Welcome to Martinsdale, Montana

Martinsdale was named for Maj. Martin Maginnis, territorial delegate to Congress for several terms. Martinsdale is a sheepman's town; to the west is the Smith ranch of 86,000 acres and to the east the Bair spread of 80,000 acres-two of the biggest sheep outfits in the state. In 1910 Bair shipped out forty-four carloads of wool, said to be worth $500,000 and the largest single shipment of wool that ever left Montana. False fronts on the buildings along Main Street reflect the era of the 1880s. The Milwaukee depot is quiet for most of the year, but it was a bustling place when cattle and sheep were brought in for shipping. (from Cheney's Names on the Face of Montana, Mountain Press Publishing Company)

The Bair Family Museum is a monument to beauty, hard work and luck. Charles M. Bair came to Montana in 1883 as a conductor on the Northern Pacific Railroad and went into the ranching business in 1891. He made his fortune in the Alaska gold rush and went on to invest in mining, oil and real estate. Bair was one of the most successful sheep owners in the world, at one time running over 300,000 head. Among his friends were Will Rogers, Chief Plenty Coups and many U.S. Presidents. A trip to the Bair Home would allow the visitor to step into the home of one of Montana's most prosperous families.

Near Martinsdale are four reservoirs: Bair, Sutherland, Martinsdale and Newlan, which offer fishing, boating, waterskiing, and camping.