Judith Basin County Montana
(Including: Benchland, Hobson, Stanford, Utica)

Established: December 10, 1920
Parent County: Cascade, Fergus
County Seat: Stanford

Judith Basin County was created in 1920 from western Fergus County and eastern Cascade County.

Its name comes from the Judith River which Meriwether Lewis named in 1805 for his cousin, Judith Hancock.

Stanford is located in Judith Basin County 57 miles southeast of Great Falls between Geyser and Windham at US 87/Hwy 80 near Ackley Lake State Park. Judith Basin Museum and the Utica Museum are nearby, as well as Ackley Lake State Park, at the edge of the Little Belt Mountains.

It was in this area that cowboy artist Charlie Russell took one of his first jobs in Montana as a night wrangler on a Judith Basin
cattle drive.

The Judith Basin County Museum was opened in 1967 and displays many old time articles, old pictures and history books. There is a collection of over 2000 salt and paper shakers, more than 50,000 buttons, Indian artifacts and many more items. Charles M. Russell, a famous Western artist, lived and painted many of his paintings in this area. A display of some of his work is included in the museum. No admission charge but donations welcome

Judith Basin County is a county located in the state of Montana. As of 2000, the population is 2,329. Its county seat is Stanford