Westby is Montana's most northeasterly town located on the North Dakota border some ten miles from the Canadian line. It got its name when it was actually in North Dakota. The incorporated town moved across the border into Montana when the railroad came through. The town was originally settled by Danish people. "By" (prounounced bee) in their language means "town", and since this was the most westerly town in North Dakota, the citizens named it Westby. (from Cheney's Names on the Face of Montana, Mountain Press Publishing Company)
Westby is a small town with a prairie atmosphere, panoramic views, and breathtaking Montana sunsets. Westby and the surrounding area are on a major north-south bird migration route. In the spring there are sparrows mating in the fields while farmers plant their crops. In the summer enjoy evening walks and great fishing, and in the spring the warblers start migrating back and stop in our town park. In the fall the fields are being harvested, and the deer and pheasant hunting season brings hunters in from all over the United States.