Local History

MEAGHER COUNTY

Meagher County, situated close to the central part of Montana, is one of the oldest counties in the state, having been created November 16, 1867. Its early settlement was due to the discovery of gold in Madison County in 1863, an event which attracted miners and prospectors to the state and resulted in the discovery of other various sources of mineral wealth throughout the mountainous regions, including Meagher County. The county has a land area of 2,369 square miles and a general elevation of 5,000 feet above sea level, more than half its surface being mountainous. The principal ranges of mountains are found on the northern and southern boundaries, the northern boundary being marked by the crest of the Little belt range and the southern by that of the Big Belt range.

The drainage and water supply of Meagher County are exceptionally good. The principal stream is the Smith River, which, rising in the Castle mountains, flows throught the county in a northweterly direction and is fed by numerous smaller streams having their sources in the mountain ranges to north and south. Its valley, some fifty miles long by twelve to fifteen wide, is the chief farming district and is practically all irrigated, the land being chiefly in the possession of stockmen operating on a large scale and here raising their forage for winter feed. The valley soil is alluvial, while on the benches it is a chocolate loam. In the eastern part of the county some non-irrigated farming is practiced. Another important stream is Sixteen Mile Creek, which, like Smith River, rises in the Castle Mountains and flows west through a magnificent canyon, finally joining the Missouri at Lombard.

The extensive stock industry includes the raising both of cattle and sheep. Though hay is the chief crop raised, the soil produces heavy yields of grain, samples of which have proved prize winners in state exhibitions. Garden vegetables also thrive well.

As already intimated, mining was taken up at an early day, silver, lead, copper and gold being the chief minerals found. For some years the industry flouished, but after the surface deposits had been secured interest declined and has been revived only recently. The application of modern methods and improved machinery will doubtless result in additional profit. In the northern end of the county are some undeveloped coal deposits.

Meagher county's wealth in timber is chiefly contained in the national forests included within its borders, and aggregates 624,910 acres. Of this amount 77,722 acres are contained in the Absaroka Forest, 1,065 in the Gallatin forest, 133,489 in the Helena, and 413,634 in the Jefferson Forest. Some lumbering is carried on, but the industry has not yet realized its full possibilities. Like most mountainous regions, Meagher County can boast of attractive scenery and there is excellent fishing in many of the streams.

Meagher County is tapped by the main line of the Milwaukee Railroad, which crosses the southern part of the county east and west, a branch line running from Ringling to White Sulphur Springs eighteen miles north. The Y-G-Bee Line Trail between the Yellowstone and Glacier parks also runs through the county, while the maintenance of good roads and state highways has received careful attention.

~Source: "MONTANA Its Story and biography", by American Historical Society, edited by Tom Stout, 1921


HISTORY OF CASTLE
The area where the town of Castle grew up used to be an open range with only scattered sheep & cattle ranches & rolling hillsides. It wasn't until a large copper discovery in the area by Hanson H. Barnes in 1884 that real interest was shown in this area. This was either the Bluebell Mine or the Princess Mine. When F. Lafe Hensley also found lead in the mountain above the present town of Castle, he brought along his 3 brothers, Ike, Joe & John & they started several mines in the area.

Bill Gay & his brother-in-law, Gross came to Castle, along with Bill's quarter-breed daughter. (Bill & brother Al were in from the Black Hills gold rush & that's who Gayville was named for.) Bill had shot a gentleman in the Black Hills & spent his fortune defending himself in order to get his prison stay cut down. G.K.Robertson & family (a local blacksmith) took them in & gave Bill odd jobs until Bill discovered a coal lead at the edge of town. The newspaper editor, Mr. Benson jumped the claim & a sensational trial was held in Helena, with many citizens supporting Benson. Gay & Gross burned the printshop of Benson after the trial & set fire to other buildings in Castle. Right before they set fire to Mr. Fowlie's saloon, they were seen & escaped. William Rader, sherrif of White Sulphur Springs, along with a posse found Gross, but had to release him for lack of evidence. After stolen goods were found in Gross's cabin, the posse again searched him out & found he & Gay holed up in the nearby hills. Sheriff Rader was killed in the ensuing gunfight by Gross & later, after they chased them down again, Gross also killed Jim McKay & tried to kill Robertson, Gay's friend, but Gay stopped him. The 2 escaped.
~Submitted by Bonnie Palmer and Megan Perales


IF NAMED FOR MEAGHER O'THE SWORD, HE WAS FASCINATING CHARACTER. BROUGHT CURRENT IRISH FLAG BACK FROM FRENCH REVOLT IN 1848; SENTENCED TO HANG BY BRITS IN WAKE OF TOTALLY FAILED "YOUNG IRELANDER" 1848 REBELLION; COMMUTED TO LIFE IN TASMANIA; PAROLED; VOLUNTARILY CANCELLED PAROLE AS OF A STATED TIME; WHEN CONSTABULARY DIDN'T APPEAR AT THE MOMENT, TOOK OFF; GOT TO N.Y VIA ARGENTINA; PRACTISED A LITTLE LAW; LECTURED AND WROTE QUITE A BIT; EXPLORED, IN COSTA RICA, POSSIBILITY OF CANAL CONNECTING OCEANS; HELPED RAISE IRISH REGIMENT THAT BECAME NUCLEUS OF IRISH BRIGADE WHICH HE LED AT ANTIETAM AMONG OTHER BATTLES; ULTIMATELY TEMPORARARY MAJOR GENERAL; ANGERED BY SOMETHING OR OTHER, RESIGNED COMMISSION WHICH WAS LATER RESTORED; WITH SHERMAN IN GEORGIA; ULTIMATELY, POST WAR, APPOINTED TERRITORIAL SECRETARY OF MONTANA BEFORE, I BELIEVE, TOP JOB RATED GOVERNOR'S TITLE; HAVE HEARD THERE'S A STATUE OF HIM NEAR MONTANA CAPITOL. ONCE UPON A TIME CIRCA 1951, UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME HAD HIS UNION ARMY SWORD (NOT THE ONE OF IRISH LYRICISM) ON DISPLAY IN ITS LIBRARY BUT I HEARD IN 1991 THEY COULDN'T FIND IT. OTHER ARTIFACTS IN WATERFORD, IRELAND.
~Submitted by John


POPULATED PLACES IN MEAGHER COUNTY

Name Located near
Bill Bracket Place Rimrock Divide
Bruce Place Ringling
Bruno Hamen
Buckingham Gipsy Lake
Calkins(historical) Catlin Spring
Castle Town Castle Town
Checkerboard Checkerboard
Doak Trailer Court White Sulphur Springs - County Seat
Findon (historical) Mud Creek
Ford Place Ringling
Forest Green Kings Hill
Fort Logan Fort Logan
Gauglersville (historical) Martinsdale
Groveland Groveland
Hamen Hamen
Higgins Hamen
Jerry Mallo Trailer Court White Sulphur Springs - County Seal
Langford City (historical) Hanson Reservoir
Lebo Lebo
Lennep Lennep
Lingshire Lingshire
Loweth Hamen
Manger Gipsy Lake
Martinsdale Martinsdale
Mikesell Trailer Court White Sulpher Springs - County Seat
Moss Agate Ringling
Moyne Ringling
Preston Watson
Richards Trailer Court White Sulphur Springs - County Seat
Ringling Ringling
Robinson Castle Town
Sixteen Sixteen
Springdale Colony Alkali Lake
Staley Place Wolf Hill
Tyman Wolf Hill
Watson Watson
White Sulphur Springs White Sulphur Springs - County Seat
Wolsey Moose Mountain


















































 
POST OFFICES

NAME LOCATION
Barzee Post Office  Moose Mountain
Blackhawk Post Office  Castle Town
Calkins Post Office  Catlin Spring
Castle Post Office  Castle Town
Copper Post Office  Fourmile Spring
Copperopolis Post Office  Fourmile Spring
Delpine Post Office  Checkerboard
Dorsey Post Office  Hamen
Doty Post Office  Battle Mountain
Findon Post Office  Mud Creek
Flint Post Office  Lingshire NW
Fort Logan Post Office  Fort Logan
Gile Post Office  Gipsy Lake
Leadboro Post Office  Castle Town
Lebo Post Office  Lebo
Lennep Post Office  Lennep
Lewis Post Office  Fort Logan
Lingshire Post Office  Lingshire
Martinsdale Post Office Martinsdale
Minden Post Office  Ringling
Onondago Post Office  Hanson Reservoir
Ringling Post Office Ringling
Robinson Post Office  Castle Town
Shannon Post Office  Sheep Mountain
Sixteen Post Office  Sixteen
Thale Post Office  Kings Hill
Thompson Post Office  Gipsy Lake
Unity Post Office  Alkali Lake
Watson Post Office  Watson
White Sulphur Springs Post Office White Sulphur Springs
Willow Springs Post Office  Ellis Canyon
Wolsey Post Office  Moose Mountain