Toole

Formed May 27, 1914 (38^th county)

Toole County (4,973), Shelby (3,177)

A 1935 tan brick Art Deco structure is the courthouse in Shelby.  It is sited on 1^st Street at Maple Avenue.  United States Highway 2 is one block northeast of the site.  A. V. McIver provided the designs.  The county was formed on May 27, 1914 as the 38^th county with Shelby as the only county seat.  Toole County is named for Governor Joseph Toole.  The county seat is named for railroad official Peter B. Shelby. 

Toole County government consists of a sheriff and 3 Commissioners.  One District Court Judge serves Toole, Glacier, Pondera, and Teton counties.  The county is on the northern border with Canada.  Great Falls, Montana is southeast of the county.  The county center is 22.5 miles Northeast of Shelby nearer Oilmont.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Canada and Liberty, Pondera, and Glacier counties. 

The area of the county is 1911 square miles.  It is 34 out of 56 in the state.  It ranks 35 out of 56 in population in the state.  It has a density of 2.6 persons per square mile making it 30 out of 56 in the state.  Toole County has 73.7% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 15 originates at the Canadian border and goes south into Pondera County.  United States Highway 2 crosses the county east to west from Liberty County to Glacier County.  The county looks like the number 9.  Shelby is in the southwest quarter of the county.  Shelby is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 63.9% of the county population.  The county is pronounced TOO-EL.