County · code 30007
Broadwater CountyMontana
Broadwater County is a county in Montana, formed in 1897 and seated in Townsend. Named after Charles Arthur Broadwater, it was created from Jefferson and Meagher Counties.
- Founded1897
- County seatTownsend
- Named forCharles Arthur Broadwater
- Land area1,192 sq mi + 46 sq mi water
- Population6,774 2020 Census
- Parcels mapped7,593 checked 16 October 2026
Where it is
Broadwater on the map of Montana
Montana has 56 counties and county equivalents, each with its own records office. Shapes with a page are links.
History
Formed in 1897 from Jefferson County and Meagher County
An old deed may name a county that no longer exists, or a boundary that has since moved.
Broadwater County was created from Jefferson and Meagher on March 1, 1897. Five days after its creation, Broadwater lost territory to Lewis and Clark County. In 1911, it gained territory from Meagher County, and in 1913, a small area was lost to Gallatin County when boundaries were adjusted to federal land survey lines.
- 1897Broadwater County created Broadwater created from Jefferson and Meagher. Act passed 9 February 1897; took effect 1 March 1897. · Mont. Laws 1897, 5th leg., pp. 45-49
- 1897Lost territory Broadwater lost to Lewis and Clark. · Mont. Laws 1897, 5th leg., pp. 53-55
- 1911Gained territory Broadwater gained from Meagher. · Mont. Laws 1911, 12th leg., ch. 25/pp. 36-38
- 1913Lost territory Broadwater lost small area to Gallatin when the boundary was adjusted to run on federal land survey lines. · Mont. Laws 1913, 13th leg., ch. 60/pp. 113-116
Land and parcels
What the maps cover in Broadwater
Who publishes each layer, how good it is, and when we last checked.
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Parcels Good enough
Lot lines and tax-map numbers for 7,593 parcels. Drawn for tax purposes: usually within a few feet of a survey, but not a survey.
edited 3 October 2025 · checked 16 October 2026 -
Address points Official
One point per address, 4,230 in all from Montana State Library.
edited 13 October 2026 · checked 14 October 2026 -
Buildings Reference
Roof outlines traced from aerial imagery from FEMA Response Geospatial Office with Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). Good for seeing what is on a lot; not accurate enough to set a fence from.
checked 18 October 2026
- Official
- from the office that keeps the record
- Good enough
- a reliable statewide or national copy
- Fallback
- a guide only; check the official record
- Missing
- nothing public found yet
People and land
Broadwater by the Census
Source: US Census Bureau, 2020 Census; US Census Bureau, 2020 Gazetteer Files. Not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Rules and offices
Broadwater County's official site
We have found the county's site but not its offices yet; start there.
County government
- County government
The official website of Broadwater County.
See your own lot on these maps
Open Broadwater County on Parcel Chart's free map and click your parcel. Save it with a free account; the full record of your place (site map, projects, documents) is Pro, in early access.
Questions
Common questions about Broadwater County
- When was Broadwater County founded?
- Broadwater County was founded in 1897, formed from Jefferson County and Meagher County, and named after Charles Arthur Broadwater.
- What is the county seat of Broadwater County?
- The county seat of Broadwater County is Townsend.
- Is there an online parcel map for Broadwater County?
- Yes. A public source publishes a parcel map of 7,593 parcels, rated good enough here. You can click any parcel on it in Parcel Chart's free map, no sign-in needed.
- Has Broadwater County's boundary or name changed?
- Broadwater County was created in 1897 from Jefferson County and Meagher County. Since then the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries records 3 later changes, chiefly involving Gallatin County, Lewis and Clark County and Meagher County.
- Is my lot in a flood zone?
- We do not have flood maps for Broadwater County yet. Look up the address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, which shows the effective flood map for any lot.
Nearby