Situated in the heart of Montana’s Milk River Valley, Saco is a small town of 279 full-time residents that has seemingly been taken right out of an “Old West” story.
Western habitation first came to the region of Saco as early as the 1880s. The town began as a simple railway station to service the future tracks that would cut through the area.
Urban legend claims that with hundreds of such stations to name, railway officials resorted to closing their eyes and pointing randomly at a globe. According to the story, this is how the small town of Saco, MT came to be named after the earlier established community of Saco, Maine.
While communities existed to service the station since the 1880s, it wasn’t until the establishment of the local post office in 1892 that the Saco Railway Station community became recognized as an official town. It took a further 16 years for the town to incorporate itself in 1918.
The early years of establishing the town in Milk River Valley were highly challenging considering the harsh weather conditions of Northern Montana’s Winters.
The region was notoriously known as a problematic location for raising livestock, as the crusting winter snows would make it nearly impossible for cattle to find grazing spots.
Luckily, the local ranching community persevered, and Saco became known for its sheep and cattle production along with its booming agricultural industry. Wheat, oat, barley, and potato crops quickly helped establish Saco as a critical agrarian provider in the region.
Over the years, Saco has been considered a member of Dawson County, Valley County, and ultimately Philips County.
The town’s population has fluctuated, peaking at about 539 residences in the 1950s before declining to the 159 residences as of the 2020 census.
Today, Saco remains an important agricultural community in the Milk River Valley and maintains much of the small-town charms for which the region has come to be known.
The town’s location along the U.S. Highway 2 makes it a fantastic spot for exploring the many wonderous natural attractions of Northeastern Montana.