Photo Credit: Tim Evanson
AMSTERDAM, MONTANA — In a recent interview with Bozeman Grit, residents of the tiny town made it clear that they are nothing like their neighbor Churchill, despite being located right next to each other in Gallatin County.
“We get it, we’re small towns and we’re right next to each other, but that doesn’t mean we’re the same,” said Amsterdam resident Caroline Wells. “We have our own unique culture and identity, and we don’t appreciate being lumped in with Churchill.”
The rivalry between the two towns has been brewing for years, with both sides claiming that they are the true gem of Gallatin County.
“Amsterdam is where it’s at,” boasted Amsterdam resident Tom Anderson. “We’ve got the best homemade pizza in Montana, the friendliest people, and a thriving arts scene. Churchill can’t compete with that.”
Churchill residents, however, beg to differ.
“Amsterdam may think they’re all that, but the truth is, Churchill is the real heart of Gallatin County,” said Churchill resident Benjamin Hayes. “We’ve got the best fishing, the most beautiful sunsets, and a sense of community that you just don’t find in bigger towns.”
Despite the differences between the two towns, Bozeman Grit insists that they are committed to providing fair and balanced coverage of both communities.
“We’re not biased towards Churchill, or towards Amsterdam for that matter,” said Grit editor-in-chief Sierra Watson. “We’re just trying to cover the news and events of both towns as accurately as possible. But let’s be real, Amsterdam is definitely the cooler town.”
When asked to respond to Watson’s comments, Churchill residents simply rolled their eyes and muttered something about Amsterdam being “full of themselves.”
As for whether the two towns will ever be able to bury the hatchet and work together, residents on both sides seem skeptical.
“Churchill and Amsterdam will never see eye-to-eye,” predicted Wells. “It’s just the way it is.”
“Amsterdam may be in our shadow, but we’re not going to let them bring us down,” countered Hayes. “We’ll always be Churchill, and we’re damn proud of that.”
The editor has always had a passion for the written word, ever since penning a Pulitzer-worthy essay at the tender age of five. Spending formative years traveling the world, writing about everything from Machu Picchu to the mall food court, The Editor eventually apparated in Bozeman, realizing a true calling as the editor-in-chief of Bozeman Grit.
