Meagher County, Montana Thrives Through Education and Community Investment and Red Ants Pants

Meagher County hosts an annual festival attracting up to 17,000 visitors and has benefited from over $15 million invested in local education through a scholarship program.

The report, “Thriving Rural Communities: Meagher County, Montana – Key Factors for a Thriving Rural Entrepreneurial Ecosystem,” examines how Meagher County – a county of just over 2,000 residents in central Montana – transformed itself from a community struggling with the loss of its timber industry into an emerging entrepreneurial hotspot marked by business growth, civic engagement, and an influx of new and returning entrepreneurs.

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Red Ants Pants was born out of necessity. In 2004, Sarah Calhoun, a bold and determined trailblazer, saw that hardworking women lacked workwear designed for their needs. At the time, no brand offered work pants made to fit women’s bodies—a critical need for women in trades, agriculture, and labor-intensive fields. Sarah set out to change that. Red Ants Pants wasn’t just about pants; it was about empowering women with tools they could rely on, just like any piece of essential equipment.

Over the next two decades, Red Ants Pants became a trusted name for tradeswomen, ranchers, farmers, makers, and doers across the country. Alongside the brand’s rise, Sarah also launched the Red Ants Pants Foundation and the now-iconic annual Red Ants Pants Music Festival, both of which championed rural resilience and women supporting women.

In 2024, as the company prepared for its next chapter, Sarah brought on Stephanie Cole as Chief Executive Officer. A trusted friend, long-time collaborator, and advocate for the brand – Stephanie joined Sarah to help lead Red Ants Pants into an exciting new phase of growth.

From the beginning, Red Ants Pants has stood for more than making workwear—it’s about creating gear that empowers women to show up, work hard, and lead on their own terms. The mission continues to gain strength, inspiring generations of women to come.

The annual Red Ants Pants Music Festival draws 15,000 to 17,000 visitors, boosting business and community confidence.

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Researchers surveyed 56 business owners and 10 support organizations, conducting over 30 interviews with entrepreneurs and community leaders to analyze factors behind the transformation. The county, with just over 2,000 residents and located at least 90 minutes from a larger city, is emerging as an entrepreneurial hotspot following timber industry losses, supported by education pathways, strong volunteering rates, and cultural events. Notably, 77% of surveyed business owners are women, and 98% volunteer locally. The Charles M. Bair Memorial Trust Scholarship program has invested more than $15 million in higher education since 1976.

This model could offer insights for other rural Montana communities seeking sustainable growth through education and civic networks, especially where natural assets and local culture can be similarly mobilized to offset geographic isolation.

UM Study: One Rural County’s Economic Recipe to Thrive
By Cary Shimek, University of Montana