Powder River County, Montana

Last updated

Powder River County
County
Broadus MT Powder River County Courthouse.jpg
Powder River Courthouse in Broadus
Map of Montana highlighting Powder River County.svg
Location within the U.S. state of Montana
Montana in United States.svg
Montana's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 45°23′N105°38′W / 45.38°N 105.64°W / 45.38; -105.64
CountryFlag of the United States.svg United States
StateFlag of Montana.svg Montana
FoundedMarch 17, 1919 [1]
Named after Powder River
Seat Broadus
Largest townBroadus
Area
 • Total
3,298 sq mi (8,540 km2)
 • Land3,297 sq mi (8,540 km2)
 • Water0.6 sq mi (2 km2)  0.02%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
1,694
 • Estimate 
(2024)
1,734 Increase2.svg
 • Density0.51/sq mi (0.20/km2)
Time zone UTC−7 (Mountain)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−6 (MDT)
Congressional district 2nd
Website www.prco.mt.gov
  • Montana county number 09

Powder River County is a county in the U.S. state of Montana. As of the 2020 census, the population was 1,694. [2] Its county seat is Broadus. [3]

Contents

History

Powder River County's area was probably first entered by Europeans when French trappers worked its streams in the early 1800s. In 1865 the federal government sent soldiers (Powder River Expedition) to the Powder River country to combat Native Americans from the Cheyenne, Lakota Sioux, and Arapaho tribes. September 1865 saw several skirmishes (Powder River Battles) near present-day Broadus. [4] On March 17, 1876, the Battle of Powder River occurred in the south-central part of the county, about 34 miles (55 km) southwest of Broadus. [5]

Powderville was the area's first established settlement; it began operating on November 1, 1878, as the Powder River Telegraph Station on a line connecting Fort Keogh to Deadwood, South Dakota. [6] On April 5, 1879, the Mizpah Creek Incidents began near the Powderville telegraph station.

Custer County was organized in early 1877, consisting of most of SE Montana Territory. In February 1900, the Broadus Post Office opened. In October 1918 the first edition of the area's first newspaper [7] appeared. On March 17, 1919, Powder River County was formed from southern Custer County. In a 1920 election, Broadus was chosen as the county seat.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 3,298 square miles (8,540 km2), of which 3,297 square miles (8,540 km2) is land and 0.6 square miles (1.6 km2) (0.02%) is water. [8]

Major highways

Transit

Powder River County Transit provides demand-response services throughout the county.

Adjacent counties

National protected area

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1920 3,357—
1930 3,90916.4%
1940 3,159−19.2%
1950 2,693−14.8%
1960 2,485−7.7%
1970 2,86215.2%
1980 2,520−11.9%
1990 2,090−17.1%
2000 1,858−11.1%
2010 1,743−6.2%
2020 1,694−2.8%
2024 (est.)1,734 [9] 2.4%
U.S. Decennial Census [10]
1790–1960, [11] 1900–1990, [12]
1990–2000, [13] 2010–2020 [2]

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, there were 1,694 people living in the county.[ citation needed ]

2010 census

As of the 2010 census, there were 1,743 people, 755 households, and 505 families in the county. The population density was 0.5 inhabitants per square mile (0.19/km2). There were 1,022 housing units at an average density of 0.3 per square mile (0.12/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 95.0% white, 1.5% American Indian, 0.2% Asian, 0.1% black or African American, 1.1% from other races, and 2.1% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.4% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 34.6% were German, 31.0% were American, 15.1% were English, 14.0% were Irish, and 8.6% were Norwegian.

Of the 755 households, 26.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.1% were married couples living together, 5.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 33.1% were non-families, and 28.3% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 2.76. The median age was 49.3 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $37,685 and the median income for a family was $50,156. Males had a median income of $27,721 versus $26,250 for females. The per capita income for the county was $21,543. About 11.6% of families and 14.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.7% of those under age 18 and 11.7% of those age 65 or over.

Politics

Powder River County is heavily Republican; it has voted Republican in every presidential election since 1940.

United States presidential election results for Powder River County, Montana [14]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No. %No. %No. %
1920 95571.27%33024.63%554.10%
1924 48048.68%12312.47%38338.84%
1928 78065.05%41034.20%90.75%
1932 51535.52%87560.34%604.14%
1936 54540.40%75856.19%463.41%
1940 63352.23%56146.29%181.49%
1944 65057.17%47641.86%110.97%
1948 78460.17%48036.84%392.99%
1952 88872.67%32726.76%70.57%
1956 70060.55%45639.45%00.00%
1960 66560.18%43839.64%20.18%
1964 64959.05%44940.86%10.09%
1968 69964.96%25823.98%11911.06%
1972 84469.35%26721.94%1068.71%
1976 68355.30%42934.74%1239.96%
1980 98568.26%33623.28%1228.45%
1984 1,06674.60%34624.21%171.19%
1988 81566.15%39532.06%221.79%
1992 54747.32%25822.32%35130.36%
1996 66363.44%23622.58%14613.97%
2000 86085.32%11511.41%333.27%
2004 85683.19%15414.97%191.85%
2008 80277.26%20820.04%282.70%
2012 83381.11%17016.55%242.34%
2016 88483.95%12712.06%423.99%
2020 97085.39%15413.56%121.06%
2024 96387.07%13111.84%121.08%

Communities

Town

Census-designated place

Unincorporated communities

Notable people

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Powder River County, Montana". www.prco.mt.gov. Archived from the original on June 14, 2018. Retrieved April 3, 2018.
  2. 1 2 "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 8, 2023.
  3. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  4. ↑ Wagner, David E. (2009). Powder River Odyssey: Nelson Cole's Western Campaign of 1865, The Journals of Lyman G. Bennett and Other Eyewitness Accounts. Arthur H. Clark Co.
  5. ↑ Vaughn, J.W. (1961). The Reynolds Campaign on Powder River. University of Oklahoma Press.
  6. ↑ Powderville: A Personal History.
  7. ↑ The Broadus Independent, now called Powder River Examiner.
  8. ↑ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on December 5, 2014. Retrieved November 29, 2014.
  9. ↑ "County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2024". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 3, 2025.
  10. ↑ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 29, 2014.
  11. ↑ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved November 29, 2014.
  12. ↑ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 29, 2014.
  13. ↑ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved November 29, 2014.
  14. ↑ Leip, David. "Atlas of US Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved April 3, 2018.
  15. ↑ Bay Horse MT Google Maps (accessed January 4, 2019)
  16. ↑ Cameron Crossing MT Google Maps (accessed January 4, 2019)
  17. ↑ Sayle MT Google Maps (accessed January 4, 2019)
  18. ↑ Willow Crossing MT Google Maps (accessed January 4, 2019)

45°23′N105°38′W / 45.38°N 105.64°W / 45.38; -105.64

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