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Chouteau County
One of the original nine counties of Montana, it was created February 2, 1865.
It was the largest county in the Territory and the second largest in the United States at the time, containing over 15,000 square miles.
In 1882, the county was named after well-known fur trader Pierre Chouteau Jr., a prominent member of the American Fur Company, who had established the trading post known as Fort Benton.
In 1893, Teton County was created from the western portion of Chouteau County and in the coming years, 10 other counties were eventually created from it.
Chouteau County lost half of its population from 1910 to 1930.
The county is currently a total of 3,997 square miles of mostly prairie land.
It is also home to the Chippewa-Cree Tribe on the Rocky Boy Indian Reservation.
The Bear Paw Mountains rise in the eastern section and the Little Rockies and the Highwood ranges are in the southern portion.
Major rivers include the Teton River, Marias River, Missouri River and the Arrow River.
As of the 2020 census, the population was 5,895.
The county seat is Fort Benton.
County Clerk has birth and death records from 1895, burial records and land from 1878;
Clerk Courts has marriage records from 1888, divorce and court records from 1879 and probate records from 1892
Before Montana was a state in 1889, the western portion of Montana was included in the 1860 Washington Territory and the eastern was in the unorganized parts of 1860 Nebraska Territory. The 1870 and 1880 Federal Censuses included Montana Territory.
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Cities, Towns and Other Communities
City
Fort Benton
Towns
Big Sandy ~ Geraldine
Unincorporated Communities
Big Sag ~ Coal Banks Landing ~ Lippard ~ Montague ~ Shepherd Crossing
~ Shonkin ~ Stranahan ~ Virgelle ~ Warrick ~ Woods Crossing
Census-designated Places
Boneau ~ Carter ~ Floweree ~ Highwood ~ Loma ~ Parker School ~
Rocky Boy West ~ Square Butte ~ Sunnybrook Colony ~ Twin Hills Colony
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Surrounding Counties
Blaine County - east
Cascade County - south
Fergus County - southeast
Hill County - north
Judith Basin County - south
Liberty County - north
Pondera County - northwest
Teton County - west
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