[5] Lewistown is located in the geographic center of the state, southeast of Great Falls and northwest of Billings.

First planned in 1882, it was the site of an 1880s gold rush, and served as an important railway destination, supplying surrounding communities with bricks via rail.

Before the gold rush, Maiden was the largest city in central Montana.

When the gold supply ran out, many of the miners gained new employment in Lewistown and settled there permanently.

[8] During World War II, in 1942 the US Army Air Corps established a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress training base just west of Lewistown to train aircrews for missions in North Africa and Europe.

The former airbase is now the Lewistown Municipal Airport, which is home to the last remaining Norden bombsight storage facility, used to keep the device safe from theft by enemy spies during World War II .

[9] The city park displays a Minuteman III ballistic missile.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 5.32 square miles (13.78 km2), all land.

[10] The city is located in the exact center of the state of Montana and is part of the Rocky Mountains.

Temperatures do not consistently stay above freezing until June: the average window for freezing temperatures is from September 19 to May 23 – allowing a "growing season" of 92 days – and for subfreezing maxima from October 26 to April 2.

The hottest temperature at Lewistown has been 105 °F (40.6 °C) on June 21, 1900 and July 31, 1900, and the coldest −46 °F (−43.3 °C) on 28 January 1929.

During the summer, days are very warm, but nights remain cool and rare freezes have occurred.

39.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

37.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

Lewistown Public Schools educates students from kindergarten through 12th grade.