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Wheatland County, Montana

38 topographic sheets cover 11 settlements here, and 2 properties are on the National Register of Historic Places.

Research this county

From the record

2 National Register listings published here.

Sources: the National Register database, National Park Service

Montana within the United States
Wheatland County within Montana

What the record shows

  • 143 topographic sheet readings cover the county's settlements.
  • 2 properties here are on the National Register of Historic Places: 1 building and 1 district.
  • The Geographic Names Information System records 11 populated places in this county; 11 are covered by at least one topographic sheet.

Places on the National Register

2

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
Graves Hotelbuilding198080002434
Milwaukee Road Historic Districtdistrict198888001024

Wildfire, 1994 to 2020

71 fires

Every wildfire the federal occurrence database records inside this county: 71 of them, burning about 6,131 acres. 32 started naturally and none was recorded as arson. Each settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it.

Reported cause Fires
Natural32
Missing data/not specified/undetermined14
Equipment and vehicle use14
Debris and open burning4
Power generation/transmission/distribution3
Recreation and ceremony3
Misuse of fire by a minor1

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

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
1 February 2020Missing data/not specified/undetermined3,680 acresWheatland CountyLODE ROAD
23 July 2003Debris and open burning696 acresNortheastern Land Officenot named
6 August 2017Equipment and vehicle use582 acresNortheastern Land Officenot named
12 October 2020Power generation/transmission/distribution430 acresWheatland CountyFDH-MTLG44-366
28 July 2017Equipment and vehicle use350 acresNortheastern Land Officenot named
11 January 1996Debris and open burning170 acresHelena - Lewis and Clark National ForestCAPSER
10 March 2016Debris and open burning81 acresHelena - Lewis and Clark National ForestSAWMILL
19 August 2020Missing data/not specified/undetermined25 acresWheatland CountyCOUNTY LODE ROAD

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

Storms, 1956 to 2025

60 of 160 shown

The NOAA Storm Events Database holds 160 reports for this county, causing no deaths, no injuries and about $5,000 in recorded property damage. Each settlement page carries the reports that name it.

Kind of event Reports
Hail107
Thunderstorm Wind30
Tornado7
Funnel Cloud5
Flood5
Flash Flood4
Heavy Rain2

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
June 1994HailHarlowton$5,000no account filed
June 2025HailHarlowton-Two inch hail reported.
June 2025HailHarlowton-One point five inch hail reported.
June 2025Thunderstorm WindHarlowton-EM report of multiple structures with lost roofs, uprooted trees as well as tree limb damage.
June 2025Thunderstorm WindHarlowton-Corrects previous non-tstm wind dmg report from Harlowton. Power lines down with some power outages reported.
July 2025HailJudith Gap-Estimated hail by coop.
July 2025HailTwodot-Estimated by local CoCoRaHs observer.
July 2025HailHedgesville-Reported by spotter.
July 2025HailShawmut-Reported by spotter.
June 2021HailHarlowton Baxter Arp-Broken windows and extensive damage to siding occurred to a house.
July 2020Thunderstorm WindJudith Gap-An enhanced microburst, around the intersection of 297 and Bercail Road , with winds estimated at 70-75 mph, resulted in a swath about 2 to 3 miles of wind driven rain and hail that sheared grasses and crops. Significant crop damage occurred with grass and wheat fields sheared to the ground. In addition, numerous, large cottonwood limbs with leaves stripped were downed. A small, elevated silo was blown over and minor roof damage occurred to a couple of structures. Highway 287 had pea size to 1/2 inch size gravel blown on it from the shoulder.
August 2020Thunderstorm WindShawmut-A wind gust of 77 mph was reported 5 miles east of Shawmut.
June 2019Tornado (EF0)Judith Gap-A weak tornado touched down briefly over open areas in the foothills of the Little Belt Mountains.
May 2018Flash FloodShawmut-The public reported flash flooding along Fish Creek about 14 miles south of Shawmut. Low lying areas and creeks flooded with some roads being impassable.
May 2018HailShawmut-There was also pea size hail 1 inch deep on the highway.
June 2017Thunderstorm WindHarlowton-Power lines and a shed were blown down in Harlowton.
June 2015Flash FloodTwodot-Eight inches of rain was reported 14 miles south of Harlowton and 2 miles west of Highway 191. The heaviest rainfall impacted Lebo and American Fork Creeks. Highway 191 was closed due to high water over the roadway. Water was also reported washing over several rural county roads.
June 2015Thunderstorm WindTwodot-In addition to the strong wind gust, the ground was covered with small hail.
March 2014FloodWinnecook-County officials and the Montana Department of Transportation reported that small stream and low land flooding occurred across the area. Water was reported to be flowing over Highway 12 near Two Dot and Highway 191 between Harlowton and Judith Gap. Water also flowed across some of the roads along the Beartooth Foothills south of Reed Point and Columbus.
March 2014Flood(3ht)Harlowton-County officials and the Montana Department of Transportation reported significant flooding of streams and low lying areas across the area. The combination of rapid snow melt and ice resulted in high water levels along the Musselshell River from Harlowton to Shawmut...Ryegate and Lavina. In addition, some county roads were reported to be impassable.
June 2011FloodTwodot-High flows along the Musselshell River from receding floodwaters from May quickly returned to flood as more heavy rainfall moved through the region. Rainfall amounts of 2 to 4 inches fell across much of Wheatland County during the 6th and 7th of June. This caused rapid water runoff and more flooding similar to what occurred in May. County officials indicated flooding occurred all along the Musselshell River. There was extensive flooding in Harlowton. Highway 12 was inundated and closed leading into Harlowton. The Musselshell River at Harlowton fluctuated above and below flood stage from the 7th through the 14th. The river crested at 8.65 feet on the 9th and 8.54 feet on the 10th.
June 2011FloodTwodot-Very heavy rainfall combined with high elevation snowmelt the second half of May 2011 maintained some flooding into June along the Musselshell River. See May 2011 Storm Data publication for details regarding the significant flood impacts and damage estimates on this particular flood event.
May 2011FloodTwodot-Persistent rainfall combined with snowmelt in the mountains resulted in significant flooding along the Musselshell River. The Musselshell River at Harlowton rose above flood stage from May 22nd through May 30th. The river crested at 7.47 feet on the 22nd and again on the 29th at 10.25 feet which was a record stage. In addition, the Musselshell River at Shawmut crested at a record 9.27 feet on May 26th. Extensive lowland flooding resulted along the Musselshell River as well as its tributaries. Numerous roads were closed by floodwaters with many of those eventually washing out. Flooding persisted into the month of June. Damage estimates were not available.
September 2010Tornado (EF0)Harlowton Baxter Arp-A weak tornado briefly touched down 13 miles southwest of Harlowton in an open area of Southern Wheatland County during the afternoon of September 9th. The tornado did not impact any structures and no damage occurred. Therefore, the tornado was classified as an EF-0 with winds of 65-85 mph.
July 2009Thunderstorm WindTwodot-Four 8-10 inch diameter tree branches were snapped.
June 2007Hail(3ht)Harlowton-Pea to golf ball size hail fell across the area.
June 2007Hail(3ht)Harlowton-Golf ball to tennis ball size hail fell in Harlowton.
June 2007Hail(3ht)Harlowton-Tennis ball size hail fell in Harlowton.
July 2007Thunderstorm Wind(3ht)Harlowton-Winds gusted to 60 mph just south of Harlowton.
May 2005Heavy RainShawmut-1.25 inches of rain (24-hour total)
June 2005Funnel CloudShawmut-Wall cloud and funnel cloud just west of Shawmut
June 2005HailHarlowton-Nickel to quarter size hail
August 2002Flash FloodHarlowton-Water was running across Old Dump Road. Road closed for 2 hours.
May 2001HailHarlowton-1.00 inch diameter hail reported near Harlowton. Some areas the hail was 2-3 inches deep. Small tree branches and leaves were stripped from the trees.
May 2001HailHarlowton-1.00 inch diameter hail covered the ground 2 to 3 inches deep. Reported by County Emergency Management.
May 2001HailTwodot-.75 inch hail reported by spotters
June 2001HailJudith Gap-Car windows smashed in Judith Gap
June 2001HailJudith Gap-Car windows knocked out in Judith Gap
July 2001HailJudith Gap-Hail covered the ground
August 1999HailLiving Spgs-Spotter report of quarter size hail.
August 1999Funnel CloudHarlowton-Wheatland sheriff dispatch reported two funnel clouds.
August 1999Tornado (F0)Harlowton-A driver on U.S. Highway 191 and an amateur radio operator reported a thin rope like tornado that was on the ground over rural areas for around 15 minutes.
June 1999HailJudith Gap-Spotter report of dime size hail.
June 1999HailHarlowton-Spotter report of dime size hail.
June 1999Thunderstorm WindHarlowton-Spotter estimated 60 mph wind gust. Some power lines were downed in Harlowton and in Shawmut.
June 1999HailHarlowton-Spotter report of dime size hail.
August 1999HailHarlowton-Spotter report of dime size hail.
June 1999HailShawmut-Wheatland County Sheriff reported dime size hail in Shawmut and 5 miles west of Ryegate.
July 1998HailTwodot-A thunderstorm produced three quarters of an inch of rain in 15 minutes in and nickel sized hail in Twodot. This same storm produced a funnel cloud just to the north of Harlowton.
July 1998Flash FloodHarlowton-A slow moving thunderstorm with heavy rain produced water up to a foot deep 6 miles east of Harlowton on Highway 12.
August 2024Thunderstorm WindTwodot-no account filed
July 2022HailHarlowton-no account filed
July 2022HailHarlowton-no account filed
July 2022HailHarlowton-no account filed
July 2022HailHarlowton-no account filed
July 2022HailHarlowton-no account filed
July 2022HailHarlowton-no account filed
July 2022Thunderstorm WindJudith Gap-no account filed
July 2022Thunderstorm WindTwodot-no account filed
July 2022Thunderstorm WindTwodot-no account filed

Mines and quarries

1 recorded

The Survey's mineral resources record lists 1 working inside this county. It is closed or unrecorded. Each settlement page carries the workings within five miles of it.

Commodity Workings
Zinc, Petroleum (Oil), Vanadium, Nickel1

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

Where SiteCommodity StatusRecorded
HeathZinc, Petroleum (Oil), Vanadium, NickelProspectSYNGENETIC SEDIMENT-HOSTED (CARBON-RICH)

Every populated place in the county

11

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.

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.