[4] Lewis and Clark passed through on their expedition in 1805, although the first white settlers, homesteaders, and Civil War veterans in search of gold would not arrive until the late 1860s.

[5] In 1883, a railway station was established as businesses were founded supporting gold mining in the region.

[6] Several locations in town are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Townsend is 35 miles (56 km) from Helena, the state capital and 35 miles (56 km) from the convergence of the Jefferson, Madison, and Gallatin rivers which form the headwaters of the Missouri River.

Nicknamed "the first city on the Missouri River", Townsend sits nearby the southern tip of Canyon Ferry Lake (a part of, and fed by, the Missouri River) a popular recreation destination and Montana's third largest body of water.

[9] Near the town is Eagle Guard Station, the oldest administrative log structure in the Forest.

The district has many archaeological sites from Native people before Euro-American contact.

[10] An 8 miles (13 km) section of the Crow Creek Water Ditch nearby is on the National Register of Historic Places.

35.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

32.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

Townsend experiences a semi-arid climate (Köppen BSk) with cold, dry winters and hot, wetter summers.

[19] The Townsend School District educates students from kindergarten to 12th grade.

[24] KIMO is owned by the Montana Radio Company[25] and plays a country music format.