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 |
