DescriptionEstablished on the Minneapolis, St. Paul & Sault Ste. Marie Railway in 1909 to provide supplies and services to the homesteaders rushing to the area, Outlook incorporated in 1913. There appears to be only one story about the origin of the name: A gentleman was entering the saloon one day when someone shouted, “Look out!” He ducked, and a glass sailed over his head. Amused by the episode and inspired by the phrase, the locals named their town after the incident but reversed the order of the words. The town’s first building was C. E. Styers’s store and post office in 1910, soon followed by more than a dozen other buildings and businesses. Like most of the other small towns in the area, this one declined after its initial boom. Unlike many of its neighbors, however, Outlook experienced a decided upswing when, on December 22, 1956, the first oil well was completed west of town near Big Muddy Creek. It produced a stunning 915 barrels of oil in its first 24 hours. Residents soon referred to their town as the “Oil City.” When a wildfire hit the town in 1999, 20-some buildings were completely destroyed. The Outlook Depot is listed in the National Register. Personal NamesStyers, C. E.Other Name(s)Oil CityContributing InstitutionMontana Historical Society Library and ArchivesGeolocation[1] Elevation2351 ft.CountySheridan County
