri River, approximately long, in the western United States. Considered the principal tributary of the upper Missouri, the river and its tributaries drain a wide area stretching from the Rocky Mountains in the vicinity of the Yellowstone National...
. It was the location of the Custer Creek train wreck
Custer Creek train wreck
The Custer Creek train wreck is the worst rail disaster in Montana history. It occurred on June 19, 1938 when a bridge, its foundations washed away by a flash flood, collapsed beneath Milwaukee Road's Olympian as it crossed Custer Creek, near Saugus, Montana, south-west of Terry, killing at least...
.
Saugus was once one of the biggest cattle
Cattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
and horse
Horse
The horse is one of two extant subspecies of Equus ferus, or the wild horse. It is a single-hooved mammal belonging to the taxonomic family Equidae. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature into the large, single-toed animal of today...
shipping points in eastern Montana. In 1909, then in Custer County
Custer County, Montana
-Economy:The main source of income for Custer County has largely come from cattle ranching and dryland farming. Miles City serves as the center of commerce in an area extending for 100 miles in every direction...
, Saugus opened its Post Office. Saugus was also home to a school. In 1925 the post office was discontinued. The community is now served by the Terry
Terry, Montana
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 611 people, 294 households, and 171 families residing in the town. The population density was 866.2 people per square mile . There were 387 housing units at an average density of 548.7 per square mile...
post office (Zip Code 53949).
The town was on the Milwaukee Road railroad line. On June 19, 1938 the Olympian #15, a Trans-Missouri passenger train derailed when bridge piers were undermined by the high water of Custer Creek caused by a cloudburst
Cloudburst
A cloudburst is an extreme amount of precipitation, sometimes with hail and thunder, which normally lasts no longer than a few minutes but is capable of creating flood conditions.-Etymology:There are similar names for such events in other languages...
. 7 of the 11 cars derailed. Of the 175 people aboard, 47 people drown and 75 were injured. Some bodies were never recovered. The Milwaukee Road changed the named of the station to Susan to honor Cattlewoman Susan Haughian who, along with her sons, owned it and to remove its association with the accident.
The last railroad to run through Saugus was the Burlington Northern Railroad
Burlington Northern Railroad
The Burlington Northern Railroad was a United States-based railroad company formed from a merger of four major U.S. railroads. Burlington Northern operated between 1970 and 1996....
.