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Sheridan County, Montana

38 topographic sheets cover 20 settlements here, and 6 properties are on the National Register of Historic Places.

Research this county

From the record

6 National Register listings published here.

Sources: the National Register database, National Park Service

Montana within the United States
Sheridan County within Montana

What the record shows

  • 99 topographic sheet readings cover the county's settlements.
  • 6 properties here are on the National Register of Historic Places: 4 buildings and 2 districts.
  • The Geographic Names Information System records 20 populated places in this county; 20 are covered by at least one topographic sheet.

Places on the National Register

6

Every property in this county listed on the National Register of Historic Places, with the year it was listed and the federal nomination document.

Photograph PropertyType ListedReference
Comertown Historic Districtdistrict199393001149
Aage and Kristine Larsen Homesteadbuilding199393001146
Outlook Depotbuilding199393001144
Raymond Grain Elevators Historic Districtdistrict199393001148
Rocky Valley Lutheran Churchbuilding199393001145
Thornwood Schoolbuilding199393001147

Wildfire, 1993 to 2020

61 fires

Every wildfire the federal occurrence database records inside this county: 61 of them, burning about 9,338 acres. 15 started naturally and 6 were recorded as arson. Each settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it.

Reported cause Fires
Equipment and vehicle use20
Natural15
Missing data/not specified/undetermined10
Arson/incendiarism6
Debris and open burning5
Power generation/transmission/distribution2
Fireworks1
Recreation and ceremony1
Railroad operations and maintenance1

The five largest, by the area the report gives. None of them was recorded as arson.

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
31 October 1999Railroad operations and maintenance6,952 acresNortheastern Land OfficeOUTLOOK
3 May 2002Equipment and vehicle use1,200 acresMedicine Lake National Wildlife RefugeBRUSHLAKE
13 April 2006Natural255 acresMedicine Lake National Wildlife RefugeSOUTH LAKE
5 November 1995Equipment and vehicle use153 acresNortheast Montana Wetland Management DistrictMALL-POND
27 July 2017Missing data/not specified/undetermined104 acresNortheastern Land Officenot named
21 April 2000Equipment and vehicle use100 acresMedicine Lake National Wildlife RefugeNORTHROOT
9 August 2000Equipment and vehicle use92 acresFort Peck AgencyW MED LAKE
10 July 2006Natural91 acresMedicine Lake National Wildlife RefugeCLARK

Every settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it - see the settlement index below.

Storms, 1957 to 2026

60 of 357 shown

The NOAA Storm Events Database holds 357 reports for this county, causing 2 deaths, 3 injuries and about $6,507,250 in recorded property damage. Each settlement page carries the reports that name it.

Kind of event Reports
Hail197
Thunderstorm Wind123
Tornado10
Flood9
Heavy Rain6
Funnel Cloud6
Flash Flood4
Wildfire1
Lightning1

The most serious of them, by death, then injury, then recorded damage. The accounts are quoted exactly as the forecast office filed them.

WhenEvent Place namedHarm What the report says
July 2010Tornado (EF3)Redstone Hill Dot2 killed, 1 hurt, $300,000This was the deadliest tornado in Montana since 1923, and only the fourth EF-3 on record. The supercell thunderstorm developed strong rotation, and rotating wall clouds and brief funnel clouds were reported in Daniels County. As the storm moved southeast, it intensified and a large, long-lived tornado formed. The tornado traveled for 18 miles, mostly through rural areas, but it had devastating impacts as it hit a ranch, killing two people and injuring one. On the morning of July 27th, 2010 two teams of NWS Glasgow staff surveyed the damage area. The first team started in Daniels County and followed the track of the storm to the east-southeast. The second team met with county and state officials at the site of the ranch that was most devastated. Both teams spoke to law enforcement officials, as well as weather spotters and the public who had reports of weather and/or damage as well as those who saw the tornado. ||The initial damage from the tornado originated about 12 miles south of Redstone. Along the Reserve and Wanso Roads, six miles of power lines were snapped off. Sheridan Electric was able to restore power fairly quickly to the majority of residences by the next morning. Due to the poles being snapped, the tornado was rated an EF2 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale in this area. This was the widest portion of the tornado track with a width of a half mile.||The tornado continued east-southeast where it encountered an abandoned farmhouse, a barn and a bridge that went across Wolf Creek on the Three Corners Road. The bridge had the planks ripped off with damage totals coming to $100,000. The farmhouse was blown off of the foundation, had some of the siding stripped off, and roof damage. The barn was completely destroyed, with the west and north facing walls blown away, and the south and east facing walls intact for the most part, but flattened on the ground. Two grain bins were destroyed, with a third still on its foundation but crushed. They appeared to be empty. The damage at this location was rated an EF2 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale. The width of the tornado at this point was a quarter mile wide. ||The storm continued on its east-southeast track at a speed of about 30 mph. The Smith Ranch was then impacted. The ranch sits on a bit of a hill with a small stream valley from the west-northwest to just north of the property. There are no shelter belts or terrain to block some of the winds from the tornado. The two fatalities and one injury occurred at the Smith Ranch. The adult fatality was trying to get into the basement. The child fatality was in the basement and the chimney collapsed and crushed him. The adult injury was with the child, but on the other side of the chimney in the basement. ||The tornado was rated an EF3 at the Smith Ranch, with a width of three tenths of a mile. This was the highest rating during the life cycle of the tornado. Along with the devastating destruction of property, there was also up to 40 cows and calves significantly injured or killed by the tornado and/or debris. Many had severe injuries and had to be put down by a veterinarian. ||The damage totals are estimated. ||A formal written report is available from the NWS Glasgow office.
July 2005Thunderstorm WindReserve1 hurt, $10,000A semi-truck hit a fallen tree on Highway 258. The driver of the truck was injured, but refused medical attention.
June 1999Thunderstorm WindPlentywood1 hurtno account filed
October 1999WildfireOutlook$6,000,000no account filed
June 2005Thunderstorm WindWestby$75,000The strong wind destroyed a barn in the town of Westby.
August 2007Thunderstorm WindHomestead$35,000Wind associated with a severe thunderstorm caused considerable roof damage to a home. The roof damage was severe enough that rain entered the southern part of the house and caused additional damage to sheetrock, furniture and carpeting.
September 2014Thunderstorm WindMedicine Lake$25,000A semi-truck was blown over due to the strong microbust winds within the squall line of thunderstorms that moved through. Other minor damage was reported in the area as well to homes and farm outbuildings.
August 2005HailOutlook$15,000Three vehicles had broken windows. The metal roof of a building was damaged.
June 2007Thunderstorm WindMedicine Lake$10,000A microburst caused from the outflow of dying thunderstorms south of the area caused a 107 year old barn to collapse. Observations from a RAWS site 8 miles away had a peak wind of 44 mph. No other structures on the farm were damaged.|
June 2005LightningReserve$10,000Lightning caused a fire at the Reserve oil station along Highway 13. The oil station was struck by lightning, and a cow directly across the highway was also struck and instantly killed. The lightning ignited the vent pipes at the top of two 400 barrel oil tanks.
July 1995Hailnot stated$10,000Golf ball size hail broke windows on houses and vehicles.
September 1996Thunderstorm WindAntelope$10,000no account filed
July 2009HailHomestead$2,000Nickel to quarter-size hail. Camper had chipped paint.
August 2006HailOutlook$2,000Several windows were broken along with a skylight.
July 2006HailOutlook$2,000Two windows were smashed on a house and some barn windows were broken. Roof and shingle damage also occurred and there was significant crop damage.
July 1995Hailnot stated$1,000Golf ball size hail broke windows on a house.
July 1971Tornado (F2)not stated$250no account filed
April 2026Thunderstorm WindMedicine Lake-The Medicine Lake W Montana Climate Office mesonet site (MEDM8) recorded a 64 mph wind gust.
April 2026Thunderstorm WindMedicine Lake Raws-The Medicine Lake RAWS site (MLKM8) recorded a 64 mph wind gust.
April 2026Thunderstorm WindMedicine Lake-The Medicine Lake W Montana Climate Office mesonet site (MEDM8) recorded a 71 mph wind gust.
April 2026Thunderstorm WindComertown Dot-The Comertown Turn-Off MT-5 DOT site (MTRED) recorded a 58 mph wind gust.
April 2026Thunderstorm WindPlentywood Shrwd Arp-The Sher-Wood Airport AWOS site (KPWD) recorded a 71 mph wind gust.
April 2026Thunderstorm WindMedicine Lake Raws-The Medicine Lake RAWS site (MLKM8) recorded a 66 mph wind gust.
July 2025Thunderstorm WindDooley-A public reported estimated winds gusts of 50 to 60 mph.
September 2025HailRedstone-Public reported ping pong ball size hail, estimated from photo via Facebook.
September 2025HailDagmar-Public reported quarter size hail, estimated from photo via Facebook.
June 2024Thunderstorm WindMedicine Lake Raws-The Medicine Lake RAWS site (MLKM8) measured a 63 mph thunderstorm wind gust.
August 2024HailOutlook-Public reported hail up to the size of golf balls.
August 2024HailOutlook-Public reported, via Facebook, hail up to the size of hen eggs.
August 2024Thunderstorm WindPlentywood Shrwd Arp-The Plentywood Airport AWOS (KPWD) measured a 78 mph thunderstorm wind gust.
August 2024Thunderstorm WindOutlook-Public reported, via Facebook, a 79 mph thunderstorm wind gust measured on a Davis weather station.
August 2024Thunderstorm WindRaymond-Public reported, via Facebook, pictures of two power poles that were snapped at the base. |There were 8 more power poles knocked down. Times are estimated.
August 2024Thunderstorm WindComertown Dot-The Comertown Turn-Off MT-5 DOT site (MTCOM) measured a 59 mph thunderstorm wind gust.
July 2024Thunderstorm WindDagmar-Public reported, via Facebook, a 60 mph thunderstorm wind gust.
August 2022Thunderstorm WindWestby-Public measured, on a home weather station, a thunderstorm wind gust of 60 mph.
July 2022HailMedicine Lake-A trained spotter reported hail up to the size of golf balls.
July 2022HailMedicine Lake-Public reported, via Facebook, hail up to the size of quarters.
July 2022Thunderstorm WindMedicine Lake Raws-The Medicine Lake RAWS site (MLKM8) measured a thunderstorm wind gust of 62 mph.
July 2022HailReserve-Public reported hail up to the size of quarters, along with heavy rain.
July 2022Thunderstorm WindDooley-A mesonet site near Dooley measured a thunderstorm wind gust of 60 mph. This was denoted as an NDAWN site.
June 2021Thunderstorm WindReserve-Public reported their outdoor propane tank was moved by severe thunderstorm wind gusts.
June 2021Thunderstorm WindDagmar-Public reported thunderstorm wind damage, via Facebook: A pivot was blown over; a grain bin was blown half a mile into a hay field; an outbuilding was destroyed; and the roof of another outbuilding was blown completely off.
June 2021Thunderstorm WindMedicine Lake Raws-The Medicine Lake RAWS site (MLKM8) recorded a 65 mph thunderstorm wind gust.
June 2021Thunderstorm WindReserve-Public estimated 80 mph thunderstorm wind gusts.
June 2021HailOutlook-Public reported hail up to the size of quarters.
June 2021HailReserve-Public reported, via Facebook, hail up to the size of quarters.
July 2021Heavy RainComertown Dot-Public reported, via Facebook, 2.95 inches of rain fell between 2:30pm and 3:30pm LST 10 miles southeast of the Comertown Turn-Off MT-5 DOT site.
June 2021HailRedstone-Public reported, via Facebook, golf ball size hail. Time and location are estimated.
June 2021HailAntelope-Trained spotter reported ping pong ball size hail.
June 2021HailAntelope-Public reported quarter size hail, which lasted for 20 minutes, along with heavy rain.
June 2021Thunderstorm WindAntelope-Trained spotter reported a 60 mph thunderstorm wind gust.
June 2021Heavy RainAntelope-Public reported, via Facebook, heavy rain totaling 3.8 inches from overnight.
July 2021HailRedstone Hill Dot-A trained spotter reported quarter size hail.
July 2021Heavy RainWestby-Broadcast media reported at least 2.75 inches of rain in Westby.
June 2020Heavy RainRaymond-Public reported, via Facebook, that 3.50 inches of rain fell in 90 minutes, at 4 N Raymond.
June 2020HailOutlook-Trained spotter reported half-dollar size hail. Time estimated from radar.
June 2020HailOutlook-Trained spotter reported quarter size hail.
June 2020HailOutlook-Trained spotter reported golf ball size hail.
July 2020Thunderstorm WindReserve-Public reported, via Facebook, a hopper bottom fertilizer bin was blown over. Wind speed estimated.
July 2020Thunderstorm WindComertown Dot-At the Commertown Turn-Off MT-5 DOT site (MTCOM), a 75 mph wind gust was recorded.

Mines and quarries

24 recorded

The Survey's mineral resources record lists 24 workings inside this county. 2 still produce and 22 are closed or unrecorded. Each settlement page carries the workings within five miles of it.

Commodity Workings
Sand and Gravel, Construction21
Bentonite2
Clay1

The least common of them first, because a county's hundredth gravel pit says nothing its first ten did not.

Where SiteCommodity StatusRecorded
Clay OccurrenceClayOccurrence
Unnamed BentoniteBentoniteOccurrence
Unnamed BentoniteBentoniteOccurrence
Gravel PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionUnknown
Gravel PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionUnknown
Gravel PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionUnknown
Gravel PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionUnknown
Gravel PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionUnknown
Gravel PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionUnknown
Gravel PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionUnknown
Gravel PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionUnknown
Gravel PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionUnknown
Gravel PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionUnknown
Gravel PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionUnknown
Gravel PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionUnknown
Gravel PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionUnknown
Gravel PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionUnknown
Gravel PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionUnknown
Gravel PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionUnknown
Gravel PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionUnknown
Medicine Lake PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Sheridan Readymix Co. Sh.Sand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Unnamed Gravel PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionUnknown
Unnamed Sand & GravelSand and Gravel, ConstructionOccurrence

Every populated place in the county

20

Named settlements recorded in the Geographic Names Information System, each with the topographic sheets covering it. Villages, hamlets and abandoned places alike. Each is shown with the nearest named watercourse or landform and the survey quadrangle it falls on.

The vanished settlements of Sheridan County: the places named above that are no longer on the map.

Provenance

  • Topographic sheets. USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection, county index, measured from the bulk metadata.
  • Fire insurance maps. Library of Congress Sanborn collection, faceted to this county.
  • Photographs. Each place queried individually against the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs search.
  • Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.
  • Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
  • Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.