Toole County, Montana

{{Infobox U.S. county

| county = Toole County

| state = Montana

| seal =

| founded year = 1914

| founded date =

| seat wl = Shelby

| largest city wl = Shelby

| area_total_sq_mi = 1946

| area_land_sq_mi = 1916

| area_water_sq_mi = 30

| area percentage = 1.5

| population_as_of = 2020

| population_total = 4971

| pop_est_as_of = 2024

| population_est = 5153 {{increase}}

| population_density_sq_mi = auto

| web = www.toolecountymt.gov

| ex image = Toole County Courthouse July 2020.jpg

| ex image cap = Toole County Courthouse in Shelby

| district = 2nd

| time zone = Mountain

| named for = Joseph Toole

| footnotes =

Montana county number 21

}}

Toole County is a county in the northern portion of the U.S. state of Montana. As of the 2020 census, the population was 4,971.{{Cite web |title=State & County QuickFacts |url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/toolecountymontana/PST045222 |access-date=May 9, 2023 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}} Its county seat is Shelby.{{Cite web |title=Find a County |url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |access-date=June 7, 2011 |publisher=National Association of Counties}} The county was established in 1914 from parts of Hill County and Teton County and was named after Joseph Toole, the first and fourth governor of Montana. Its northern boundary is the Canada–United States border south of Alberta.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of {{convert|1946|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|1916|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|30|sqmi}} (1.5%) is water.{{Cite web |date=August 22, 2012 |title=2010 Census Gazetteer Files |url=https://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/docs/gazetteer/counties_list_30.txt |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141205145322/http://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/docs/gazetteer/counties_list_30.txt |archive-date=December 5, 2014 |access-date=November 30, 2014 |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau}}

Its northern boundary is the Canada–United States border. A part of its southern boundary by the southwestern county corner is formed by Marias River, which flows eastward through the southern part of the county. In the eastern part are several creeks, the largest of which is Willow, which rises in the Sweet Grass Hills and follows a southerly course through the county. In the Sweet Grass Hills and elsewhere indications of oil and gas have been found.

=Major highways=

20px Interstate 15 - connects to Alberta Highway 4 at Canadian border
20px U.S. Route 2

=Adjacent counties=

Glacier County - west
Pondera County - south
Liberty County - east
County of Warner No. 5, Alberta - north
County of Forty Mile No. 8, Alberta - northeast

Demographics

{{US Census population

|1920= 3724

|1930= 6714

|1940= 6769

|1950= 6867

|1960= 7904

|1970= 5839

|1980= 5559

|1990= 5046

|2000= 5267

|2010= 5324

|2020= 4971

|estyear=2024

|estimate=5153

|estref={{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-counties-total.html|title=County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2024|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=June 3, 2025}}

|align-fn=center

|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census{{Cite web |title=U.S. Decennial Census |url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html |access-date=November 30, 2014 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}
1790–1960,{{Cite web |title=Historical Census Browser |url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu |access-date=November 30, 2014 |publisher=University of Virginia Library}} 1900–1990,{{Cite web |title=Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990 |url=https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/mt190090.txt |access-date=November 30, 2014 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}
1990–2000,{{Cite web |title=Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000 |url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100327165705/http://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-date=March 27, 2010 |access-date=November 30, 2014 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}} 2010–2020

}}

=2020 census=

As of the 2020 census, there were 4,971 people living in the county.{{citation needed|date=January 2024}}

=2010 census=

As of the 2010 census, there were 5,324 people, 2,015 households, and 1,246 families in the county. The population density was {{convert|2.8|PD/sqmi}}. There were 2,336 housing units at an average density of {{convert|1.2|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units |units|}}. The racial makeup of the county was 92.0% white, 4.5% American Indian, 0.5% black or African American, 0.4% Asian, 0.6% from other races, and 1.9% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 2.4% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 30.8% were German, 17.7% were Irish, 15.8% were English, 10.5% were Norwegian, and 3.6% were American.

Of the 2,015 households, 27.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.8% were married couples living together, 7.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 38.2% were non-families, and 34.3% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 2.88. The median age was 41.5 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $42,949 and the median income for a family was $54,722. Males had a median income of $41,490 versus $32,582 for females. The per capita income for the county was $20,464. About 11.3% of families and 15.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.2% of those under age 18 and 8.0% of those age 65 or over.

Politics

Toole County voters have only selected Republican Party candidates in national elections since 1964.

{{PresHead|place=Toole County, Montana|whig=no|source1={{Cite web |last=Leip |first=David |title=Atlas of US Presidential Elections |url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS |access-date=April 3, 2018 |website=uselectionatlas.org}}}}

Communities

=City=

Shelby (county seat)

=Towns=

=Census-designated places=

=Other unincorporated communities=

Devon[https://www.google.com/maps/place/Devon,+MT+59474/@48.4666513,-111.487365,15z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x536a26109ec9baeb:0x4da8bda0751f303c!8m2!3d48.4666522!4d-111.4786102 Devon MT Google Maps (accessed January 7, 2019)]
Dunkirk[https://www.google.com/maps/place/Dunkirk,+MT+59474/@48.4780404,-111.6729323,15z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m13!1m7!3m6!1s0x53698fd7c3ec9da7:0x5f2d6b12eb3ba7a!2sNaismith,+MT+59474!3b1!8m2!3d48.38639!4d-111.77361!3m4!1s0x5369865405f67b71:0x831565166ad04f77!8m2!3d48.4780423!4d-111.6641808 Dunkirk MT Google Maps (accessed January 7, 2019)]
Ethridge
Ferdig[https://www.google.com/maps/place/Ferdig,+MT+59466/@48.7541655,-111.7837848,15z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x536bd78a1c2be879:0xb5903ab2ee58016e!8m2!3d48.7541664!4d-111.77503 Ferdig MT Google Maps (accessed January 7, 2019)]
Galata
Gold Butte[https://www.google.com/maps/place/Gold+Butte,+MT+59484/@48.8736151,-111.3945725,15z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x536bb887603207f1:0x6ed2ade419bd3657!8m2!3d48.873616!4d-111.3858177 Gold Butte MT Google Maps (accessed January 7, 2019)]
Kippen[https://www.google.com/maps/place/Kippen,+MT+59466/@48.7461098,-111.6098776,15z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x536bd1ad41906057:0x7a613f47f1429d93!8m2!3d48.7461107!4d-111.6011228 Kippen MT Google Maps (accessed January 7, 2019)]
Naismith[https://www.google.com/maps/place/Naismith,+MT+59474/@48.387207,-111.7758021,14.25z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x53698fd7c3ec9da7:0x5f2d6b12eb3ba7a!8m2!3d48.38639!4d-111.77361 Naismith MT Google Maps (accessed January 7, 2019)]
Ohio Camp[https://www.google.com/maps/place/Ohio+Camp,+MT+59482/@48.8330537,-111.8554527,15z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x536bdf49d51005f5:0x642c0eb1fd8beec1!8m2!3d48.8330545!4d-111.8466979 Ohio Camp MT Google Maps (accessed January 7, 2019)]
Oilmont
Virden[https://www.google.com/maps/place/Virden,+MT+59474/@48.5244289,-111.9165581,15z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x53699d243b3faa0d:0x10556e048610ef7f!8m2!3d48.5244298!4d-111.9078034 Virden MT Google Maps (accessed January 7, 2019)]

Notable people

Earl W. Bascom (1906–1995), "Father of Modern Rodeo" and Hall of Fame cowboy, artist, sculptor, actor, inventor; cowboyed in the 1920s on a ranch on Kicking Horse Creek once owned by his cousin C.M. Russell
Charles M. Russell (1864–1926), cowboy artist and sculptor; ranched on Kicking Horse Creek near the Sweetgrass Hills; honored in the Hall of Great Westerners in Oklahoma City

References

External links

[http://www.toolecountymt.gov Toole County Website (official site)]
[http://www.shelbymt.com City of Shelby (official site)]
[https://web.archive.org/web/20010613145403/http://www.homestead.com/shelbychamber/ (Shelby Area Chamber of Commerce)]
[https://web.archive.org/web/20110208084456/http://newzblast.com/ NBMC (24/7 Local News and Events)]
[http://www.shelbypromoter.com Shelby Promoter (weekly newspaper)]

{{Geographic Location

|Centre = Toole County, Montana

|North = County of Warner No. 5 / Village of Coutts, Alberta {{flagicon|Canada}}

|Northeast = County of Forty Mile No. 8, Alberta {{flagicon|Canada}}

|East = Liberty County

|South = Pondera County

|West = Glacier County

}}

{{Coord|48.65|-111.69|display=title|type:adm2nd_region:US-MT_source:UScensus1990}}

Category:1914 establishments in Montana

Category:Populated places established in 1914