Google’s Time-Lapse Feature Shows Bozeman’s Growth Since 1984
Google recently released a new time-lapse feature that allows users to see the impacts of population growth and climate change over the past 37 years.
Earth Timelapse is a global, zoomable video that lets you see how the earth has changed in the last 37 years. You can literally search for any location in the world and watch a video that shows how the area has grown between 1984 and 2020.
Bozeman has experienced fairly steady growth since 1984. However, the rate of growth has increased substantially in recent years. The time-lapse also shows the impacts of climate change. From the video, you can see that the Bozeman area was much greener in 1984.
Many Bozeman residents may remember when Costco first opened in 1997. At the time, it was one of the only businesses on 19th Avenue near I-90. When the store first opened, many residents wondered why they would build it out in the middle of nowhere.
A lot of things have changed since then. 19th Avenue is now lined with businesses from Main St. to the interstate. Huffine was nothing but farmland for a really long time. Now, there's subdivisions and new housing developments galore.
According to new census data, Gallatin County is the fastest-growing county in Montana. Missoula County previously held the title.
It's safe to say that Bozeman has lost much of its small-town charm, and the rate of growth that Bozeman has seen in the past 10 years is absolutely mind-blowing.
Watch the time-lapse below to see how much Bozeman has grown since 1984.