Meagher County is a county in Montana, United States, home to the geographic center of the state’s population. It had a population of 1,927 at the 2020 census and covers 2,395 square miles (6,200 km2) centred near 46°49′N 111°13′W, in the central part of the state.
White Sulphur Springs is the county seat, and its postal code is 59645. The county has one incorporated town, two census-designated places, and a scatter of ranching hamlets and rail sidings. Meagher County observes Mountain time and carries FIPS county code 47.
Towns & Villages in Meagher County
Meagher County is overwhelmingly rural: one incorporated city, two census-designated places, and roughly a dozen named unincorporated places, most of them ranch crossings or former rail stops along the old Milwaukee Road line. CDP figures below are 2020 census counts; Unincorp. places carry no census population of their own.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| White Sulphur Springs | City · seat | 939 | 59645 |
| Martinsdale | CDP | 60 | 59053 |
| Springdale Colony | CDP | — | — |
| Checkerboard | Unincorp. | — | 59053 |
| Ringling | Unincorp. | — | 59642 |
| Lennep | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Fort Logan | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Sixteen | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Copperopolis | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Castle Town | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Robinson | Unincorp. | — | — |
The old settlement list on this page also carried a run of named ranch addresses — Bill Bracket Place, Bruce Place, Ford Place, Staley Place, Tyman Place — and mobile-home courts (Doak, Jerry Mallo, Mikesell, Richards). These are individual properties rather than communities and are omitted here; likewise Bruno, Buckingham, Forest Green, Groveland, Hamen, Higgins, Loweth, Manger, Moss Agate, Moyne, Watson and Wolsey, none of which trace to a verifiable place record.
ZIP Codes
- 59645 — White Sulphur Springs (also serves most of the county)
- 59053 — Martinsdale (also serves Checkerboard)
- 59642 — Ringling
Most of the county’s smaller ranch communities have no ZIP of their own and use White Sulphur Springs mail service.
Geography
Meagher County sits in the Smith River and Musselshell River headwaters country of central Montana, ringed by the Big Belt, Little Belt, and Castle mountain ranges, with broad ranching valleys in between. Public land includes portions of the Helena-Lewis and Clark and Lewis and Clark National Forests. The county borders Cascade County to the north, Judith Basin County to the northeast, Wheatland County to the east, Sweet Grass County to the southeast, Park County and Gallatin County to the south, Broadwater County to the west, and Lewis and Clark County to the northwest.
Demographics
Meagher County’s 2020 population of 1,927 makes it one of Montana’s least populous counties, at roughly 0.8 people per square mile. White Sulphur Springs and Martinsdale are its two largest communities. Median household income runs below the Montana median of $70,804 — ranching counties of this size in central Montana typically report household incomes in the $45,000–$55,000 range, well under the state figure.
Economy & Local Life
Cattle and sheep ranching drive the local economy, supplemented by dryland wheat and hay farming in the valleys. White Sulphur Springs is the county’s commercial hub, with the county courthouse, a K-12 school, and small-town retail along U.S. Route 89. The Meagher County Fair and rodeo, held each summer in White Sulphur Springs, is the county’s biggest annual event.
History
Meagher County was organized on November 16, 1867, and named for Thomas Francis Meagher, an Irish nationalist who served as acting territorial governor of Montana. The county originally extended much farther and included the Diamond City mining district, now part of Broadwater County, split off as counties were redrawn in the following decades. Ranching replaced the early gold-mining economy by the late 1800s and has remained the county’s mainstay ever since.
Getting There
U.S. Routes 12 and 89 cross the county and meet at White Sulphur Springs.
- Helena — 60 miles northwest
- Great Falls — 75 miles north
- Bozeman — 90 miles south
- Billings — 130 miles southeast
The nearest commercial airport is Helena Regional Airport, about 60 miles northwest of White Sulphur Springs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Meagher County?
It is in central Montana, straddling the headwaters of the Smith and Musselshell rivers between the Big Belt, Little Belt, and Castle mountain ranges.
What is the population of Meagher County?
1,927 at the 2020 census.
How big is Meagher County?
2,395 square miles (6,200 km2), making it one of Montana’s larger counties by area but one of its smallest by population.
What is the county seat of Meagher County?
White Sulphur Springs is the county seat and the county’s only incorporated city.
How many towns are in Meagher County?
One incorporated city (White Sulphur Springs), two census-designated places, and about a dozen smaller unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Meagher County?
59645 (White Sulphur Springs), 59053 (Martinsdale), and 59642 (Ringling).
Why is Meagher County named that?
It honors Thomas Francis Meagher, an Irish nationalist and Union Army general who served as acting governor of Montana Territory when the county was created in 1867.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Montana.