If you travel about an hour and a half east of Montana’s capital, Helena, you will stumble upon White Sulphur Springs, a town full of western spirit and country charm. This quintessential small town welcomes all with their mineralized hot springs and the historic “Castle Mansion.” However, the unique geographical features of the town are not what makes it so special - it’s the people, connected by rich cultural history, and a sense of community from generations of sharing land and lifestyle.
Clearwater’s own Leanne Bodell, a fifth-generation rancher, calls White Sulphur Springs home. When Leanne is not serving her community as a successful broker and regional manager for Clearwater Montana Properties, she lives and works with her husband and youngest daughter on the 505 Ranch, which has been in his family for four generations.
Leanne’s family heritage connects to the town’s unique history as her great-great-grandfather was “integral” in laying out the plans for Richard Harlow’s ‘Jawbone Railway.’ Built in the 1880’s, the ‘Jawbone Railway’ ran through White Sulphur Springs and spanned from Helena to Lewistown. It was built to connect the booming mining culture throughout The Castle Mountains and to provide much-needed resources to the towns. It eventually connected to the booming wool industry in nearby Martinsdale.
While White Sulphur Springs is named for its historic thermal hot springs that have been used for hundreds of years as a place of peace, rest, and healing, the town is a gold mine for deeply rooted history. The earliest recorded western settlement in the area was attributed to the discovery of gold in Madison County in 1863. This discovery attracted miners and prospectors, resulting in the exploration throughout the mountainous regions of Meagher County, leading to the unearthing of other various sources of mineral wealth.
The wealth was then put to use in many unique ways. As the story goes, Byron Roger Sherman built ‘The Castle’ of White Sulphur Springs in 1892 as an attempt to “woo a lady here in our county. He built the castle out of stone from the Castle Mountains, [it] sits up on the highest point of town. It’s beautiful, and now a museum,” said Leanne. The castle is listed as the only known historic castle in Montana by Into the Little Belts and the property is adorned with the finest materials and artwork.
After spending some time away from home, Leanne returned to White Sulphur Springs as she reconnected with her high school sweetheart. “It’s a special place. It’s not on any major thoroughfares or anything like that, so it’s quiet and peaceful,” recounted Leanne. She continued: “[The small town is] really special to me and I think a lot of it has to do with the residents. They’re very supportive of one another and we have a lot of great neighbors; we all work together and help one another. Whether it’s branding cattle, shipping cattle, working cattle, or whatever it is you’re doing, everyone gets together. Then it’s a celebration - we eat together, we have drinks together and there’s lots of laughing and camaraderie. I think all of those things with just the community members is what makes it super special.”
The lifestyle of ranching in Montana is not for the faint-hearted or those afraid to get their boots dirty. To the few who understand the hard work and what ‘four cows to every one person’ means personally - ranching truly becomes something much greater. For Leanne, “ranching means keeping history and heritage alive, you know, ranching is one of the biggest commodities in this state. It’s an industry that is very much needed, but it’s also a way of life where I want to make sure that I raise my four-year-old in.”
Ranching in Montana also requires a level of respect for the land you are working. “I just believe in good stewardship of the land,” said Leanne, “They always say, ‘buy land they’re not making any more’ and if you own it, you know you have to care for it. I feel absolutely blessed to be where I am, and to have the land and to have the neighbors and the community I do here.”
Leanne is no stranger to working hard and stewarding land well. Her family’s ranch is just down the road from White Sulphur Springs in nearby Ringling.
“Growing up on a ranch was, in my opinion, the greatest thing. I feel like I’m fortunate to have grown up that way.” shared Leanne. “Whether we were working together or playing together, we [Leanne’s family] were, and are, all really close, and I think that ranch life creates a pretty positive atmosphere to be cohesive as a family.”
The daily responsibilities of living and working on a ranch change as much on the hour as does the season. Throughout spring calving season, Leanne can be seen with her muck boots on moving pairs, cleaning stalls, feeding the crew and so much more. An hour later, she’s out the door heading to a showing or client meeting, accommodating the amazing people who live and work in White Sulphur Springs as well as the influx of people ready to move to the bustling community.
With a lifetime of ranching experience and over 25 years of real estate experience, Leanne now specializes in farm, ranch, and recreational real estate as a broker and regional manager with Clearwater Montana Properties. She feels her experience in ranching gives her a leg up as she can speak the language of ranching.
“I can talk about how many animal units, water systems and any other things that pertain to life.” Leanne describes her interest in selling farm and ranch land in the area as a fifth-generation rancher, “It’s interesting to see what people’s long term plans are when they purchase a piece of property that has been historically used for cattle. Sometimes it’s a little bittersweet to see them use it for something different, but not everyone wants the same things, so you just have to be really open-minded to what they’re going to do and talk with them. Sometimes it’s really fun.”
As a regional manager and a local, Leanne also knows the recreational gems White Sulphur Springs has to offer. “No matter what your interests are, especially if you’re an outdoor recreationalist, there’s always something fun to do,” said Leanne. “Yesterday, I went snowmobiling into a listing of mine and it was so much fun, and I just didn’t want it to be over.”
Between the friendly tourism industry, the thriving local business across Main Street, the stunning natural resources and the supportive community - it is no surprise White Sulphur Springs has seen some rapid growth in the past five years. “We have a great community of people here and they’re super supportive, and, of course, I think it’s great to live here because it’s so peaceful,” shared Leanne. We’re also lucky to have a couple of different grocery stores, banks, and a great medical facility.” White Sulphur Springs offers visitors outdoor opportunities such as fabulous elk hunting, hiking, access to snowmobiling and skiing, all followed by a soak in the thermal hot springs or a float down the Smith River.
The Smith River flows through the 505 Ranch and in the summer Leanne will often “blow up the giant flamingos and go down there with Josie [her daughter] and float on the river for a while. ”When you plan your visit to White Sulphur Springs Leanne recommends a stop at local restaurants such as The Jawbone and Jesse Pepper’s Smoke Shack, followed by a trip to 2 Basset Brewery.
Head out to Newlan Creek Reservoir for a swim and water-ski in the summer, or ice fishing in the winter, but do remember not all back roads have access throughout the winter in Meagher County. Take a step off the beaten path and explore one of the most unique Montana destinations. The special community in White Sulphur Springs value and support each other and the land they live, work and walk on every day. If a deep connection to nature and people are important to you, this is the place to visit. So when you’re doing 77 on I-90, take a detour to White Sulphur Springs.
Written by: Jamie Heinrich