BILLINGS AND THE BIG OPEN - Montana and Wyoming - page 50

works by Bob Meyers, Richard E. Bishop, Bill Gollings, and German-born Wyoming artist
Hans Klieber.
Oxford Antiques (2411 Montana Ave., 406/248-2094, 10:30am-4:30pm Mon.-Sat.) is
Billings's oldest single-owner antiques shop. The building is a 1908 Victorian Italianate and
suits the inventory perfectly. In addition to two floors of furniture, the store has an endless
assortment of Montana-related items and other collectibles.
A unique piece of Montana can be ordered at Reliable Tent & Tipi (501 N. 23rd
St., 406/252-4689 or 800/544-1039, www.reliabletent.com ) , which has been family-owned
since 1945. Their tents are designed for the often rugged hunting conditions in Montana,
and their specialty Crow and Sioux tipis are designed by Native Americans according to
family and tribal traditions. They also make a wonderful Backyard Tipi for kids.
The 80,000-square-foot Cabela's (4550 King Ave. E., 406/373-7300,
www.cabelas.com , 9am-9pm Mon.-Sat., 10am-6pm Sun.) offers a wealth of educational
and entertaining displays—including a 7,000-gallon aquarium, indoor archery range, and
museum-quality animal mounts—in addition to the company's top-notch outdoor gear.
There's an express deli inside, as well as dog kennels and horse corrals, in case you plan to
spend some time.
RECREATION
Under the shadow of the rimrocks, Dehler Park (2611 9th Ave. N., 406/252-1241,
www.billingsmustangs.com ) , built in 2008 to accommodate 6,000 baseball fans in stadium
seats, bleachers, and grassy picnic areas, is home to the Billings Mustangs. The stadium's
predecessor, Cobb Field, was built in 1948 and was home to the Pioneer League rookie af-
filiates for the Brooklyn Dodgers, the Pittsburgh Pirates, and the St. Louis Cardinals. Since
1974 the Mustangs have been affiliated with the Cincinnati Reds. George Brett is among
the most well-known alumni of Cobb Field.
Horse racing fans can get their share of action with Yellowstone Downs (306 6th Ave.
N., 406/869-5251, www.yellowstonedowns.com ) at MetraPark mid-August-mid-Septem-
ber. When funding runs out, the horses do not run, so it's best to call ahead.
There are a number of golf courses in Billings, perhaps because the winters here are
milder than much of western Montana and the summers are longer. Briarwood Coun-
try Club's 18-hole course (3429 Briarwood Blvd., 406/248-2702) is open to members
and, reciprocally, to members of other private golf facilities in the United States. Eagle
Rock Golf Course (5624 Larimer Ln., 406/655-4445, www.eaglerockgolfcourse.com ) is
an 18-hole public course, as are the challenging par-3 Exchange City Golf Course (19th