Meagher County (pronounced Marr) is a
county
A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesChambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...
located in the
U.S. state
In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sover ...
of
Montana
Montana () is a state in the Mountain West division of the Western United States. It is bordered by Idaho to the west, North Dakota and South Dakota to the east, Wyoming to the south, and the Canadian provinces of Alberta, British Columbi ...
. As of the
2020 census, the population was 1,927.
Its
county seat
A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...
is
White Sulphur Springs.
According to the
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
, the 2010
center of population
In demographics, the center of population (or population center) of a region is a geographical point that describes a centerpoint of the region's population. There are several ways of defining such a "center point", leading to different geogr ...
of Montana is located in Meagher County at
History
Meagher County was named for
Thomas Francis Meagher
Thomas Francis Meagher (; 3 August 18231 July 1867) was an Irish nationalist and leader of the Young Irelanders in the Rebellion of 1848. After being convicted of sedition, he was first sentenced to death, but received transportation for life ...
, territorial governor of Montana.
The first county seat was Diamond City, the main city of the Confederate Gulch mining district. This area is no longer part of Meagher County, but today lies in neighboring
Broadwater County
Broadwater County is a County (United States), county in the U.S. state of Montana. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 6,774. Its county seat is Townsend, Montana, Townsend. The county was named for Charles Arth ...
.
Geography
According to the
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.1%) is water.
Major highways
*
U.S. Highway 12
*
U.S. Highway 89
U.S. Route 89 (US 89) is a north–south United States Numbered Highway with two sections, and one former section. The southern section runs for from Flagstaff, Arizona, to the southern entrance of Yellowstone National Park. The northern section ...
Adjacent counties
*
Cascade County - north
*
Judith Basin County
Judith Basin County is a county in the U.S. state of Montana. As of the 2020 census, the population was 2,023. Its county seat is the town of Stanford.
History
Judith Basin County was formed of area taken from western Fergus and eastern Casca ...
- northeast
*
Wheatland County - east
*
Sweet Grass County - southeast
*
Park County - south
*
Gallatin County - south
*
Broadwater County
Broadwater County is a County (United States), county in the U.S. state of Montana. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 6,774. Its county seat is Townsend, Montana, Townsend. The county was named for Charles Arth ...
- west
*
Lewis and Clark County - northwest
National protected areas
*
Gallatin National Forest
The Gallatin National Forest (now known as the Custer-Gallatin National Forest) is a United States National Forest located in South-West Montana. Most of the Custer-Gallatin goes along the state's southern border, with some of it a part of North- ...
(part)
*
Helena National Forest (part)
*
Lewis and Clark National Forest
Lewis and Clark National Forest is located in west central Montana, United States. Spanning , the forest is managed as two separate zones. The eastern sections, under the Jefferson Division, is a mixture of grass and shrublands dotted with "islan ...
(part)
Politics
This county has a strong Republican lean. This was one of 12 counties in Montana that
Barry Goldwater
Barry Morris Goldwater (January 2, 1909 – May 29, 1998) was an American politician and United States Air Force officer who was a five-term U.S. Senator from Arizona (1953–1965, 1969–1987) and the Republican Party nominee for presiden ...
won in 1964. A Democrat has not won since
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt (; ; January 30, 1882April 12, 1945), often referred to by his initials FDR, was an American politician and attorney who served as the 32nd president of the United States from 1933 until his death in 1945. As the ...
in 1940.
Demographics
2000 census
As of the
2000 census, there were 1,932 people, 803 households, and 529 families in the county. The
population density
Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...
was <1/km
2 (1/sq mi). There were 1,363 housing units at an average density of <1/km
2 (1/sq mi). The racial makeup of the county was 97.20%
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...
, 1.04%
Native American, 0.16%
Asian
Asian may refer to:
* Items from or related to the continent of Asia:
** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia
** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia
** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 0.05%
Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe the original p ...
, 0.57% from
other races
Other often refers to:
* Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy
Other or The Other may also refer to:
Film and television
* ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack
* ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...
, and 0.98% from two or more races. 1.50% of the population were
Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...
or
Latino
Latino or Latinos most often refers to:
* Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America
* Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States
* The people or cultures of Latin America;
** Latin A ...
of any race. 28.8% were of
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
** Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ge ...
, 14.5%
Norwegian
Norwegian, Norwayan, or Norsk may refer to:
*Something of, from, or related to Norway, a country in northwestern Europe
* Norwegians, both a nation and an ethnic group native to Norway
* Demographics of Norway
*The Norwegian language, including ...
, 13.3%
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
, 12.4%
Irish
Irish may refer to:
Common meanings
* Someone or something of, from, or related to:
** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe
***Éire, Irish language name for the isle
** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...
and 7.8%
American ancestry
American ancestry refers to people in the United States who self-identify their ancestral origin or descent as "American," rather than the more common officially recognized racial and ethnic groups that make up the bulk of the American peop ...
.
There were 803 households, out of which 27.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.80% were
married couples
Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...
living together, 6.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.10% were non-families. 31.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 3.00.
The county population contained 25.00% under the age of 18, 6.10% from 18 to 24, 22.70% from 25 to 44, 28.10% from 45 to 64, and 18.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 100.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.40 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $29,375, and the median income for a family was $33,879. Males had a median income of $22,083 versus $15,417 for females. The
per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population.
Per capita i ...
for the county was $15,019. About 16.40% of families and 18.90% of the population were below the
poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...
, including 27.40% of those under age 18 and 13.00% of those age 65 or over.
2010 census
As of the
2010 census, there were 1,891 people, 806 households, and 509 families in the county.
The population density was . There were 1,432 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 97.9% white, 0.3% Asian, 0.3% American Indian, 0.1% black or African American, 0.1% from other races, and 1.3% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.5% of the population.
[ In terms of ancestry, 38.6% were ]German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
** Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ge ...
, 14.3% were Norwegian
Norwegian, Norwayan, or Norsk may refer to:
*Something of, from, or related to Norway, a country in northwestern Europe
* Norwegians, both a nation and an ethnic group native to Norway
* Demographics of Norway
*The Norwegian language, including ...
, 13.6% were Irish
Irish may refer to:
Common meanings
* Someone or something of, from, or related to:
** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe
***Éire, Irish language name for the isle
** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...
, 11.0% were English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
, 5.9% were Scotch-Irish, and 3.2% were American
American(s) may refer to:
* American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America"
** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America
** American ancestry, pe ...
.
Of the 806 households, 20.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.6% were married couples living together, 6.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 36.8% were non-families, and 33.3% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.13 and the average family size was 2.67. The median age was 50.1 years.[
The median income for a household in the county was $31,577 and the median income for a family was $40,057. Males had a median income of $30,556 versus $16,414 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,318. About 14.1% of families and 19.0% of the population were below the ]poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...
, including 21.7% of those under age 18 and 13.0% of those age 65 or over.
Communities
City
* White Sulphur Springs (county seat)
Census-designated places
* Martinsdale
* Springdale Colony
Other unincorporated communities
* Castle Town
* Checkerboard
* Copperopolis
* Fort Logan
* Hamen
* Lennep
Remscheid () is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is, after Wuppertal and Solingen, the third-largest municipality in Bergisches Land, being located on the northern edge of the region, on the south side of the Ruhr area.
Remscheid h ...
* Loweth
* Minden
Minden () is a middle-sized town in the very north-east of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, the greatest town between Bielefeld and Hanover. It is the capital of the district (''Kreis'') of Minden-Lübbecke, which is part of the region of Detm ...
* Moss Agate
* Moyne
* Ringling
* Sixteen
Individual residences (identified on aerial map)
* Ford Place''Ford Place MT'' Google Maps (accessed January 3, 2019)
/ref>
See also
* List of lakes in Meagher County, Montana
There are at least 36 named lakes and reservoirs in Meagher County, Montana.
Lakes
* Camas Lake, , el.
* Castle Lake, , el.
* Coates Pond, , el.
* Crater Lake, , el.
* Edith Lake, , el.
* Forest Lake, , el.
* Grace Lake, , el.
* ...
* Confederate Gulch and Diamond City
Confederate Gulch is a steeply incised gulch or valley on the west-facing slopes of the Big Belt Mountains in the U.S. state of Montana. Its small stream drains westward into Canyon Ferry Lake, on the upper Missouri River near present-day Townsen ...
(historically in Meagher County, but now in Broadwater County)
* List of mountains in Meagher County, Montana
There are at least 63 named mountains in Meagher County, Montana.
* Avalanche Butte, , el.
* Bald Hills, , el.
* Battle Mountain, , el.
* Bear Mountain, , el.
* Beartrap Peak, , el.
* Berkins Butte, , el.
* Billie Butte, , el.
* Bl ...
* National Register of Historic Places listings in Meagher County, Montana
References
{{Coord, 46.813, -111.210, display=title, type:adm2nd_region:US-MT_source:UScensus1990
Montana counties on the Missouri River
1867 establishments in Montana Territory
Populated places established in 1867