Cut Bank, Montana, has a penguin statue standing at the town entrance with a slogan across its front reading “WELCOME TO CUT BANK MT. COLDEST SPOT IN THE NATION”.
The penguin is 27 feet (8 meters) tall, adorned with an undersized, pointed cap and giant feet, like a character from a Disney movie. Who built it? Why? How? Is Cutbank, Montana, really the coldest spot in the nation? Read on to find the answers.
Table of contents
- Cut Bank penguin – The backstory
- Why a penguin?
- How cold does it get in Cut Bank, Montana?
- What is the weather like in Cut Bank, Montana?
- Is Cut Bank, Montana, a good place to live?
- What is there to do in Cut Bank, Montana?
Cut Bank penguin – The backstory
Cut Bank, Montana, is not officially the coldest spot in the nation, but the town lies in one of the coldest regions of Montana, where temperatures regularly drop to 13°F (-11°C) and lower. A world-record temperature drop of 103°F (39°C) was once recorded in nearby Loma.
Throughout the late 20th century, Cut Bank’s frigid winter temperatures were broadcast on wire radio and the Armed Forces Radio Network, helping secure its unofficial motto of “the coldest spot in the nation”.
It was on one of the frigid winter days when arctic air masses brought a devastating cold wave over Cut Bank, and temperatures dropped to 64 degrees below zero (53°C). This day triggered some inspiration for local Cut Bank resident, Ron Gustafson. That morning, Ron decided to create a permanent tribute to Cut Bank’s cold weather.
Ron wasted no time designing and constructing an enormous penguin statue in front of his family-run appliance store at the east end of town.
The result was a five-ton, 25-foot-tall (7m) penguin made of reinforced concrete. It features an undersized cap, and a slogan at its base reads “WELCOME TO CUT BANK MT. COLDEST SPOT IN THE NATION”.
For a short time, the penguin was equipped with a loudspeaker greeting passersby with a recorded message, “Welcome to Cut Bank. Coldest spot in the nation!“. The loudspeaker was removed in 2004, when the Gustafsons sold their appliance-store-turned-hotel and moved out of state.
Why a penguin?
The penguin is a cultural icon in Cut Bank. Long before Ron built his penguin statue, penguin-headed trash cans adorned the town. While the penguin symbol’s origin in Cut Bank remains unknown, the animal is related to cold weather.
Cut Bank’s penguin inspired a film entitled Cut Bank, which is set in Cut Bank but filmed in Innisfree, Alberta. Today, a replica penguin still stands in Innisfree.
MinburnCounty, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
While Cut Bank, Montana, isn’t the coldest spot in the nation, the Penguin indeed represents the frigid, harsh conditions that fall upon the town each winter, with temperatures that can freeze smartphones and any exposed body part.
How cold does it get in Cut Bank, Montana, in winter?
Winter temperatures in Cut Bank, Montana, range from 13°F (-11°C) to 39°F (4°C). The coldest temperature ever recorded in Cut Bank was -47°F (-44°C) in 1936.
What are the coldest spots in Montana?
The coldest spots in Montana include the area around Cut Bank and Loma, where temperatures sometimes reach -12°F (-24°C) in winter. In Wisdom, West Yellowstone, and Rogers Pass, temperatures often reach -10°F (-23°C) in winter.
What is the coldest place in Montana?
The coldest temperature ever recorded in the lower 48 states was recorded on January 20, 1954, at Rogers Pass in Montana, when temperatures reached -70°F (-57°C).
What is the weather like in Cut Bank, Montana?
Cut Bank enjoys four seasons. Winters are harsh and cold, with temperatures often ranging from 13°F (-11°C) to 39°F (4°C). Summers are warm, ranging from 44°F (7°C) to 81°F (27°C). Spring and autumn in Cut Bank are short with unpredictable weather.
On January 14, 1972, the nearby town of Loma set a world record temperature drop when the temperature fell 103°F (39°C) in 24 hours.
Is Cut Bank, Montana, a good place to live?
Cut Bank is a great place to live. The town is located in beautiful northern Montana, surrounded by the the Northern Plains.
The town offers cultural activities and events throughout the year, and its location provides access to top outdoor spots in northern Montana. For example, Cut Bank is located 1 hour from St Mary, the east entrance to Glacier National Park.
Read more: Is Cut Bank, Montana, a good place to live?
What is there to do in Cut Bank, Montana?
Cut Bank, Montana, offers access to a variety of outdoor activities and hosts seasonal events throughout the year. Common activities in Cut Bank include:
- Events and festivals. Such as Montana Shakespeare in the Parks and the beloved Lewis and Clark Days Festival.
- Glacier County Historical Museum & Archives. A 14-acre museum complex dedicated to local history, featuring a 1917 schoolhouse, an oil worker’s house, and other exhibits of homestead life.
- Historically significant sites. For example, Camp Disappointment and Cut Bank Camp on the Lewis and Clark Trail.
Read more: 10 best things to do in Cut Bank, Montana
