Phillips

Formed February 5, 1915 (40^th county)

Phillips County (4,215), Malta (1,857)

The brown brick Neo-Classical courthouse was built in 1920.  The county was formed on February 5, 1915 as the 40^th county with Malta as the only county seat.  It is named for State Senator Benjamin D. Phillips.  Malta is named for the island country in Europe.  The facility is on 2^nd Avenue at 3^rd Street.  It is located two blocks west of United States Highway 191.  Frank E. Bossuot is the building designer. 

Phillips County government consists of a sheriff, an administrator, an attorney, a collector, a coroner, an assessor and a clerk (executive).  It has 3 Commissioners (legislative.)  One District Court Judge serves Phillips, Blaine, and Valley counties and a court clerk serves Phillips County (judicial.)  The county is on the northern border of the state.  Canada is across the border.  The Missouri River is on its southern border.  Great Falls, Montana is southwest and Billings, Montana is south of the county.  The county center is 2.7 miles East-Northeast of Malta.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Canada and Valley, Garfield, Petroleum, Fergus, and Blaine counties. 

The area of the county is 5140 square miles.  It is 2 out of 56 in the state.  It ranks 38 out of 56 in population in the state.  It has a density of 0.8 persons per square mile making it 47 out of 56 in the state.  Phillips County has 50.8% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 2 crosses the county east to west from Valley County to Blaine County.  United States Highway 191 originates at the Canadian border and heads southwest into Fergus County.  Phillips County looks like a sea horse.  Malta is located near the center of the county.  Malta is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 44.1% of the county population.