List of counties in Montana

Last updated

Counties of Montana
Location State of Montana
Number56
Populations524 (Petroleum) – 169,852 (Yellowstone)
Areas718 square miles (1,860 km2) (Silver Bow) – 5,543 square miles (14,360 km2) (Beaverhead)
Government
Subdivisions

This is a list of the counties in the U.S. state of Montana . There are 56 counties in the state.

Contents

Montana has two consolidated city-counties Anaconda with Deer Lodge County and Butte with Silver Bow County. The portion of Yellowstone National Park that lies within Montana was not part of any county until 1978, when part of it was nominally added to Gallatin County, and the rest of it to Park County.

Montana's postal abbreviation is MT and its FIPS state code is 30.

Counties

The Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) code, which is used by the United States government to uniquely identify counties, is provided for each county. The FIPS code for each county links to census data for that county.

County
FIPS code [1] County seat [2] Est. [2] OriginEtymologyLicense plate prefix
[3] [4]
Population [5] AreaMap
BeaverheadCounty 001 Dillon February 2, 1865Original County Beaverhead Rock in the Jefferson River, which is shaped like a beaver's head. [6] 189,7195,543 sq mi
(14,356 km2)
Map of Montana highlighting Beaverhead County.svg
Big HornCounty 003 Hardin January 13, 1913 Rosebud County, Yellowstone County Bighorn sheep in the area. [7] [8] 2212,8514,995 sq mi
(12,937 km2)
Map of Montana highlighting Big Horn County.svg
BlaineCounty 005 Chinook February 29, 1912 Chouteau County James G. Blaine (1830–1893), United States Secretary of State and presidential candidate. [9] 246,9364,226 sq mi
(10,945 km2)
Map of Montana highlighting Blaine County.svg
BroadwaterCounty 007 Townsend February 9, 1897 Jefferson County, Meagher County Charles A. Broadwater (1840–1892), a pioneer in the area and colonel in the United States Army. [10] 437,7931,192 sq mi
(3,087 km2)
Map of Montana highlighting Broadwater County.svg
CarbonCounty 009 Red Lodge March 4, 1895 Park County, Yellowstone County Coal deposits in the area. [8] 1011,1792,048 sq mi
(5,304 km2)
Map of Montana highlighting Carbon County.svg
CarterCounty 011 Ekalaka February 22, 1917 Fallon County Thomas Henry Carter (1854–1911), a U.S. Senator from Montana. [11] 421,3823,340 sq mi
(8,651 km2)
Map of Montana highlighting Carter County.svg
CascadeCounty 013 Great Falls September 12, 1887 Chouteau County, Meagher County Great Falls of the Missouri River.284,8642,698 sq mi
(6,988 km2)
Map of Montana highlighting Cascade County.svg
ChouteauCounty 015 Fort Benton February 2, 1865Original County Jean Pierre Chouteau (1758–1849) and his son Pierre Chouteau, Jr. (1789–1865). They were part of the Chouteau fur-trading family.195,8983,973 sq mi
(10,290 km2)
Map of Montana highlighting Chouteau County.svg
CusterCounty 017 Miles City February 2, 1865Original CountyOriginally Big Horn County, [12] renamed February 16, 1877 for George Armstrong Custer 1412,0323,783 sq mi
(9,798 km2)
Map of Montana highlighting Custer County.svg
DanielsCounty 019 Scobey August 30, 1920 Sheridan County, Valley County Mansfield A. Daniels (1858 - 1919), an early rancher and storekeeper371,6281,426 sq mi
(3,693 km2)
Map of Montana highlighting Daniels County.svg
DawsonCounty 021 Glendive January 15, 1869Unorganized landsAndrew Dawson, a trapping official and major in the United States Army 168,8302,373 sq mi
(6,146 km2)
Map of Montana highlighting Dawson County.svg
Deer LodgeCounty 023 Anaconda February 2, 1865Original CountyDeer Lodge Valley, which in turn was either named for the Native American name "Lodge of the White-tailed Deer" or a salt lick where deer came in droves309,510737 sq mi
(1,909 km2)
Map of Montana highlighting Deer Lodge County.svg
FallonCounty 025 Baker December 9, 1913 Custer County Benjamin O'Fallon, a Federal Native American agent393,0111,620 sq mi
(4,196 km2)
Map of Montana highlighting Fallon County.svg
FergusCounty 027 Lewistown March 12, 1885 Chouteau County, Meagher County Andrew Fergus (1850 - 1928), one of the first settlers in the county811,6634,339 sq mi
(11,238 km2)
Map of Montana highlighting Fergus County.svg
FlatheadCounty 029 Kalispell February 6, 1893 Missoula County Flathead Native Americans 7111,8145,099 sq mi
(13,206 km2)
Map of Montana highlighting Flathead County.svg
GallatinCounty 031 Bozeman February 2, 1865Original County Albert Gallatin (1761–1849), the United States Secretary of the Treasury at the time of the Lewis and Clark Expedition 6124,8572,507 sq mi
(6,493 km2)
Map of Montana highlighting Gallatin County.svg
GarfieldCounty 033 Jordan February 7, 1919 Dawson County James A. Garfield (1831–1881), the twentieth President of the United States 501,2184,668 sq mi
(12,090 km2)
Map of Montana highlighting Garfield County.svg
GlacierCounty 035 Cut Bank February 17, 1919 Teton County Glacier National Park, which borders the county3813,6812,995 sq mi
(7,757 km2)
Map of Montana highlighting Glacier County.svg
Golden ValleyCounty 037 Ryegate October 4, 1920 Musselshell County, Sweet Grass County Probably named in a promotional attempt to lure settlers to the area538351,175 sq mi
(3,043 km2)
Map of Montana highlighting Golden Valley County.svg
GraniteCounty 039 Philipsburg March 2, 1893 Deer Lodge County, Missoula County Named for the granite rock which is common in the area's mountains and also held the area's rich gold and silver ore; the old mining town of Granite shared the name. [13] 463,5021,728 sq mi
(4,475 km2)
Map of Montana highlighting Granite County.svg
HillCounty 041 Havre February 22, 1912 Chouteau County James J. Hill (1838–1916), a leading railroad tycoon1216,0682,896 sq mi
(7,501 km2)
Map of Montana highlighting Hill County.svg
JeffersonCounty 043 Boulder February 2, 1865Original County Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826), the third President of the United States 5112,8261,657 sq mi
(4,292 km2)
Map of Montana highlighting Jefferson County.svg
Judith BasinCounty 045 Stanford December 10, 1920 Cascade County, Fergus County The Judith River which was in turn named by William Clark for Julia "Judith" Hancock, whom he would later marry362,1051,870 sq mi
(4,843 km2)
Map of Montana highlighting Judith Basin County.svg
LakeCounty 047 Polson May 11, 1923 Flathead County, Missoula County Flathead Lake 1532,8531,494 sq mi
(3,869 km2)
Map of Montana highlighting Lake County.svg
Lewis and ClarkCounty 049 Helena February 2, 1865Original CountyOriginally Edgerton County), renamed March 1, 1868 for Meriwether Lewis and William Clark 573,8323,461 sq mi
(8,964 km2)
Map of Montana highlighting Lewis and Clark County.svg
LibertyCounty 051 Chester February 11, 1920 Chouteau County, Hill County The sentiment of the inhabitants when the county was formed soon after World War I 481,9721,430 sq mi
(3,704 km2)
Map of Montana highlighting Liberty County.svg
LincolnCounty 053 Libby March 9, 1909 Flathead County Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865), the 16th President of the United States 5621,5253,613 sq mi
(9,358 km2)
Map of Montana highlighting Lincoln County.svg
MadisonCounty 057 Virginia City February 2, 1865Original County James Madison (1751–1836), the fourth President of the United States and the Secretary of State at the time of the Lewis and Clark Expedition 259,2653,587 sq mi
(9,290 km2)
Map of Montana highlighting Madison County.svg
McConeCounty 055 Circle February 20, 1919 Dawson County, Richland County George McCone (1853 - 1929), a Montana state senator who helped create the county411,7092,643 sq mi
(6,845 km2)
Map of Montana highlighting McCone County.svg
MeagherCounty 059 White Sulphur Springs November 16, 1867 Chouteau County, Gallatin County Thomas Francis Meagher (1823–1867), an acting Governor of the Montana Territory 472,0132,392 sq mi
(6,195 km2)
Map of Montana highlighting Meagher County.svg
MineralCounty 061 Superior August 7, 1914 Missoula County Many mines and mining prospects within the county545,0581,220 sq mi
(3,160 km2)
Map of Montana highlighting Mineral County.svg
MissoulaCounty 063 Missoula February 2, 1865Original CountySupposedly a contraction of the Flathead word, "im-i-sul-e-etiku", meaning "by or near the place of fear or ambush", a reference to Hell Gate Canyon, in which Flathead Native Americans were sometimes attacked by Blackfeet 4121,0412,598 sq mi
(6,729 km2)
Map of Montana highlighting Missoula County.svg
MusselshellCounty 065 Roundup February 11, 1911 Fergus County, Meagher County, Yellowstone County The Musselshell River, named in turn by the Lewis and Clark Expedition presumably due to mussels found on its banks235,1971,867 sq mi
(4,836 km2)
Map of Montana highlighting Musselshell County.svg
ParkCounty 067 Livingston February 23, 1887 Gallatin County Nearby Yellowstone National Park 4917,7902,656 sq mi
(6,879 km2)
Map of Montana highlighting Park County.svg
PetroleumCounty 069 Winnett November 24, 1924 Fergus County The production of petroleum at Cat Creek 555241,654 sq mi
(4,284 km2)
Map of Montana highlighting Petroleum County.svg
PhillipsCounty 071 Malta February 5, 1915 Blaine County, Valley County Benjamin D. Phillips (1857 - 1926), a leading rancher and early pioneer in the county114,2405,140 sq mi
(13,313 km2)
Map of Montana highlighting Phillips County.svg
PonderaCounty 073 Conrad February 17, 1919 Chouteau County, Teton County Originally pend d'oreille, French words meaning "ear pendant"; the name was changed to a form resembling the phonetic spelling to avoid confusion with the lake and town of the same name in Idaho and of a county in Washington.266,0781,625 sq mi
(4,209 km2)
Map of Montana highlighting Pondera County.svg
Powder RiverCounty 075 Broadus March 7, 1919 Custer County The Powder River, named in turn for the gunpowder-like sand on its shores91,7253,297 sq mi
(8,539 km2)
Map of Montana highlighting Powder River County.svg
PowellCounty 077 Deer Lodge January 31, 1901 Deer Lodge County Mount Powell, which in turn was named for John Wesley Powell (1834–1902), the early environmentalist and explorer 287,0512,326 sq mi
(6,024 km2)
Map of Montana highlighting Powell County.svg
PrairieCounty 079 Terry February 5, 1915 Dawson County, Fallon County The county's location on the Great Plains 451,1071,737 sq mi
(4,499 km2)
Map of Montana highlighting Prairie County.svg
RavalliCounty 081 Hamilton February 16, 1893 Missoula County Anthony Ravalli (1812–1884), a Jesuit missionary who came to the area in 18451347,2982,394 sq mi
(6,200 km2)
Map of Montana highlighting Ravalli County.svg
RichlandCounty 083 Sidney May 27, 1914 Dawson County Named so as to depict fertile soil, in an attempt to lure in settlers2711,2372,084 sq mi
(5,398 km2)
Map of Montana highlighting Richland County.svg
RooseveltCounty 085 Wolf Point February 18, 1919 Sheridan County Theodore Roosevelt (1858–1919), the 26th President of the United States 1710,5722,356 sq mi
(6,102 km2)
Map of Montana highlighting Roosevelt County.svg
RosebudCounty 087 Forsyth February 11, 1901 Custer County The Rosebud River, which was named for the many wild roses along its banks298,0885,012 sq mi
(12,981 km2)
Map of Montana highlighting Rosebud County.svg
SandersCounty 089 Thompson Falls February 7, 1905 Missoula County Wilbur Fiske Sanders (1834–1905), a pioneer, vigilante, and U.S. Senator from Montana 3513,4422,762 sq mi
(7,154 km2)
Map of Montana highlighting Sanders County.svg
SheridanCounty 091 Plentywood March 24, 1913 Valley County Philip Sheridan (1831–1888), Civil War general343,5641,677 sq mi
(4,343 km2)
Map of Montana highlighting Sheridan County.svg
Silver BowCounty 093 Butte February 16, 1881 Deer Lodge County Silver Bow Creek; there are multiple theories explaining how the creek was named136,068718 sq mi
(1,860 km2)
Map of Montana highlighting Silver Bow County.svg
StillwaterCounty 095 Columbus March 24, 1913 Carbon County, Sweet Grass County, Yellowstone County Stillwater River, ironically named for its very fast current329,1771,795 sq mi
(4,649 km2)
Map of Montana highlighting Stillwater County.svg
Sweet GrassCounty 097 Big Timber March 5, 1895 Meagher County, Park County, Yellowstone County The abundant sweet grass in the county403,7151,855 sq mi
(4,804 km2)
Map of Montana highlighting Sweet Grass County.svg
TetonCounty 099 Choteau February 7, 1893 Chouteau County The Teton Range which is in turn named for the French word for 'nipple', teton316,3682,273 sq mi
(5,887 km2)
Map of Montana highlighting Teton County.svg
TooleCounty 101 Shelby May 7, 1914 Hill County, Teton County Joseph Toole (1851–1929), the first and fourth Governor of Montana 215,0821,911 sq mi
(4,949 km2)
Map of Montana highlighting Toole County.svg
TreasureCounty 103 Hysham February 7, 1919 Rosebud County Named promotionally to attract new settlers33758979 sq mi
(2,536 km2)
Map of Montana highlighting Treasure County.svg
ValleyCounty 105 Glasgow February 6, 1893 Dawson County Much of the county lies within the valley of the Milk River 207,5134,921 sq mi
(12,745 km2)
Map of Montana highlighting Valley County.svg
WheatlandCounty 107 Harlowton February 22, 1917 Meagher County, Sweet Grass County The many wheat fields in the county442,0321,423 sq mi
(3,686 km2)
Map of Montana highlighting Wheatland County.svg
WibauxCounty 109 Wibaux August 17, 1914 Dawson County, Fallon County, Richland County Pierre Wibaux (1858–1913), a pioneer and cattleman52919889 sq mi
(2,302 km2)
Map of Montana highlighting Wibaux County.svg
YellowstoneCounty 111 Billings February 26, 1883 Custer County The Yellowstone River, named in turn for the yellow rocks found along its shores3169,8522,635 sq mi
(6,825 km2)
Map of Montana highlighting Yellowstone County.svg

Previous counties

Extinct counties

County equivalents

See also

Related Research Articles

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This is a timeline of pre-statehood Montana history comprising substantial events in the history of the area that would become the State of Montana prior to November 8, 1889. This area existed as Montana Territory from May 28, 1864, until November 8, 1889, when it was admitted to the Union as the State of Montana.

References

  1. "EPA County FIPS Code Listing". EPA.gov. Retrieved 2008-02-23.
  2. 1 2 National Association of Counties. "NACo – Find a county". Archived from the original on 2005-04-21. Retrieved 2007-04-26.
  3. "Montana county seats & corresponding license plate numbers". Montana Association of Counties. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
  4. "What's the deal with Montana's license plate numbering system?". Billings Gazette. May 2, 2014. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
  5. "2022 U.S. Census QuickFacts: Montana". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2023-04-03.
  6. Muntmyler, L. E. (April 1914). "An Enjoyable Water Trip?". Hunter-Trader-Trapper. Columbus, Ohio: A. R. Harding: 52.
  7. Greene, Jerome (2008). Stricken Field: The Little Bighorn Since 1876 (Hardcover). Norman, Oklahoma: University of Oklahoma Press. p. 263. ISBN   978-0-8061-3791-9.
  8. 1 2 Hill, Thomas (1915). The Open Door To Independence. Chicago, Illinois: Hill Standard Book Company. p.  225.
  9. Fay, Robert; Branson, Carl (1959). "Oklahoma Geological Survey" (PDF). Ogs.edu.
  10. "Guidebook … Annual Field Conference" (13). 1962: 143. Townsend, Montana lies in the central part of Townsend Valley at an elevation of 3833 and is the county seat of Broadwater County. The town was named for an official of the Northern Pacific Railroad. The county was named for Colonel Charles A. Broadwater, an early pioneer.{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  11. "Carter County Montana". www.cartercountymt.info. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
  12. 1 2 Big Horn County, Montana Territory was not the same county as present day Big Horn County, Montana.
  13. "Montana Place Names from Alzada to Zortman". Montana Place Names Companion Website. Montana Historical Society and Montana State Library. Retrieved 31 October 2015.