Custer County is named for General George Armstrong Custer, who was a United States Army officer and who died at the Battle of Little Big Horn.
Surrounding County Courthouses:
N – Prairie County
E – Fallon County and Carter County
W – Rosebud County and Garfield County
Created: February 16, 1877
County Seat:
Miles City 1877 – present
County Courthouse – Miles City
Location: 1010 Main Street / South 10th Street
Built: 1948 – 1949
Style: Moderne
Architect: J G Link Inc. of Billings
Contractor: James C Boesplug Construction Company
Description: The building faces northwest and is a three story yellow white colored stone and concrete structure. The rectangular shaped building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Miles City. The building has a raised basement. On the northwest side, the center section projects from the main building and has vertical dividing pillars between the windows. The entrance in the center is glass and metal, rising to a vertical glass panel on the second and third stories. The roof line is flat. In the interior the large County District Court courtroom is located on the southeast side of the third story. The small County Justice Court courtroom is located on the northwest side of the third story. The building houses the County District Court of the 16th Judicial District and County Justice Court. On the southeast side of the building is the County Detention Center.
See: The architect, John G Link of Montana ( in association with Charles S Haire and others ) designed courthouses in Montana in Big Horn County, Carter County, Dawson County, Granite County, McCone County, Musselshell County, Richland County, Rosebud County, Sheridan County and Silver Bow County; in Oregon in Jackson County and in Wyoming in Park County, Sheridan County and Washakie County.
Note: Custer County was the largest county in Montana until divided in 1882. Fort Keogh was established at Miles City i9n 1876.
See: The 16th Judicial District includes Carter County, Fallon County, Garfield County, Powder River County, Rosebud County and Treasure County.
History: The county was created in 1877 and Miles City was selected as the county seat. The county used rented premises until the first courthouse, a two story brick structure, was built in 1882. The second and present courthouse was constructed in 1949 to 1942
County Courthouse – Miles City
County District Court courtroom
County Justice Court courtroom
Country Detention Center
Photos taken 2009, 2015 and 2022
Images 20*