Sanders

Formed January 1, 1905 (27^th county)

Sanders County (12,403), Thompson Falls (1,335)

Three courthouses have been in Thompson Falls, an original wooden one, a 1907 brick one, and the current 1950 concrete one.  It sits at Main and Jefferson streets.  Main Street is Montana State Highway 200 in the town.  Corwin & Company are the architects of this Art Deco courthouse.  The county was created on January 1, 1905 as the 27^th county with Thompson Falls as the only county seat.  The county is named for United States Senator Wilbur E. Sanders.  Thompson Falls is named for fur trader David Thompson and a local riverfalls.  Sanders County was the birthplace for 1 Montana Governor, Marc Racicot. 

Sanders County government consists of a sheriff and 3 Commissioners.  Two District Court Judges serve Sanders and Lake counties.  Sanders County is in the northwest on the border with Idaho.  Missoula, Missouri is southeast of the county.  The county resembles a cowboy boot lying on its face.  Thompson Falls is actually located near the geographical center of the county.  Thompson Falls is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 10.8% of the county population.  The county center is 29.5 miles East-Northeast of Thompson Falls.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Lincoln, Flathead, Lake, Missoula, and Mineral counties and Idaho. 

The area of the county is 2762 square miles.  It is 19 out of 56 in the state.  It ranks 15 out of 56 in population in the state.  It has a density of 4.5 persons per square mile making it 21 out of 56 in the state.  Sanders County has 24.2% of its population in its incorporated areas.  There are no Interstates or United States Highways in the county.