MEAGHER COUNTY. 



Meagher county was once one of the largest counties in the state and was one 

 of the sixteen counties existing when Montana was admitted to the Union in 18S9. 

 It has since been hacked and sliced by new counties until its area, though still 

 quite large, has been reduced to 2,369 square miles. Its last loss of territory came 

 during 1917, when by legislative enactment, Wheatland county was organized and 

 in addition to a row of townships from Sweet Grass county, it took from Meagher 

 1,184 square miles. 



The county was named for General Thomas F. Meagher, once acting governor 

 of Montana territory, a soldier of fame both in the old world and in the United 

 States, whose statue adorns the grounds of the Capitol at Helena. 



Meagher county is separated from the Missouri valley by the Big Belt range 

 of mountains. The creation of Wheatland county sliced off about a third of the 

 county, taking in the eastern part, including the towns of Harlowton and Judith 

 Gap, located in an agricultural section. The northern boundary of Meagher is the 

 Little Belt mountains. 



The principal railroad is the Milwaukee, which crosses the southern part of the 

 county from east to west. A branch line of this road runs to White Sulphur 

 Springs from the main line. 



The chief farming district is in the Smith river valley in the northern part 

 of the county. The southern part of the county has long been and is still a great 

 stock country. Large tracts of land were acquired by stockmen who ranged 

 cattle and sheep on the open range and raised hay and grain for their own use to be 

 fed during the winter. Lands in the valley were irrigated, and it is only within a 

 few years that farming has been carried on to any extent on unirrigated land. Irri- 

 gated lands in the Smith river valley produce large crops of wheat, oats, barley, 

 timothy, alfalfa and vegetables. 



This valley is about 50 miles long by 12 to 15 miles wide. It was formerly 

 given over largely to stock raising, but settlers discovered the fertile soil was 

 adapted to grain raising and a considerable area was put into crops the past two 

 or three years, although a railroad is badly needed to market the crops. The yield 

 shows 35 bushels of winter and as high as 53 bushels of spring wheat, 50 to 75 

 bushels of oats and 2 to 4 tons of hay to the acre. The oats is heavy, running 

 as high as 45 to 48 pounds to the bushel. The county has won many prizes at 

 the State Fair. Sixteen Mile creek which rises in the Castle mountains and flows 

 west through a canyon joining the Missouri at Lombard is a scenic route much 

 favored by tourists. 



Meagher county has been very famous as a stock region. Cattle and sheep 

 are ranged and much of the irrigated section of Smith River valley is devoted to 

 the raising of hay for winter feed. 



There is considerable mineral in the mountains but except at Delph there is 

 little activity. At one time Castle was a producer of silver in quantities. 



White Sulphur Springs, the county seat, is an old town, but modern neverthe- 

 less. It has a fine hotel, a city auditorium, ample to serve a city thrice its size, 

 court house, electric lights, a high school, graded schools, three churches, cement 

 sidewalks, banks, a newspaper, many retail stores and fine residences. The town 

 is picturesquely situated near the head of the Smith river valley 18 miles from the 

 main line of the Milwaukee railroad, with which it is connected by the White 

 Sulphur Springs and Yellowstone Park railroad. The w T aters of the wonderful springs 

 that give name to the town possess healing qualities of great value. The water has 

 a copious flow of 110 degrees. The springs have been bought by John Ringling, 

 the circus owner, who will make them a great health resort. Some of the large 

 ranches in the neighborhood have been divided up and sold to farmers. 



The county is in the Helena land district and 325,219 acres of public land are 

 still available for homestead entry. There are also 91,585 acres of state land. The 

 estimated population of the county is about 3,000. 



The assessed valuation of the county in 1918 is $7,609,693 including railroad 

 property. 



