Sunburst is a town in Toole County, Montana, United States. The population was 333 in the 2020 census. It is roughly 30 miles north of Shelby and is near the Canada–US border. Sunburst has its origins as a farming community and later saw significant population growth after oil development occurred in the 1920s. A refinery was built in 1922 with …Sunburst is a town in Toole County, Montana, United States. The population was 333 in the 2020 census. It is roughly 30 miles north of Shelby and is near the Canada–US border. Sunburst has its origins as a farming community and later saw significant population growth after oil development occurred in the 1920s. A refinery was built in 1922 with the discovery of oil in the Kevin Sunburst Oil Field. Since oil development in the area ceased in the 1970s, Sunburst has once again become a primarily agricultural town. The local high school gives homage to its past, as its students are known as the Sunburst Refiners. Its name comes from what is considered a dramatic sunrise that occurs when the sun comes over the Sweetgrass Hills and illuminates the local fields.
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