When was Silver Bow County founded?

Silver Bow County was founded in 1881, formed from Deer Lodge County, and named after Silver Bow Creek.

What is the county seat of Silver Bow County?

The county seat of Silver Bow County is Butte.

Is there an online parcel map for Silver Bow County?

Yes. A public source publishes a parcel map of 22,148 parcels, rated good enough here. You can click any parcel on it in Parcel Chart's free map, no sign-in needed.

Has Silver Bow County's boundary or name changed?

Silver Bow County was created in 1881 from Deer Lodge County. Since then the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries records 8 later changes, chiefly involving Deer Lodge County, Granite County and Jefferson County.

Is my lot in a flood zone?

We do not have flood maps for Silver Bow County yet. Look up the address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, which shows the effective flood map for any lot.

County · code 30093

Silver Bow CountyMontana

Silver Bow County is a county in Montana, with its seat in Butte, formed in 1881.

Founded1881
County seatButte
Named forSilver Bow Creek
Land area718 sq mi + 0.6 sq mi water
Population35,133 2020 Census
Parcels mapped22,148 checked 14 October 2026

Open the free map Click any parcel in Silver Bow County: acreage, parcel id, address and who publishes the map. No sign-in.

Updated 20 October 2026

Census outline · seat marked

History

Formed in 1881 from Deer Lodge County

An old deed may name a county that no longer exists, or a boundary that has since moved.

Silver Bow County was created by Montana Territory from Deer Lodge County on February 16, 1881, though it was not fully organized until May 1, 1881. The county was named after Silver Bow Creek. Silver Bow has experienced significant boundary changes, losing territory to the creation of Granite County in 1893 and to Deer Lodge County in 1903, then gaining territory back from Deer Lodge in 1917. In 1977, the city of Butte and Silver Bow County formed a consolidated city/county government while retaining the county name.

Boundary changes from the Newberry Library, Atlas of Historical County Boundaries; the 5 that matter most are shown first.

1881
Silver Bow County created Silver Bow created by Montana Territory from Deer Lodge; Silver Bow not fully organized, attached to Deer Lodge "for judicial purposes."
from Deer Lodge
16 February 1881 · Mont. Terr. Laws 1881, 12th leg., pp. 85-88
1883
Exchanged territory Silver Bow exchanged with Jefferson.
with Jefferson
7 March 1883 · Mont. Terr. Laws 1883, 13th leg., p. 97
1889
Became part of Montana Silver Bow became a county in the state of Montana. 8 November 1889 · U.S. Stat., vol. 26, pp. 1551-1552 and vol. 25, ch. 180 [1889]/pp. 676-684; Swindler, 6:82-83
1893
Lost territory Silver Bow lost to creation of Granite.
to Granite
2 March 1893 · Mont. Laws 1893, 3d leg., pp. 212-217
c. 1977
Eliminated The city of Butte and the county of Silver Bow formed a consolidated city/county government, but the county retained the name, Silver Bow. 31 December 1977 · City and County of Butte-Silver Bow, http://www.co.silverbow.mt.us, 2 July 2004; correspondence, Butte Public Library, 29 June 2004

Show all 10 changes (5 more)

1881
Silver Bow County created Silver Bow created by Montana Territory from Deer Lodge; Silver Bow not fully organized, attached to Deer Lodge "for judicial purposes."
from Deer Lodge
16 February 1881 · Mont. Terr. Laws 1881, 12th leg., pp. 85-88
1881
Changed Silver Bow fully organized, detached from Deer Lodge.
Deer Lodge
1 May 1881 · Mont. Terr. Laws 1881, 12th leg., sec. 11/p. 88
1883
Exchanged territory Silver Bow exchanged with Jefferson.
with Jefferson
7 March 1883 · Mont. Terr. Laws 1883, 13th leg., p. 97
1887
Boundary clarified Silver Bow boundaries redefined (no change).
no change
1 March 1887 · Mont. Terr. Laws 1887, 15th leg., sec. 741/pp. 838-839
1889
Became part of Montana Silver Bow became a county in the state of Montana. 8 November 1889 · U.S. Stat., vol. 26, pp. 1551-1552 and vol. 25, ch. 180 [1889]/pp. 676-684; Swindler, 6:82-83
1893
Lost territory Silver Bow lost to creation of Granite.
to Granite
2 March 1893 · Mont. Laws 1893, 3d leg., pp. 212-217
1903
Lost territory Silver Bow lost to Deer Lodge. Act passed 4 March 1903; took effect 15 June 1903.
to Deer Lodge
15 June 1903 · Mont. Laws 1903, 8th leg., ch. 62/pp. 127-130
1917
Gained territory Silver Bow gained from Deer Lodge. Act passed 13 February 1917; took effect 1 May 1917.
from Deer Lodge
1 May 1917 · Mont. Laws 1917, 15th leg., ch. 21/pp. 22-24
1931
Changed Legislature authorized the governmental consolidation of Silver Bow and the city of Butte into "The City and County of Butte," subject to the approval of voters; change did not take effect. 26 January 1931 · Mont. Laws 1931, 22d leg., ch. 2/pp. 5-37
c. 1977
Eliminated The city of Butte and the county of Silver Bow formed a consolidated city/county government, but the county retained the name, Silver Bow. 31 December 1977 · City and County of Butte-Silver Bow, http://www.co.silverbow.mt.us, 2 July 2004; correspondence, Butte Public Library, 29 June 2004

Land and parcels

What the maps cover in Silver Bow

Who publishes each layer, how good it is, and when we last checked.

Parcels Good enough

Lot lines and tax-map numbers for 22,148 parcels. Drawn for tax purposes: usually within a few feet of a survey, but not a survey.
checked 14 October 2026
Address points Official

One point per address, 17,717 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

Silver Bow by the Census

Population

35,133 2020 Census count

Housing units

17,247 2020 Census count

Land area

718 square miles

Water area

0.6 square miles

People per sq mi

49 population ÷ land area

Source: US Census Bureau, 2020 Census; US Census Bureau, 2020 Gazetteer Files. Not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.

Rules and offices

Silver Bow 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 Silver Bow County.
bsb.mt.gov

See your own lot on these maps

Open Silver Bow 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.

Open the free map no sign-in Pro early access

Questions

Common questions about Silver Bow County

When was Silver Bow County founded?: Silver Bow County was founded in 1881, formed from Deer Lodge County, and named after Silver Bow Creek.
What is the county seat of Silver Bow County?: The county seat of Silver Bow County is Butte.
Is there an online parcel map for Silver Bow County?: Yes. A public source publishes a parcel map of 22,148 parcels, rated good enough here. You can click any parcel on it in Parcel Chart's free map, no sign-in needed.
Has Silver Bow County's boundary or name changed?: Silver Bow County was created in 1881 from Deer Lodge County. Since then the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries records 8 later changes, chiefly involving Deer Lodge County, Granite County and Jefferson County.
Is my lot in a flood zone?: We do not have flood maps for Silver Bow County yet. Look up the address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, which shows the effective flood map for any lot.

Nearby