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Federal  writers1  project. 
Montana. 
Montana 


Kansas  city )      j  public  library 

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Books  will  be  issued  only 

i  of  library  card. 
Please  report  lost  cards  and 

change  of  residence  promptly. 
Card  holders  are  responsible  for 

all  books,  records,  films,  pictures 
or  other  library  materials 
checked  out  on  their  cards. 


MONTANA 

A  $#*  Guide  Book 


APR  1 5  1986 


MONfABA 


A  STATE  GUIDE  BOOK 


Compiled  and  Written  by  the  Federal  Writers'  Project 

of  the  Work  Projects  Administration 

for  the  State  of  Montana 


AMERICAN    GUIDE    SERIES 


ILLUSTRATED 


Sponsored  by  Department  of  Agriculture,  Labor 
and  Industry,  State  of  Montana 

THE  VIKING  PRESS  •  NEW  YORK 

MCMXXXIX 


Agency 


WORK  PP.OJEGTS  ADMINISTRATION 

F.  C.  HARRINGTON,  Commissioner 

FLORENCE  KERR,  Assistant  Commissioner 

HENRY  G.  ALSBERG,  Director  of  the  Federal  Writers'  Project 


FIRST    PUBLISHED    IN    SEPTEMBER    1939 
COPYRIGHT    1939    BY    DEPARTMENT    OF    AGRICULTURE,    LABOR    AND 

INDUSTRY,    STATE    OF    MONTANA 
PRINTED    IN    U.S.A.     BY    AMERICAN    BOOK-STRATFORD    PRESS 

55 

All  rights  are  reserved,  including  the  right  to  reproduce  this  book 
or  parts  thereof  in  any  form. 


Preface 


THE  first  Montana  guidebook,  published  in  1865,  described  only  one 
route — the  Mullan  Military  Wagon  Road,  completed  in  1862 — but  took 
in  a  Jot  of  territory  nevertheless.  Its  formidable  title  was  Miners  and 
Travelers'  Guide  to  Oregon,  Washington,  Idaho,  Montana,  Wyoming, 
and  Colorado,  and  its  author,  Captain  John  Mullan,  was  the  builder  of 
the  road.  The  captain  started  his  single  "tour"  at  Walla  Walla,  Washing- 
ton, and  carried  it  across  mountains  of  Idaho  and  Montana,  and  through 
the  Clark  Fork,  Little  Blackfoot,  Prickly  Pear,  and  Sun  River  Valleys  to 
Fort  Benton,  allowing  47  days  for  the  624-mile  trip.  He  described  Indians 
and  road  conditions  likely  to  be  encountered;  gave  detailed  advice  on 
equipment,  supplies,  and  care  of  horses  and  wagons ;  and  declined  respon- 
sibility for  the  welfare  of  travelers  who  took  unauthorized  short  cuts : 

"42nd  day — Move  to  Bird  Tail  Rock,  15  miles;  road  excellent;  water 
and  grass  at  camp;  willows  for  fuel  but  scant;  it  would  be  wise  to  pack 
wood  from  the  Dearborn  or  Sun  Rivers,  according  to  which  way  you  are 
traveling.  .  .  . 

"47th  day — Move  to  Fort  Benton,  27  miles  if  you  camp  at  the  springs, 
or  ii  miles  if  you  camp  at  Big  Coulee.  The  latter  never  was  a  portion  of 
my  road,  but  was  worked  out  by  Major  Delancey  Floyd  Jones,  and  I  am 
not  responsible  either  for  its  location  or  the  character  of  the  work  per- 
formed." 

Today  Mullan's  road  is  obliterated  from  the  landscape  and  from  the 
memories  of  all  but  the  oldest  pioneers;  a  network  of  modern  highways 
spans  the  "northwestern  territories"  he  wrote  about.  The  Miners  and 
Travelers'  Guide  still  exists  to  tell  in  what  manner  travelers  once  made 
their  difficult  and  devious  way  across  the  plains  and  "shining  mountains," 
but  its  life  as  a  guidebook  ended  in  the  i88o's.  Now,  after  a  hiatus  of 
two  or  three  generations  this  volume  presents  the  Montana  of  1939  with 
the  background  of  a  relatively  short  but  fascinating  past,  against  which 
are  set  the  immediate  daily  experiences  and  concerns  of  the  people,  and 
the  patterns  of  contemporary  economic,  social,  and  cultural  life.  It  at- 
tempts to  convey  an  impression  of  the  beautiful  and  varied  natural  setting 
in  Montana's  recreational  areas. 

The  Writers'  Project  is  deeply  inaeDted  to  many  governmental  agencies 

2.  so     H40134  - 


loca£  State,  and  'Federal,  Vd  cornmerml  associations  and  travel  agencies, 
to  historical  societies  ^anti'Lt^iialtiyj public  and  private  libraries  for  infor- 
mation and  assistance.  Various  faculty  members  of  Montana  State  Uni- 
versity and  Montana  "State"  College  acted  as  consultants  in  their  respective 
professional  fields.  Major  Evan  W.  Kelley,  Regional  Forester,  U.  S.  For- 
est Service,  placed  the  informational  resources  of  the  regional  offices  at 
the  disposal  of  the  project.  Mr.  George  C.  Ruhle,  Associate  Park  Natu- 
ralist, and  Mr.  Channing  Howell,  Park  Ranger,  were  consultants  for  the 
Glacier  National  Park  chapter.  Mr.  James  Willard  Schultz  and  the  late 
Mr.  Frank  B.  Linderman  contributed  authentic  material  concerning  sev- 
eral Indian  tribes  and  reservations. 

Miss  Esther  Leiser,  Reference  Librarian,  Missoula  Public  Library,  Miss 
M.  Catherine  White,  Reference  Librarian,  Montana  State  University,  and 
Mrs.  Anne  McDonnell,  Assistant  Librarian,  Montana  State  Historical 
Library,  rendered  valuable  research  assistance.  Finally,  thanks  are  due  to 
Dr.  Paul  C.  Phillips,  State  Director  of  the  Historical  Records  Survey  of 
the  Works  Progress  Administration,  and  to  Dr.  H.  G.  Merriam,  Professor 
of  English,  Montana  State  University,  who  critically  read  the  final  copy. 

BYRON  CRANE,  State  Director 
JOHN  A.  STAHLBERG,  Editor 


Contents 


PREFACE  Vll 

GENERAL  INFORMATION  XVlii 

CALENDAR  OF  EVENTS  XXlii 

/.    Montana:  The  General  Background 

CONTEMPORARY  MONTANA  3 

NATURAL  SETTING  AND  CONSERVATION  9 

BEFORE  THE  WHITE  MAN  31 

HISTORY  38 

ETHNIC  GROUPS  57 

AGRICULTURE  60 

LABOR  68 

INDUSTRY  AND  COMMERCE  79 

TRANSPORTATION  89 

EDUCATION,  RELIGION,  AND  SOCIAL  WELFARE  96 

THE  ARTS  102 

THE  PRESS  115 

RECREATION  117 

//.    Cities  and  Towns 

BILLINGS  ^127 

BUTTE  136 

GREAT  FALLS  148 

HELENA  158 

MISSOULA  172 

///.     Tours 

TOUR  i.        (Beach,  N.  D.)-Billings-Butte-Missoula- 

(Wallace,  Idaho),  us  lO-ioS     185 

Section  a.  North  Dakota  Line  to  Billings  185 


CONTENTS 

Section  b.  Billings  to  Junction  with  us  loN-ioS  194 

Section  c.   Junction  with  us  loN  to  Garrison  204 

Section  d.  Garrison  to  Idaho  Line  209 

TOUR  lA.     Junction  with  us  loS-Townsend-Helena-Garrison. 

us  loN  217 

TOUR  2.        (Williston,  N.  D.)-Havre-Kalispell- 

(Bonners  Ferry,  Idaho),  us  2  223 

Section  a.  North  Dakota  Line  to  Havre  223 

Section  b.  Havre  to  Browning  Junction  233 

Section  c.   Browning  Junction  to  Idaho  Line  239 

TOUR  2A.     Fort  Belknap  Agency-Hay s-Zortman. 

unnumbered  road,  STATE  19  247 

TOUR  3.        Junction  with  us  89-Lewiston-Billings- 

(Sheridan,  Wyo.).  US  87  250 

Section  a.  Junction  with  us  89  to  Billings  250 

Section  b.  Billings  to  Wyoming  Line  259 

TOUR  4.         (Calgary,  Alta.) -Browning-Great  Falls-Livingston- 

(Mammoth  Hot  Springs,  Wyo.).  us  89  264 

Section  a.  Canadian  Border  to  Great  Falls  264 

Section  b.  Great  Falls  to  Livingston  268 

Section  c.  Livingston  to  Wyoming  Line  272 

TOUR  5.        Bozeman-Gallatin  Gateway-West  Yellowstone— 

(St.  Anthony,  Idaho),  us  191  274 

TOUR  6.        (Lethbridge,  Alta.) -Great  Falls-Helena-Butte- 

(Idaho  Falls,  Idaho),  us  91  280 

Section  a.   Canadian  Border  to  Great  Falls  280 

Section  b.  Great  Falls  to  Butte  283 

Section  c.   Butte  to  Idaho  Line  289 

TOUR  7.        (Cranbrook,  B.  C)-Kalispell-Missoula-Hamilton- 

(Salmon,  Idaho),  us  93  293 

Section  a.   Canadian  Border  to  Kalispell  293 

Section  b.  Kalispell  to  Missoula  295 

Section  c.   Missoula  to  Idaho  Line  300 

TOUR  8.        Helena-Lincoln-Bonner-Junction  with  us  10. 

unnumbered  road,  STATE  20,  STATE  31  304 


CONTENTS 

TOUR  9.        (Charbonneau,  N.  D.)-Fairview- Jordan-Grass  Range. 

STATE   14,  STATE  1 8  312 

TOUR  10.      (Moose  Jaw,  Sask.) -Glasgow-Miles  City- 
Wyoming  Line-(Belle  Fourche,  S.  D.).  STATE  22  317 

Section  a.   Canadian  Border  to  Glasgow  317 

Section  b.  Glasgow  to  Miles  City  319 

Section  c.   Miles  City  to  Wyoming  Line  322 

TOUR  10A.  Wheeler-Fort  Peck-Fort  Peck  Rd.  324 


Forsyth-Roundup-White  Sulphur  Springs-Townsend. 

STATE  6     326 


TOUR  11. 

TOUR  12.      Ravalli-Plains-Thompson  Falls-(Sand  Point,  Idaho). 

STATE  3     332 

TOUR  13.      Laurel-Rockvale-Warren-(Lovell,  Wyo.).  us  310  338 

TOUR  13A.  Rockvale-Red  Lodge-Cooke- 

(Yellowstone  National  Park).  STATE  32     340 

TOUR  14.      (Manyberries,  Alta.) -Havre-Great  Falls.  STATE  29          348 
TOUR  15.      Junction  with  us  icS-Ennis-Junction  with  us  191. 

STATE  I       354 

TOUR  1 6.      Junction  with  us  loS-Virginia  City-Ennis. 

STATE  41,  STATE  34      356 

TOUR  17.      (Bowman,  N.  D.) -Baker-Miles  City,  us  12  363 

TOUR  18.      Junction  with  us  loS-Anaconda-Philipsburg- 

Drummond.  us  loA     368 
GLACIER  NATIONAL  PARK  375 

PARK  TOUR  1.      St.  Mary-Logan  Pass-Lake  McDonald-Belton 

Going-to-the-Sun  Highway  384 

PARK  TOUR  IA.     Apgar-Canadian  Border  390 

PARK  TOUR  2.      Junction  with  us  2-Two  Medicine  Chalets        392 

PARK  TOUR  3.      Junction  with  us  89- 

Rocky  Mountain  Trail  Ranch  393 

PARK  TOUR  4.      Babb-Many  Glacier  Hotel  393 

TRAIL  TOUR  1.     Going-to-the-Sun-Many  Glacier- 
Lake  McDonald-Going-to-the-Sun 
Piegan  Pass  Trail,  Going-to-the-Sun  Trail, 
unnamed  park  trails  395 

TRAIL  TOUR  2.     Glacier  Park  Station  to  Scenic  Point  Mount 

Henry  Trail  40 1 


LIST    OF    ILLUSTRATIONS 

STAGECOACH  9] 

Photograph  by  C.  Owen  Smithers 

FIRST  TRAIN  AND  LAST  SPIKE  93 

Photograph  from  Haynes  Picture  Shops,  Inc. 

EAST  SIDE  TUNNEL,  GOING-TO-THE-SUN  94 

Photograph  by  Clara  and  Channing  Howell 

YELLOWSTONE  KELLY  107 

Photograph  from  Bureau  of  American  Ethnology 

ST.  HELENA  CATHEDRAL  113 

Photograph  from  Jorud  Photo  Shop 

PROSPECTOR'S  HOME  114 

Photograph  from  Montana  Highway  Commission 

TROUT  STREAM  119 

Photograph  by  C.  Owen  Smithers 

DUDE  RANCH  121 

Photograph  from  Montana  Highway  Commission 

CONSERVATORY  OF  Music,  BILLINGS  POLYTECHNIC  INSTITUTE         135 

Photograph  by  C.  E.  Martin 

MEADERVILLE  137 

Photograph  by  C.  Owen  Smithers 

MINE  AND  ORE  DUMP  139 

Photograph  by  C.  Owen  Smithers 

AFTER  BLASTING  145 

Photograph  by  C.  Owen  Smithers 

POURING  ANODES  151 

Photograph  jrom  Anaconda  Copper  Mining  Company 

GIANT  SPRINGS  157 

Photograph  by  John  J.  Yaw 

STATE  CAPITOL  159 

Photograph  by  K.  D.  Swan  for  United  States  Forest  Service 

MAIN  STREET  OF  HELENA  IN  THE  iSyo's  161 

Photograph  from  Jorud  Photo  Shop 

ALGERIA  SHRINE  TEMPLE  167 

'Photograph  from  Jorud  Photo  Shop 

GRE  ENOUGH  PARK  181 

Photograph  from  McKay  Art  Company 

RETURNING  FROM  THE  FIELD  187 

Photograph  from  Farm  Security  Administration 

MARKET  DAY  189 

Photograph  from  Farm  Security  Administration 

CALAMITY  JANE  195 

Photograph  from  Jorud  Photo  Shop 


LIST    OF    ILLUSTRATIONS 

JEFFERSON  CANYON  205 

Photograph  from  Chicago,  Milwaukee,  St.  Paul  &  Pacific  Railroad 

GOLD  DREDGE  AT  GOLD  CREEK  211 

Photograph  by  C.  Owen  Smithers 

BEAVER  DAM  212 

Photograph  from  Montana  Highway  Commission 

A  THRESHER  221 

Photograph  by  C.  Owen  Smithers 

FARM  FAMILY,  NORTH  OF  MEDICINE  LAKE  225 

Photograph  from  Farm  Security  Administration 

AN  EASTERN  MONTANA  FARMER  227 

Photograph  from  Farm  Security  Administration 

MOOSE  239 

Photograph  by  Clara  and  Channing  Howell 

YOUNG  MOOSE  241 

Photograph  by  Clara  and  Channing  Howell 

LOADING  LOGS  245 

Photograph  by  C.  Owen  Smithers 

CROSSING  THE  BARBWIRE  253 

Photograph  from  Farm  Security  Administration 

CROW  TEPEES  261 

Photograph  from  Montana  Highway  Commission 

US  89  NEAR  NEIHART  271 

Photograph  from  Montana  Highway  Commission 

PAINTED  ROCKS  284 

Photograph  from  Montana  Highway  Commission 

GATES  OF  THE  MOUNTAINS  285 

Photograph  from  Jorud  Photo  Shop  , 

A  FLATHEAD  WOMAN  298 

Photograph  by  C.  Owen  Smithers 

ST.  MARY'S  MISSION,  STEVENSVILLE  301 

Photograph  from  Montana  Highway  Commission 

LUMBERJACKS  309 

Photograph  by  C.  Owen  Smithers 

HOLLAND  LAKE  310 

Photograph  from  Montana  Highway  Commission 

WINDBREAK  315 

Photograph  by  G.  Buckner 

SHEEP  WAGON  321 

Photograph  by  C.  Owen  Smithers 

NATIONAL  BISON  RANGE  333 

Photograph  by  K.  D.  Swan  for  United  States  Forest  Service 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 
MCDONALD  PEAK,  MISSION  RANGE  335 

Photograph  by  K.  D.  Swan  for  United  States  Forest  Service 

MAE  WEST  CURVE  ON  STATE  32  341 

Photograph  from  Flash  Studio 

SWITCHBACKS  ON  STATE  32  345 

Photograph  from  Flash  Studio 

BEARTOOTH  FALLS  347 

Photograph  from  Flash  Studio 

FORT  BENTON,  1869  352 

Photograph  from  Jorud  Photo  Shop 

ROBBERS'  ROOST  359 

Photograph  from  Montana  Highway  Commission 

ROAD  AGENT'S  GRAVES,  BOOTHILL  CEMETERY,  VIRGINIA  CITY         361 

Photograph  by  K.  D.  Swan  for  United  States  Forest  Service 

MEDICINE  ROCKS  365 

Photograph  from  Montana  Highway  Commission 

SMELTER,  ANACONDA  369 

Photograph  from  Anaconda  Copper  Mining  Company 

CONVERTERS  373 

Photograph  from  Anaconda  Copper  Mining  Company 

LITTLE  CHIEF  MOUNTAIN  379 

Photograph  by  Clara  and  Channing  Howell 

GOING-TO-THE-SUN   MOUNTAIN  385 

Photograph  by  Clara  and  Channing  Howell 

LAKE  MCDONALD  389 

Photograph  by  Clara  and  Channing  Howell 

FAWN  399 

Photograph  from  Jorud  Photo  Shop 

GRINNELL  LAKE  AND  GLACIER  404 

Photograph  by  Clara  and  Channing  Howell 


Maps 


STATE  MAP  back  pocket 

TRANSPORTATION  MAP  back  of  State  map 

TOUR  MAP  front  end  paper 

BILLINGS  Pages  130  and  131 

BUTTE  142  and  143 

GREAT  FALLS  154  and  155 

HELENA  162  and  163 

MISSOULA  176  and  111 
GLACIER  NATIONAL  PARK  AND 

WATERTON  LAKES  NATIONAL  PARK  380  and  381 


General  Information 


(For  highways  and  other  transport  routes,  see  State  and  special  maps 
in  pocket  of  back  cover.) 

Railroads:  Chicago,  Milwaukee,  St.  Paul  and  Pacific  (the  Milwaukee) ; 
Northern  Pacific  (NP)  ;  Great  Northern;  Chicago,  Burlington  &  Quincy 
(the  Burlington)  ;  Union  Pacific  (UP)  ;  Minneapolis,  St.  Paul  &  Sault 
Ste.  Marie  (the  Soo)  ;  Butte,  Anaconda  &  Pacific  (BAP)  ;  Gilmore  & 
Pittsburgh;  Montana  Western;  White  Sulphur  Springs  &  Yellowstone 
Park;  Montana,  Wyoming  &  Southern.  Direct  service  to  Glacier  and  Yel- 
lowstone National  Parks  in  season  (June  i5~Sept.  15).  (See  TRANS- 
PORTATION.) 

Bus  Lines:  Northland  Greyhound  (Chicago  to  Seattle) ;  Washington 
Motor  Coach  (intrastate  and  interstate;  connections  with  Northland  Grey- 
hound) ;  Burlington  Transportation  (Billings  to  Denver) ;  Intermountain 
Transportation  (Great  Falls  to  Salt  Lake  City)  ;  Meisinger's  Stages  (Mis- 
soula  to  Salmon,  Idaho)  ;  Butte-Deer  Lodge  Transport;  Interstate  Transit 
(Williston,  N.  D. — Eastern  Montana)  ;  Motor  Transit.  Feeder  lines  to 
main  bus  and  rail  routes. 

Air  Lines:  Northwest  Airlines  (Chicago  to  Seattle)  lands  at  Glendive, 
Miles  City,  Billings,  Butte,  Helena,  and  Missoula;  Wyoming  Air  Service 
(Billings  to  Pueblo,  Colo.);  Western  Air  Express  (Great  Falls  to  Salt 
Lake  City)  stops  at  Helena  and  Butte,  and  in  season  at  West  Yellowstone, 
western  gateway  to  Yellowstone  National  Park.  (See  TRANSPORTA- 
TION MAP.) 

Highways:  Nine  US,  transcontinental  or  with  transcontinental  or  inter- 
national connections.  Two  E.-W.  main  routes  (US  2  and  10),  4  N.-S. 
(US  87,  89,  91,  and  93).  Arterials  mostly  oiled;  laterals  graded  and 
graveled.  Winter  travelers  should  ascertain  road  conditions.  Especially 
spectacular  highways  are  Going-to-the-Sun  (Glacier  National  Park)  and 
Red  Lodge-Cooke  City  (Absaroka  National  Forest  and  Beartooth  Mrs.), 
open  during  summer  tourist  season.  State  highway  commission  maintains 
nine  "ports  of  entry"  which  provide  maps,  pamphlets,  and  information 
concerning  parks,  Indian  reservations,  fishing  streams,  dude  ranches,  ho- 

xviii 


GENERAL   INFORMATION 

tels  and  resorts.  Roadside  epigraphs  mark  historic  points.  Inspection  at 
Canadian  border.  Gas  tax,  60. 

Mountain  and  Forest  Trails  for  hiking  and  riding  number  hundreds.  Maps 
are  available  at  U.  S.  Forest  Service  offices  in  Livingston  (Absaroka  Na- 
tional Forest),  Billings  (Custer),  Dillon  (Beaverhead),  Hamilton  (Bit- 
terroot),  Thompson  Falls  (Cabinet),  Kalispell  (Flathead),  Butte  (Deer 
Lodge),  Bozeman  (Gallatin),  Helena  (Helena),  Great  Falls  (Lewis  and 
Clark),  Libby  (Kootenai),  Missoula  (Lolo). 

Motor  Vehicle  Laws  are  enforced  by  State  Highway  Patrol.  Speed  limit 
on  marked  curves,  40  m. ;  in  towns  on  Federal  highways,  25  m.  Hand 
signals.  Vehicles  entering  main  highways  stop,  yielding  right-of-way  to 
vehicles  already  on  highways.  Vehicles  broken  down  must  be  marked  at 
night  by  front  and  rear  flares  or  lanterns,  and  be  removed  from  roadway 
as  soon  as  possible.  School  zone  and  other  markers  must  be  observed; 
cattle  crossings  are  marked  at  600  ft.  Prohibited  are  reckless  driving  at 
any  speed,  passing  on  hills  or  where  view  is  obstructed,  and  parking  on 
highways.  (For  local  regulations,  see  CITIES.) 

Accommodations:  All  types  in  larger  cities;  comfortable  in  most  villages. 
Modern  tourist  camps  (many  municipal)  and  camping  or  picnic  sites  on 
all  highways.  Widely  varying  dude  ranch  accommodations,  from  $25  wk. 
Cabins  and  hotels  at  mountain  and  hot  springs  resorts;  the  latter  usually 
have  warm  and  cold  plunges  as  well  as  natural  hot  baths.  No  scarcity  of 
accommodations  except  in  cities  when  annual  or  special  events  draw  large 
crowds.  Many  dude  ranches,  hot  springs  resorts,  and  mountain  lodges 
offer  reduced  winter  rates. 

Climate  and  Equipment:  Summer  travelers  should  be  prepared  for  warm 
days  and  cool  nights.  Medium- weight  clothing  and  coat  or  sweater  for 
evening  wear  are  sufficient  in  general,  but  vacations  at  high  altitudes  re- 
quire a  supply  of  warm  clothing.  In  regions  infested  by  wood  ticks,  cloth- 
ing should  be  selected  that  will  prevent  the  ticks  from  reaching  the  skin. 
For  outings,  old  clothes  and  light  but  strong  shoes  with  flexible  cord  or 
rubber  composition  soles  are  best ;  hobnails  are  seldom  an  advantage.  Suit- 
able equipment  is  sold  in  all  Montana  trading  centers.  Guides  (licensed 
by  the  State  fish  and  game  commission)  and  horses  may  be  obtained 
through  chambers  of  commerce  or  game  wardens.  For  winter  vacations, 
heavy  outdoor  clothing  is  needed. 

(Recreational  Areas:  See  Recreation,  "Forests,  Glacier  National  Park, 
Tours,  State  map.) 


GENERAL   INFORMATION 

Pishing:  Season,  May  21  to  March  14  of  following  year.  Licenses:  resi- 
dent, $2  (includes  upland  and  migratory  bird  hunting  license)  ;  non- 
resident, $3.50;  special  ic-day  tourist,  $1.50;  alien,  $10;  issued  by  game 
wardens,  sporting  goods  dealers,  highway  "ports  of  entry."  All  except 
special  tourist  licenses  expire  April  30  succeeding  date  of  issue.  Licenses 
not  required  of  children  under  15,  or  of  visitors  in  Glacier  National  Park. 
Daily  limit,  25  game  fishes  or  20  Ibs.  and  i  fish;  5  fishes  less  than  7  in. 
long,  except  sunfish,  yellow  perch,  ringed  perch.  In  Glacier  Park  the  limit 
(variable)  is  10  fishes  per  day  per  person  in  most  waters.  Game  fish  may 
be  taken  only  by  hook  and  line,  with  rod  in  hand.  Defined  as  game  fish 
are  trout  (mountain,  rainbow,  cutthroat  or  native,  eastern  brook,  Dolly 
Varden,  Loch  Leven,  Steelhead,  Mackinaw) ;  salmon  (chinook,  silver, 
sockeye)  ;  grayling;  Rocky  Mountain  whitefish;  perch  (yellow,  ringed); 
black  bass  (large-mouth,  small-mouth);  sunfish;  northern  pickerel;  pike 
(wall-eyed,  yellow,  great  northern). 

Game  Birds:  Upland  game-bird  hunting  season,  variable.  Licenses:  resi- 
dent, $2  (see  Fishing);  non-resident,  $10;  alien,  $50  (includes  fish  and 
big  game  licenses).  Limit,  3  male  birds  a  day.  Defined  as  upland  game 
birds  are  grouse  (sharp-tailed,  blue,  sage,  ruffed);  prairie  chicken;  fool 
hen;  quail;  ptarmigan;  wild  turkey;  Hungarian  partridge;  Chinese  (ring- 
necked)  pheasant.  Hunting  of  migratory  waterfowl  (wild  duck,  wild 
goose,  brant)  is  subject  to  Federal  regulations  under  the  Migratory  Bird 
Act.  (See  FAUNA.) 

Big  Game:  Regulations  vary  from  region  to  region.  General  deer  and  elk 
hunting  season,  Oct.  i5~Nov.  15;  bear,  Oct.  i5~May  14  of  following 
year.  Antelope,  moose,  caribou,  and  buffalo  may  not  be  taken,  nor  may 
cub  bears  or  female  bears  with  cubs.  State  fish  and  game  commission  may 
open  any  region  to  hunting  of  Rocky  Mountain  sheep  and  goats  for  lim- 
ited periods.  Deer  and  elk  hunting  restricted  to  definite  areas.  Limit,  i, 
male  deer  with  horns  4  in.  or  longer;  i  bull  elk  (in  some  sections,  i  elk 
of  either  sex).  Licenses:  resident,  $3;  non-resident,  $30;  alien,  $50  (resi- 
dent and  alien  licenses  cover  all  hunting  and  fishing).  Predatory  animals 
may  be  hunted  and  trapped  without  license.  Prohibited:  hunting  in  Gla- 
cier National  Park;  hunting  game  birds  or  animals  from  automobile,  air- 
plane, powerboat,  sailboat,  or  any  power-towed  device.  Hunters  should 
obtain  additional  information  when  purchasing  license. 

Camping  Restrictions:  When  fire  hazard  is  great,  travelers  may  have  to 
obtain  permits  (issued  at  points  of  entry;  no  red  tape)  before  entering 
national  forests.  Ax,  shovel,  and  water  bucket  must  be  carried.  All  trav- 


GENERAL   INFORMATION 

elers  must  obey  the  following  Forest  Fire  Prevention  Rules:  In  making 
camp,  scrape  away  all  inflammable  material  from  a  spot  5  ft.  in  diameter. 
Dig  hole  in  center  and  keep  your  fire  in  the  hole.  Keep  it  small.  Do  not 
build  fire  near  trees,  logs,  or  brush.  Be  sure  matches,  pipe  ashes,  cigarette 
and  cigar  stubs  are  dead  before  throwing  away ;  even  then,  don't  toss  into 
brush,  leaves,  or  needles;  step  on  them,  break  matches  in  two.  In  break- 
ing camp,  stir  coals  while  soaking  with  water.  Turn  small  sticks,  and 
drench  both  sides.  Wet  ground  around  fire.  If  without  water,  stir  in  earth 
and  tread  down  until  packed  tightly  over  and  around  fire.  Be  sure  the  last 
spark  is  dead. 

Liquor  Regulations:  Intoxicating  liquors  are  dispensed  by  Montana  State 
Liquor  Stores  and  licensed  dealers  in  all  cities  and  county  seats  and  many 
villages.  State  Stores  generally  open  daily  from  12  m.  to  8  p.m.,  except 
Sundays  and  holidays,  but  local  regulations  vary.  Saloons  open  8  a.m.  to 
2  a.m.;  Sundays  and  holidays  i  p.m.  to  2  a.m.  Purchasers'  permit  50^  a 
year;  non-residents'  permit  (good  for  30  days)  50$.  Liquor  may  not  be 
consumed  on  store  premises  or  purchased  by  minors  (under  21).  Beer 
(4%  )  is  sold  at  bars,  taverns,  gardens,  restaurants,  and  hotels. 

Precautions:  Sunburn  should  be  guarded  against  at  high  elevations.  Carry 
cold  cream  on  hikes.  On  glacier  and  mountain  trips,  protect  the  eyes  with 
amber  goggles.  Use  extreme  care  in  the  matter  of  drinking  water.  Spring 
water  at  its  source  is  safe,  as  is  mountain  water  at  high  altitudes  (usually) 
and  water  at  designated  public  campgrounds.  Water  from  rivers  or  aban- 
doned wells  is  unsafe. 

Snakes:  Rattlesnakes  occur  in  the  western  valleys  and  south  of  the  Mis- 
souri River  on  the  plains;  abundant  in  some  areas.  High-top  shoes  and 
stout  leggings  protect  the  legs;  use  hands  sparingly  in  climbing  over 
rocky  places.  In  treatment  of  rattlesnake  bite,  a  ligature,  preferably  rub- 
ber, should  be  bound  above  the  wound,  which  should  be  opened  by  an 
incision  not  deeper  than  14  m-  Suck  the  wound,  if  necessary,  to  induce 
bleeding;  but  lips  and  mouth  should  be  free  from  sores.  Do  not  cauterize. 
Do  not  take  whisky.  Get  a  doctor. 

Mosquitoes,  while  not  a  disease-carrying  species,  are  a  nuisance  in  some 
areas.  A  low  smudge  is  of  aid  in  driving  them  away.  So  is  a  vessel  of  oil 
of  citronella  mixed  with  an  equal  amount  of  spirits  of  camphor  and  half 
as  much  oil  of  cedar.  Soap  rubbed  on  bites  eases  discomfort.  Ammonia 
and  alcohol  in  equal  parts  also  help. 

Wood  Ticks:  Rocky  Mountain  spotted  fever  is  a  very  serious  disease  car- 
ried to  man  exclusively  by  wood  ticks.  To  infect,  a  tick  must  penetrate  the 


GENERAL   INFORMATION 

skin  enough  to  feed,  remaining  for  2  hrs.  or  longer.  Hikers  and  campers 
in  tick-infested  country  should  not  wear  shorts  or  other  clothing  that  does 
not  protect  the  skin.  They  should  examine  the  body  and  clothing  fre- 
quently, and  take  advantage  of  the  vaccination  offered  by  the  United  States 
Public  Health  Service.  In  removing  a  tick  from  the  body,  a  firm  straight 
pull  is  best.  Treat  bite  immediately  with  silver-nitrate  or  other  cauterants. 
Tick  season:  early  spring  until  about  mid-July,  depending  upon  condi- 
tions of  moisture  and  heat.  (See  FAUNA.) 

Black  Widow  Spiders  are  few  in  number.  They  are  small,  shiny  black, 
and  marked  with  a  red  hourglass  on  lower  surface  of  abdomen.  Treatment 
for  bite:  put  patient  to  bed;  apply  iodine  to  wound,  and  give  large  quan- 
tities of  non-alcoholic  fluids  to  drink.  Get  a  doctor. 

Public  Information  Service:  Montanans,  Inc.,  Gold  Block,  Helena ;  Montana 
Highway  Commission,  Helena;  Highway  Commission  ports  of  entry  at 
Columbia  Falls,  Monida,  West  Yellowstone,  Gardiner,  Rockvale,  Wyola, 
Miles  City,  Culbertson,  and  junction  of  US  10  and  93  NW.  of  Missoula; 
Highway  Patrol  officers ;  regional  headquarters  of  the  U.  S.  Forest  Service, 
Missoula;  forest  supervisors'  headquarters  at  Livingston,  Dillon,  Hamil- 
ton, Thompson  Falls,  Billings,  Butte,  Bozeman,  Kalispell,  Helena,  Libby, 
Great  Falls,  and  Missoula;  all  ranger  stations;  chambers  of  commerce  in 
the  larger  cities;  Montana  Automobile  Association  offices  at  chambers  of 
commerce  or  largest  hotels  in  Missoula,  Kalispell,  Butte,  Great  Falls, 
Helena,  Billings,  Havre,  Glendive,  Glasgow,  Hamilton,  Lewistown,  Miles 
City,  Livingston,  and  Wolf  Point. 


<<-<<<<<<<<< 


Calendar  of  Events 

("nfd"  means  no  fixed  date) 


Jan.    ist  week 
Jan.    nfd 


Feb.  pre-Lenten 

May  ist  week 

May  ist  week 

May  17 

May  nfd 


June  13 

June  24 

June  ist  week 

June  4th  week 

June  nfd 

July  3-5 


Anaconda 
Arlee 


Winter  Sports  Carnival  (4  days) 
Blue  Jay  Dance  at  Flathead  Reser- 
vation 


July 
July 

July 
July 
July 
July 
July 

July 
July 

July 
July 


4 

ist  week 

ist  week 
ist  week 
2nd  week 
2nd  week 
3rd  week 

3rd  week 
3rd  week 
4th  week 
nfd 


July    nfd 

Aug. 
Aug. 
Aug. 


Butte,  Anaconda,  Great  Mesopust  Croatian  Celebration 
Falls 

Havre  Music  Festival 

Camas  Prairie  Bitterroot  Feast  of  Flathead  Indians 

Sheridan  County  Norwegian  Independence  Day 

Missoula  Interscholastic  and  Intercollegiate 
Meets 

Butte  Miners'  Union  Day 

Frenchtown  St.  John's  Day 

Hardin  Rodeo 

Rocky  Boy  Reservation  Rocky  Boy  Indian  Ceremonial  Dances 

State-wide  Sheep  Shearing 


2 

ist  week 
ist  week 
2nd  week 


Red  Lodge,  Butte,  Kali- 
spell,  Lewistown,  and 
other  places 

Whitefish 

Browning 

Fort  Peck  Reservation 
Belknap  Agency 

Butte,  Wolf  Point,  Liv- 
ingston 
Blackfeet  Reservation 

Blackfeet  Reservation 

Thompson  Falls 
Cut  Bank 
Crow  Agency 
Deer  Lodge 

Arlee 

Butte 
Poison 
Cooke 
Great  Falls 


Independence  Day  Celebrations  and 
Rodeos 

Regatta 

Blackfeet  Medicine  Lodge  Ceremo- 
nial and  Sun  Dance 

Assiniboine  and  Sioux  Ceremonial 
and  Sun  Dance 

Assiniboine  and  Gros  Ventre  Cere- 
monial and  Sun  Dance 

Rodeos 

Blood  Indian  Medicine  Lodge  Cere- 
monial and  Sun  Dance 

Piegan  Medicine  Lodge  Ceremonial 
and  Sun  Dance 

Regatta 

Horse  Races 

Crow  Ceremonial  and  Sun  Dance 

Tri-State  Semi-Pro  Baseball  Tourna- 
ment 

Flathead  War  Dances 

Miners'  Field  Day 

Cherry  Regatta 

Rodeo 

North  Montana  Fair 


CALENDAR  OF   EVENTS 

Aug.  3rd  week           Billings  Midland  Empire  Fair  and  Rodeo 

Aug.  3rd  week           Missoula  Western  Montana  Fair 

Aug.  3rd  week           Crow  Agency  Crow  Indian  Fair 

Aug.  nfd                      Hamilton  Harvest  Festival 

Aug.  nfd                     Georgetown  Lake  Montana  Championship  Regatta 

Sept.  ist  week            Miles  City  Eastern  Montana  Fair 

Sept.  15-16                  Billings  Mexican  Fiesta 

SePt-  30                      Chinook  Pageant:  Battle  of  Bear's  Paw 

Oct.    nfd                     Butte  State  University-State  College  Foot- 
ball Game 


PART  I 


Background 


>>>>>>>>>>>» 


MONTANA  is  too  large  and  diverse  for  definition  or  characteriza- 
tion in  general  terms.  Children  in  its  schools  are  taught  that  the 
name  Montana  means  "mountains,"  but  many  of  them  see  only  prairies 
rolling  to  the  horizon.  They  are  told  that  Montana  is  still  a  great  ranching 
State,  where  cattle  graze  and  cowboys  ride,  but  some  of  them,  as  in  Butte, 
see  only  ore  dumps,  great  dark  sheds,  and  barren  buttes. 

To  the  dry-land  farmer  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  State,  Montana  is  a 
vast  agricultural  plain  checkered  with  brownish  fallow  land  and  fields  of 
green  wheat  that  ripen  to  a  dusty  gray-gold  in  August;  or  it  is  a  drab 
waste  seen  through  a  haze  of  wind-blown  soil.  For  him  the  mountains  of 
the  western  part  exist  chiefly  as  the  goal  for  some  long- defer  red  vacation. 

To  the  resident  of  the  mountain  region,  Montana  is  a  land  of  rich  val- 
leys, small  thriving  cities,  and  uncounted  mineral  treasures.  He  hesitates 
to  admit  that  anything  important  or  interesting  can  exist  in  the  immensi- 
ties of  dead  brown  grass  and  gray  stubble  that  make  up  the  eastern  two- 
thirds  of  his  State.  At  best,  he  believes,  tank  towns  are  there,  and  cattle 
and  wheat.  Less  than  best  means  badlands,  coyotes,  tumbleweeds,  and 
dust. 

These  attitudes  of  high  valley  dweller  and  plainsman  derive,  on  the  one 
hand,  from  knowledge  of  the  importance  of  the  western  region,  the  greater 
economic  security  of  its  rural  population,  and  its  relative  wealth  in  people 
and  in  cultural  opportunity;  on  the  other,  from  knowledge  of  the  sheer 
immensity  of  the  plains  and  from  the  comfortable  thought  that  the  crops 
and  livestock  they  produce  are  worth  more  to  the  State,  in  prosperous 
times,  than  are  the  minerals  dug  in  the  mountainous  area. 

The  people  vary  less  than  might  be  expected,  considering  that  they  live 
far  apart  and  in  widely  contrasting  environments.  They  number  only  3.7 
per  square  mile,  compared  with  41.3  for  the  Nation,  and  are  thus  as  scat- 
tered as  the  residents  of  Baltimore  would  be  if  distributed  over  Maryland, 
Delaware,  New  Jersey,  New  York,  and  New  England.  But  they  make  fre- 
quent long  trips,  and  think  of  a  hundred-mile  drive  to  a  Saturday  night 
dance  as  part  of  the  regular  order  of  living.  Modern  highways,  built  mostly 

3 


4  MONTANA:  THE  GENERAL  BACKGROUND 

since  1925,  have  emphasized  this  trait  by  making  communication  easier. 
A  "neighborhood"  on  the  plains,  or  the  "environs"  of  a  city,  may  include 
points  separated  by  distances  that  would  seem  absurd  to  a  stranger. 

Where  physical  vastness  in  land  and  resources  is  an  accepted  fact,  peo- 
ple are  likely  to  be  prodigal  in  measuring  the  size  of  their  enterprises.  The 
copper  industry  is  most  conspicuous  for  its  leviathan  structure.  But  every 
cowpuncher  scales  his  ambition  to  the  proportions  of  the  great  old-time 
cattle  outfits.  Every  farmer  wants  to  own  or  rent  more  land,  buy  more  and 
bigger  farming  machines,  and  then  acquire  still  more  land  to  keep  his 
machines  profitably  employed.  Little  avarice  or  scheming  is  involved  in 
this  continued  reaching  out;  there  is  plenty  of  land  for  everyone.  Mon- 
tanans  are  merely  so  accustomed  to  vastness  that  anything  less  than  huge 
seems  trivial  to  them. 

The  compulsion  to  be  big  is  solidly  rooted  in  the  State's  history,  with 
its  traditions  of  big  fur  companies,  big  cattle  and  sheep  outfits,  and  big 
mining  operations.  During  Montana's  period  of  greatest  growth  (1880- 
1920),  size  became  an  end  in  itself.  Population  increased  1,400  percent, 
and  still  more  manpower  was  needed.  Many  argued  that  the  area  and  re- 
sources of  this  "Treasure  State"  warranted  a  population  of  millions.  Here 
day-laborers  could  become  owners,  and  owners  could  become  wealthy.  To 
gain  wealth  in  the  new  empire  (Montanans  liked  the  word)  became  the 
hope  of  everyone.  The  prime  requirement  was  to  "get  in  on  the  ground 
floor." 

Even  when  expansion  itself  faltered,  with  the  post- War  failure  of  prices 
and  credit,  the  habit  of  thinking  in  terms  of  expansion  continued.  Farm- 
ers, however,  remembered  that  Montana  is  semiarid,  and  began  to  use 
moisture-conserving  tillage  methods.  The  mining  industry  had  serious 
troubles:  profits  on  Butte  copper  dwindled  in  competition  with  open-cut 
operations  elsewhere;  silver  was  not  in  demand;  coal  had  two  rivals,  oil 
and  gas,  growing  steadily  in  importance.  In  business,  sales  were  slow,  col- 
lections difficult.  The  trend  of  population  was  away  from  the  State. 

After  1922,  crops  and  prices  improved,  and  the  market  quickened  for 
lumber  and  minerals.  Agricultural  expansion  gained  momentum  until 
1930,  with  emphasis  on  mechanization  and  larger  farm  units.  Even  when 
mines,  smelters,  and  sawmills  ceased  operations,  and  grain  prices  fell  to 
staggering  lows,  it  did  not  stop  at  once.  "We  can't  quit  now,"  said  the 
farmers.  "We're  in  too  deep.  The  only  way  out  is  to  till  more  land  and 
cut  per-acre  production  costs."  But  drought  and  dust  made  even  large- 
scale  cultivation  useless ;  when  crop  control  was  introduced  most  Montana 
farmers  were  glad  to  adopt  it. 


A  FARMER— STOCKMAN 


6  MONTANA:    THE    GENERAL   BACKGROUND 

In  the  dry-land  areas  striking  changes  are  taking  place.  Between  1920 
and  1930  farmers  believed  that,  by  the  use  of  summer  fallow,  they  had 
solved  the  problem  of  growing  crops  without  irrigation.  But  in  the  1929 
drought  they  had  the  appalling  experience  of  seeing  the  loosened  soil 
blown  away,  and  with  it  their  laboriously  evolved  technique.  Some  left 
defeated.  Those  who  remained  are  trying  to  devise  new  techniques. 
Throughout  the  middle  1930*5,  two  movements  of  population  were  in 
progress — one  from  the  dry-land  areas  to  the  irrigated  or  irrigable  val- 
leys, another  from  outlying  villages  and  hamlets  to  county  seats  and  larger 
centers.  The  latter  movement  seems  the  result  of  better  highways  through 
these  centers  and  of  increased  chances  for  employment  in  them.  The  mi- 
gration has  produced  a  new  phenomenon — that  of  ghost  towns  on  the 
prairie. 

The  farmer  of  western  Montana  has  in  large  part  escaped  the  problems 
of  the  eastern  section,  and  has  developed  a  happier,  more  confident  agri- 
culture. Spared  the  one-crop  limitation,  he  has  developed  less  of  the  gam- 
bling spirit  that  distinguishes  the  dry-lander ;  instead,  he  shows  a  tendency 
to  work  according  to  plan,  for  there  is  far  greater  likelihood  that  his  plans 
will  be  realized.  Between  the  two  stand  the  cattle  and  sheep  growers, 
somewhat  less  secure  than  the  western  farmer,  but  less  affected  by  weather 
hazards  than  the  dry-lander. 

In  Montana's  "wide,  open  spaces"  the  cowpuncher  no  longer  rides  hour 
after  hour,  unimpeded  by  fences.  He  wears  few  fancy  togs  and  carries  no 
gun;  he  is  a  workingman  who  does  his  job  well  and  cares  nothing  about 
the  traditions  of  the  motion-picture  West.  But  he  does  ride.  In  at  least  the 
southeast  quarter  of  the  State,  the  resident,  male  or  female,  who  cannot 
sit  a  horse  well  is  a  rarity. 

Increasing  tourist  trade  and  a  growing  dude  ranch  industry  have  made 
Montanans  think  of  themselves  as  hosts,  and  has  added  a  certain  smooth- 
ness to  the  simple  good-fellowship  and  bluff  hospitality  of  older  times; 
but,  among  themselves,  they  remain  informal  and  respect  few  artificial 
conventions.  Hospitality,  as  proud  a  tradition  West  as  South,  has  come 
down  from  the  days  when  a  rancher's  home  was  everyone's  castle  and  a 
good  citizen  never  locked  his  door,  knowing  that  a  cold,  tired,  and  hungry 
rider  might  need  to  enter  and  cook  a  meal. 

Montana's  is  a  labor  population,  and  support  for  labor's  aspirations  has 
grown  swiftly  since  1930.  Butte  and  Great  Falls,  always  potential  union 
towns,  are  well  organized. 

The  most  cynical  Montanan  is  the  citizen  of  Helena,  whose  days  are 
spent  in  an  atmosphere  of  politics.  Yet  his  interests  are  broad,  for  his  live- 


BUTTE  MINERS 


8  MONTANA:    THE    GENERAL   BACKGROUND 

lihood  may  depend  on  events  in  distant  parts  of  the  State  or  Nation.  He 
understands  and  heartily  distrusts  politicians.  Legislative  scandals  are  his 
favorite  gossip;  his  jokes  are  bitter  meaningful  allusions  to  such  things  as 
the  Goddess  of  Liberty  atop  the  capitol's  copper  dome  (loosened  by  earth- 
quake and  swung  about  by  a  big  wind,  the  Goddess  turned  her  back  on 
Helena).  He  is  usually  alert  for  a  "spot  to  land  in"  in  times  of  political 
change. 

The  Butte  citizen's  blood  pressure  rises  and  falls  with  the  price  of  cop- 
per. He  opposes  war  "and  yet,  when  you  come  to  think  of  it,  war  would 
probably  raise  the  price  of  copper  and  increase  work  and  wages  ..." 
Sometimes  he  is  half-convinced  that  Butte  is  the  real  capital  of  the  United 
States  and  copper  instead  of  gold  the  proper  standard  of  values.  If  he  is  a 
miner,  or  has  friends  or  near  relatives  in  the  mines,  he  is  often  grim  and 
worried.  Butte's  streets  are  crowded  nightly  with  persons  intent  upon  a 
round  of  pleasure  in  bars  and  gambling  places,  some  seeking  to  forget  the 
fears  of  daily  existence. 

Missoula,  Great  Falls,  and  Billings  are  agricultural  centers  rather  than 
industrial  or  political  ones;  but  Missoula  has  the  State  University  and 
takes  a  solemn  pride  in  its  cultural  position.  In  Great  Falls,  copper  refining 
and  power  production  have  brought  a  considerable  degree  of  adjustment 
to  industrial  conditions.  Great  Falls  and  Billings  have  retained  in  large 
measure  the  independence  and  pride  in  their  own  way  of  life  that  Charlie 
Russell  epitomized  during  his  career  as  an  artist  in  the  State. 

The  tradition  of  the  self-reliant  West  exerts  a  steadily  growing  influ- 
ence. Frontier  and  Midland,  the  magazine  published  at  the  State  Uni- 
versity, labors  for  a  wider  understanding  of  the  value  of  Indians,  cow- 
punchers,  farmers,  miners,  and  lumber- jacks  as  literary  source  material. 
Montanans  are  becoming  aware  that  Montana's  cultural  possibilities  are 
as  vast  and  relatively  unexplored  as  her  material  resources. 


Natural  Setting  an< 
Conservation 

Physical  Characteristics 


i HE  name  Montana  is  derived  from  the  Spanish  montana,  meaning 
mountain.  The  State,  third  largest  in  the  Union,  is  bounded  on  the 

>rth  by  Saskatchewan,  Alberta,  and  British  Columbia;  on  the  east  by  the 
:otas ;  on  the  south  by  Wyoming  and  Idaho ;  and  on  the  west  by  Idaho, 
area  is  146,997  square  miles,  of  which  866  square  miles  is  water 
surface. 

Two-thirds  of  the  surface  of  the  State  is  a  plain  broken  by  a  network 
of  valleys,  many  of  the  smaller  ones  carrying  no  water  except  during  rare 
floods,  and  by  isolated  groups  of  low  mountains.  The  western  mountain- 
ous section,  roughly  200  miles  wide,  is  composed  of  generally  parallel 
ranges  on  a  northwest-southeast  axis,  but  the  Continental  Divide  follows 
a  meandering  course  north  and  south.  In  the  north  (see  GLACIER  NA- 
TIONAL PARK)  the  main  range  of  the  Rockies  fronts  the  eastern  plain, 
but  farther  south  an  increasing  spread  of  ranges  lies  east  of  the  Divide, 
comprising  the  sources  of  the  Missouri  River  and  its  tributaries. 

The  highest  peaks  are  east  of  the  Divide  rather  than  along  its  crest. 
Granite  Peak  (12,990  alt.),  near  the  southern  boundary,  is  the  highest 
point  in  the  State.  Fairview  (1,902  alt.),  on  the  Dakota  boundary,  and 
Troy  (1,892  alt.),  in  the  northwest  corner,  have  the  lowest  altitudes. 
Montana  is  generally  lower  than  other  Rocky  Mountain  States.  In  eastern 
Montana,  along  the  Yellowstone  River  and  other  streams  where  erosion 
has  been  too  rapid  to  allow  vegetation  to  gain  foothold,  grotesque  bad- 
lands formations  in  vivid  colors  extend  for  many  miles. 

Montana's  most  important  eastern  rivers  are  the  Missouri  and  Yellow- 
stone. As  evidenced  by  its  broad  alluvial  plain,  the  Yellowstone  is  the 
older;  it  also  has  the  most  direct  course.  Its  valley,  one  of  the  most  pro- 
ductive agricultural  districts  in  the  State,  has  terraced  landscapes  shaped 
by  long  processes  of  land  elevation  and  erosion.  The  Missouri  is  the  larger 


io  MONTANA:  THE  GENERAL  BACKGROUND 

river,  formed  by  the  junction  of  the  Madison,  Jefferson,  and  Gallatin  at 
Three  Forks ;  it  describes  a  huge,  irregular  northerly  arc  on  its  course  east- 
ward. Its  valley  bottom  is  narrower,  the  sides  generally  lower  and  smoother 
than  those  of  the  Yellowstone,  but  more  rugged  than  those  of  the  Milk, 
an  important  northern  tributary.  Between  the  Missouri  and  the  Yellow- 
stone lies  the  vast  expanse  of  prairie,  cut  by  tributary  streams  into  grassy 
uplands  and  rocky  hills. 

Clark  Fork  of  the  Columbia  is  the  master  river  of  western  Montana. 
Coursing  westward  from  its  source  near  Butte,  it  is  joined  by  the  Black- 
foot,  the  Bitterroot,  and  the  Flathead.  Generally  slow-running,  it  becomes 
turbulent  in  places.  The  Kootenai  River,  which  joins  it  in  British  Colum- 
bia, makes  only  a  brief  dip  into  the  northwestern  corner  of  the  State.  In 
volume  of  water,  the  Kootenai  compares  with  the  Missouri. 

The  Continental  Divide  separates  Montana  into  distinct  climatic  divi- 
sions, partially  protecting  the  area  to  the  west  from  severe  southward- 
sweeping  cold  waves  and  forcing  condensation  of  much  of  the  moisture 
carried  by  westerly  winds.  Winters  west  of  the  Rockies  are  therefore  more 
moderate,  summers  cooler,  and  rainfall  more  plentiful  than  in  subarid 
eastern  Montana.  The  State's  climate  as  a  whole  shows  great  changeability. 
In  January  and  February,  fierce  unpredictable  storms  may  be  followed  sud- 
denly by  warm  chinook  winds  and  sunshine.  Late  freezes  and  snowfalls 
may  delay  spring  locally  until  June,  and  are  not  unknown  even  in  July. 
In  any  of  the  mountain  areas  excessive  daytime  heat  is  sure  to  be  relieved 
by  cool  nights.  Westerly  winds  prevail. 

The  mean  annual  temperature  is  42.6°.  The  warmest  areas  are  in  the 
south-central  section  traversed  by  the  upper  Yellowstone  Valley,  while  the 
coldest  habitable  areas  are  in  the  northern  prairie  counties.  The  highest 
mean  temperature  (46.3°)  in  the  State  is  recorded  in  the  Billings  region; 
Bowen,  Beaverhead  County,  because  of  its  elevation,  has  the  lowest  mean, 
32.3°.  The  highest  recorded  temperature,  117°,  occurred  on  July  20, 
1893,  at  Glendive,  Dawson  County;  the  lowest,  — 65°,  at  Fort  Keogh, 
Custer  County,  on  January  15,  1888.  Usually  July  is  the  warmest  month 
and  January  the  coldest.  In  the  eastern  section  hot  winds  sometimes  cause 
rapid  deterioration  of  grain  crops  and  range  grasses,  but  in  late  summer 
and  early  autumn  the  winds  become  beneficial,  curing  the  grasses  to  pro- 
vide excellent  fodder.  Autumn,  dry  and  temperate,  usually  lasts  until 
December. 

The  average  annual  precipitation  is  15.48  inches.  In  the  west,  rainfall 
is  distributed  through  the  year,  but  in  the  east  it  is  heaviest  in  late  spring 
and  early  summer.  Mineral  County  and  Bull  River  Valley  in  Sanders 


THREE  FORKS  OF  THE  MISSOURI 


County  have  the  heaviest  precipitation,  30  to  34  inches.  Regions  of  lightest 
precipitation  are  Dell,  Beaverhead  County,  with  8.7  inches,  and  (curi- 
ously, because  of  its  nearness  to  the  place  of  heaviest  precipitation)  Lone- 
pine,  Sanders  County,  with  10.3.  In  1909  Snowshoe,  in  Lincoln  County, 
established  an  all-time  record  with  79.75  inches;  and  in  1894  Fort  Shaw, 
Cascade  County,  parched  with  4.24  inches.  Averages  in  eastern  Montana 
range  from  12  to  16  inches,  but  the  peculiar  topography  causes  wide  vari- 
ations within  small  areas.  June  is  usually  the  wettest  month,  February  the 
driest. 

Snowfall  is  heaviest  in  the  mountains.  Saltese,  Mineral  County,  averages 
1 60  inches;  Fallen,  Prairie  County,  13.  Snow  on  the  lower  levels  has  less 
water  content,  and  diminishes  rapidly  by  melting  and  evaporation.  Strong 
winds  sweep  it  into  drifts,  leaving  ranges  uncovered  for  grazing.  Fall- 
planted  grains,  lacking  cover,  often  winter-kill. 

The  frost-free  growing  season  is  longest  in  low  altitudes.  The  southeast 
has  125  frostless  days  yearly,  the  northeast  123,  the  southwest  105.  In 
high  mountain  districts  freezing  occurs  every  month.  Average  number  of 
clear  days  is  161 ;  partly  cloudy,  107;  cloudy,  97.  The  long  daylight  hours 
of  this  latitude  stimulate  crops. 


12  MONTANA:  THE  GENERAL  BACKGROUND 

All  geologic  periods  have  left  traces  in  Montana.  During  the  Archaean, 
the  entire  region  was  the  bottom  of  an  arm  of  the  Pacific  Ocean.  It  shared 
the  heavy  vegetation  of  the  later  Paleozoic,  and  was  the  swampy  residence 
of  Mesozoic  reptile  terrors.  During  the  mountain  building  at  the  close  of 
Cretaceous  time,  the  predecessors  of  the  Rocky  Mountains  were  formed 
and  Montana  assumed  something  like  its  present  surface  pattern.  Volcanic 
action  upthrust  lava  in  the  form  of  conical  hills  ranging  to  several  thou- 
sand feet  in  height. 

During  the  Pleistocene  epoch  four  great  ice  sheets  plowed  down  from 
the  northern  part  of  the  continent.  Each  erased  most  of  the  effects  of  its 
predecessor ;  thus  the  fourth,  or  Wisconsin,  sheet  had  the  most  easily  trace- 
able influence.  Its  vast  bulk  (of  an  estimated  io,ooo-foot  thickness  in 
places)  smoothed  out  the  plains,  filled  in  valleys,  and  created  new  stream 
courses  and  lakes.  It  deposited  silt  in  piles  hundreds  of  feet  thick  and 
many  miles  long.  But  it  came  only  as  far  as  the  Missouri  River  and  only 
east  of  the  Rockies.  Similar  effects  in  western  Montana  were  due  to  the 
action  of  piedmont  glaciers  independent  of  the  Wisconsin  sheet. 

Great  dams  or  moraines  heaped  up  by  the  mountain  glaciers  created 
hundreds  of  lakes,  two  of  the  largest  being  the  long- dry  Missoula  Lake, 
formed  by  the  blocking  of  Clark  Fork  of  the  Columbia,  and  Flathead 
Lake,  now  one  of  the  largest  fresh-water  bodies  in  the  United  States. 
Other  remaining  glacial  lakes  dot  the  Glacier  Park  region. 

Passing,  the  glaciers  left  the  surface  substantially  as  it  is  today.  Their 
less  spectacular  effects  appear  in  the  composition  of  the  State's  soils. 

An  outstanding  geologic  phenomenon  is  the  Boulder  batholith,  an  in- 
trusive mass  of  igneous  rock,  40  miles  in  mean  width,  extending  south- 
west from  near  Helena  to  the  Big  Hole  River.  Formed  at  the  beginning  of 
the  Rocky  Mountain  building  period,  it  apparently  occupies  a  huge  basin 
whose  dissected  sides  contain  remnants  of  the  entire  series  of  sedimentary 
rocks  from  pre-Cambrian  shales  to  late  Cretaceous  sandstones.  Its  prin- 
cipal rock  is  a  dark  coarse  granite. 

Seventy  percent  of  Montana's  exploited  mineral  wealth  is  concen- 
trated in  Silver  Bow  County,  a  division  of  this  region.  Gold  and  silver 
first  brought  Butte  to  the  Nation's  attention,  but  copper,  zinc,  and  lead 
are  now  of  first  importance. 

Ancient  forms  of  life  have  left  their  signatures  abundantly  in  Mon- 
tana's rocks.  The  first  were  one-celled  algae,  followed  several  million 
years  later  by  metazoa,  tiny  worms.  Their  marks  are  found  in  the  Algon- 
kian  strata  of  the  Proterozoic  era,  in  the  Little  Belt  Mountains,  and  in 
several  ranges  of  the  Rockies.  Fossil  mollusks,  snails,  corals,  and  trilobites 


NATURAL    SETTING    AND    CONSERVATION  13 

of  Paleozoic  age  are  found  throughout  Montana.  Extensive  coal  deposits, 
remains  of  the  luxuriant  forests  of  the  Cretaceous  and  Tertiary  periods, 
are,  broadly  speaking,  the  State's  most  valuable  fossils. 

Several  important  discoveries  have  been  made  near  Harlowton,  Wheat- 
land  County,  including  some  Paleocene  mammals,  especially  seven  species 
of  the  condylarth,  and  the  oldest  primate  remains  known  to  science.  An 
expedition  of  the  American  Museum  of  Natural  History  under  Dr.  George 
Simpson,  discoverer  of  the  primate  remains,  now  spends  four  months  each 
summer  in  the  area.  Since  1927,  When  Dr.  Barnum  Brown  of  the  Mu- 
seum uncovered  rich  fossil  deposits  in  the  foothills  of  the  Beartooth 
Mountains,  all  southern  Montana  east  of  Bozeman  has  been  of  interest- 
to  paleontologists.  Princeton  University  has  a  permanent  base  of  opera- 
tions on  Rock  Creek,  four  miles  south  of  Red  Lodge,  and  in  1931  Dr. 
W.  J.  Thom  of  that  institution  discovered  fragments  of  dinosaur  eggs, 
previously  found  only  in  the  Gobi  Desert.  This  region  extends  into 
Wyoming,  where  Beartooth  Butte  is  in  effect  a  fascinating  open  book  of 
geologic  history  (see  Tour  13 A). 

Several  dinosaur  skeletons,  usually  the  most  publicized  of  fossils,  have 
been  unearthed  in  Montana.  Dr.  Barnum  Brown  discovered  an  almost 
complete  skeleton  of  Tyrannosaurus,  largest  and  fiercest  carnivorous 
dinosaur,  on  Hell  Creek  north  of  Jordan,  Garfield  County.  In  Wheatland 
County  he  found  one  of  the  smallest  dinosaurs  known  to  science.  Tricera- 
tops,  an  armored  brute  larger  than  a  modern  rhinoceros,  was  first  found 
14  miles  south  of  Glendive,  Dawson  County.  This  grotesque  animal  had 
a  3-foot  horn  projecting  over  each  eye;  another  jutted  from  its  snout;  and 
a  collar  of  bone  enveloped  its  neck  like  an  Elizabethan  ruff.  A  second 
skeleton,  almost  complete,  was  found  in  Treasure  County. 

Remains  of  Stegosaurus,  weirdest  of  all  armored  dinosaurs,  were  found 
in  1924  at  Sheep  Creek,  25  miles  north  of  Great  Falls.  Besides  having 
hindlegs  that  boosted  its  rear  skyward  while  its  head  was  within  two  feet 
of  the  ground,  the  stegosaur  had  thick  armor  plates  that  stood  erect  in  a 
staggered  row  along  its  back  from  head  to  tip  of  tail. 

Partial  skeletons  of  Ichthyosaurus  and  Plesiosaurus,  seafaring  reptiles 
of  the  Jurassic,  have  been  found  in  Cascade  and  Wibaux  Counties.  A 
trachodon  jaw  is  in  the  Larimer  collection  at  Glendive,  together  with  such 
oddities  as  gizzard  stones — rocks  worn  smooth  in  saurian  digestive 
processes. 

Hoplitosaurus,  a  1 5-foot  horned  toad  found  32  miles  south  of  Billings, 
had  been  broken  into  20,000  pieces  by  earth  movement  and  exposure. 
Many  other  reptile  fossils  have  been  taken  from  the  Yellowstone  Valley, 


14  MONTANA:  THE  GENERAL  BACKGROUND 

including  two  camptosaurs,  two  nodosaurs,  and  a  tenantosaur,  unusual 
species  provisionally  named  by  Henry  Fairfield  Osborn.  The  Lewis  over- 
thrust,  where  the  Rockies  meet  the  northern  plains,  is  rich  in  similar 
remains. 

Flora 

Montana's  more  than  two  thousand  species  of  flowers  and  many  non- 
flowering  plants  may  be  divided  into  three  somewhat  overlapping  groups 
- — subalpine,  montane,  and  plains. 

The  subalpine  group,  characterized  by  plants  that  appeared  after  the 
recession  of  the  glaciers,  or  moved  in  along  the  mountains  from  the 
Arctic,  has  made  the  higher  altitudes  in  the  northern  Rockies  famous  for 
their  profusion  of  color  in  the  short  midsummer  season.  When  the  snow- 
banks melt  and  all  the  flowers  bloom  at  once,  the  earth  is  brilliant  with 
glacier  lilies,  alpine  poppies,  columbines,  white  dryads,  globeflowers,  In- 
dian paint-brushes,  asters,  and  arnicas.  The  summits  are,  on  the  whole,  too 
rigorous  for  any  marked  growth  of  shrubbery,  but  white  and  purple  heath- 
ers, Rocky  Mountain  laurel,  and  Labrador  teas  are  present. 

The  montane  group  includes  most  of  the  coniferous  forests,  and  ranges 
from  the  lower  border  of  the  subalpine  to  the  valley  grasslands.  Its  most 
characteristic  species  is  the  spire-crowned  alpine  fir,  sometimes  associated 
with  Engelmann  spruce  and  white-barked  and  limber  pine  (also  known  as 
limber-twig  pine).  There  are  many  shrubs:  huckleberries,  Menziesia, 
mountain  ash,  and  scrubby  birches  and  alders.  Blue  phacelia  and,  in  damp 
places,  red  monkey  flower  and  fringed  parnassia  are  conspicuous.  In  the 
moister  parts  of  the  lower  montane  forest  are  Moneses  and  prince's  pine, 
lowland  and  Douglas  fir,  and  western  larch;  but  in  dry  places,  lodgepole 
and  western  yellow  pine,  and  mountain  balsam  are  more  common.  Bear 
grass  lifts  its  beautiful  domed  column  of  white  blossoms  among  Mariposa 
lilies,  dogtooth  violets,  and  windflowers.  There  are  many  shrubs,  such  as 
kinnikinnick,  which  are  not  found  in  the  upper  montane. 

The  plains  group  varies,  being  characterized  on  the  eastern  prairie  by 
grasses  such  as  buffalo  and  blue  grama;  in  the  west,  by  bunch  grasses  and 
by  flowers  such  as  the  yellow  bell,  shooting  star,  bluebell,  blanketflower 
or  gaillardia,  golden  aster,  and  daisy.  On  the  eastern  grasslands  are  found 
sand  and  gumbo  lilies,  prairie  evening  primrose,  and  a  little  shrubby  scar- 
let mallow  with  conspicuous  waxy  petals;  clumps  of  small  cacti  bear  red 
and  yellow  blossoms  of  a  delicacy  hard  to  reconcile  with  the  aspect  of  the 
plants  themselves.  Wherever  overgrazing,  fire,  or  erosion  has  destroyed 


1  I 


Hit 


BEAR  GRASS 


the  soil's  water-holding  capacity,  desert  shrubs  from  the  south  have  crept 
in;  the  familiar  sagebrush  is  found  with  greasewood,  sea  blite,  ranger 
brush,  and  mountain  mahogany.  Moist  areas  are  often  called  camas 
prairies  because  of  the  blue  camas,  an  onionlike  May-blooming  plant  used 
by  the  Indians  in  making  pemmican.  Death  camas,  a  plant  similar  to  blue 
camas,  but  highly  toxic,  has  caused  heavy  losses  among  sheep ;  even  men, 
mistaking  it  for  blue  camas,  have  been  poisoned.  It  bears  a  star-shaped 
flower,  usually  white ;  its  grasslike  leaves  are  most  often  folded.  Common 
on  the  plains  are  yucca  or  Spanish  bayonet,  many  species  of  Pentstemon, 
and  sego  lily,  which  blossoms  in  nearly  every  color. 

Subsurface  moisture  encourages  stream  bank  forests  composed  largely 
of  cottonwood  and  aspen,  but  often  containing  alders,  river  birches, 
willow,  and  the  like.  In  swampy  areas,  cattail,  bulrush,  and  water  plan- 


16  MONTANA:  THE  GENERAL  BACKGROUND 

tain  flourish  beside  water  buttercups  and  various  mints.  Coulees  and  other 
favored  grassland  spots  support  serviceberry,  currant,  gooseberry,  haw- 
thorn, fragrant  mock  orange,  and  wild  rose. 

The  State  flower  is  the  bitterroot.  Flathead  Indians  who  used  its  root 
for  food  gave  it  the  name  later  applied  to  the  valley,  river,  and  moun- 
tains of  the  region  where  it  was  found  most  abundantly.  It  is  small,  with 
a  rosette  of  12  to  18  leaves;  its  low-set  pink  blossoms  turn  white  after 
a  few  days  in  the  sun.  White  men  called  it  Lewisia  in  honor  of  Captain 
Meriwether  Lewis,  and  rediviva  (Lat,  lives  again)  in  recognition  of  its 
vitality.  The  gumbo  lily,  most  abundant  in  Carbon  County,  is  like  the 
bitterroot,  and  even  more  beautiful.  It  is  not  so  commonly  found,  how- 
ever. 

Montana's  four  species  of  cactus  are  much  smaller  than  southwestern 
ones.  Most  common  is  prickly  pear,  valued  in  the  East  as  a  houseplant  be- 
cause of  the  indescribably  tender  tints  of  its  blossoms.  In  Montana  its 
beds  of  sharp  spines  would  make  it  a  pest — if  anything  so  beautiful 
could  be  a  pest.  Cacti  are  very  easily  transplanted;  a  stem  set  in  the 
ground  will  take  root. 

Wild  roses  are  common  along  mountain  trails  as  well  as  in  coulees  on 
the  plains.  A  low-growing  variety  sometimes  becomes  a  nuisance  in  fields. 

Sagebrush,  common  on  open  plain  and  hillside,  is  an  erect  shrub,  one 
to  six  feet  high,  with  many  branches,  silver-gray  leaves,  and  small,  clus- 
tered yellow  flowers. 

The  Oregon  grape  of  the  lower  montane  forests  has  bright  yellow 
flowers  and  glossy  green  leaves.  The  stem  is  thick,  the  root  a  yellowish 
hardwood  used  by  Indians  in  concocting  stomach  medicine  and  spring 
tonics.  In  autumn  the  fruit,  a  small,  blue,  rather  bitter  grape,  is  used  in 
making  jelly.  The  plant  grows  in  shaded  places,  often  near  large  rocks. 
It  is  conspicuous  in  autumn,  when,  after  other  growth  is  gone,  a  single 
leaf  may  present  an  array  of  orange,  brown,  and  red. 

Kinnikinnick,  with  its  small  red  berries,  also  provides  much  autumn 
color.  It  grows  in  great  vinelike  masses  over  large  rocks;  its  sturdy  root 
often  spreads  several  feet;  its  small  dark  green  leaves  provide  food  for 
deer  and  other  animals.  The  Indians  used  its  bark  for  smoking. 

Mountain  mahogany  grows  in  the  hills,  and  the  pussy  willow  thrives 
along  the  banks  of  streams  in  all  parts  of  Montana.  Foothills  and  valley 
are  well  stocked  with  edible  berries:  huckleberries,  currants,  gooseberries, 
chokecherries,  serviceberries,  and  buffalo  or  bull  berries.  A  few  wild 
cherries  grow  near  Martinsdale,  in  Meagher  County.  Wild  strawberries 
and  raspberries  are  found  in  many  wooded  sections. 


'^f^*MyC''!L 

*';&*^  ;»^ 


WILD  ROSES 


Montana  has  many  varieties  of  forage  grass.  Some  of  the  most  impor- 
tant are  June,  wheat,  and  pine  grasses,  bluejoint,  and  bluestem.  Besides  the 
grasses,  edible  ferns  and  mosses  flourish  in  the  forests.  When  forage 
grasses  are  overgrazed,  an  almost  worthless  "cheat  grass"  sometimes  takes 
their  place.  Nourishing  enough  early  in  the  spring,  it  is  spoiled  by  sum- 
mer weather. 

Foxtail  is  a  detriment  to  some  pastures.  At  the  top  of  an  8-inch  stem 
it  bears  a  spiculate  tassel  resembling  the  tail  of  a  fox.  Animals  seldom 
attempt  to  eat  it,  but  if  they  do  the  bristles  may  stick  in  their  throats, 
leather  grass  and  needle  grass,  both  species  of  Stipa,  are  other  nuisance 
grasses.  When  ripe,  their  twisted  awns  catch  in  the  wool  of  sheep,  work 
into  the  skin  and  eyes,  and  cause  infections  and  blindness. 

Among  Montana's  worst  weeds  are  Russian  thistle  and  "Jim  Hill"  mus- 
tard, both  tumbleweeds.  Easily  uprooted  or  broken  off  at  the  base,  they 
roll  before  the  wind,  scattering  seeds,  and  then  pile  up  along  fences.  High 
winds  strike  these  walls  of  piled  weeds  with  such  force  that  miles  of 
fence  are  sometimes  torn  up  and  dragged  out  into  the  fields. 


i8  MONTANA:  THE  GENERAL  BACKGROUND 

The  lupine,  which  bears  racemes  of  bright  blue  flowers  followed  by 
seed  pods,  is  often  poisonous  to  animals,  particularly  sheep.  Several 
varieties  of  locoweed  exist;  they  resemble  lupine,  and  all  have  a  narcotic 
effect  when  eaten. 

Quee  or  racine  de  tabac,  used  as  tobacco  by  the  Indians,  grows  abun- 
dantly in  Madison  County.  The  Tobacco  Root  Mountains  were  named 
after  it. 

Fauna 

Montana  still  is  home  to  an  abundance  of  wild  life.  The  proudly  tossed 
antlers  of  an  elk  or  buck  deer  outlined  against  the  sky,  a  bear  shuffling 
through  the  underbrush,  the  flash  of  a  pheasant  rocketing  from  a  hidden 
nest,  the  gleam  of  trout  rising  to  a  fly  through  the  transparent  waters  of  a 
mountain  stream:  these  are  familiar  pictures  to  frequenters  of  Montana's 
forests. 

The  State  has  more  than  180,000  game  and  fur-bearing  animals  in  its 
12  national  forests,  uncounted  numbers  in  other  wooded  regions,  and 
more  than  300  species  of  birds.  In  the  spring  of  1936  the  Forest  Service 
estimated  65,000  deer,  18,000  elk,  1,600  moose,  1,200  mountain  sheep, 
4,000  mountain  goats,  850  antelope,  5,000  black  bears,  470  grizzly  bears, 
and  8  caribou;  16,000  beaver,  1,700  foxes,  8,800  marten,  7,000  mink, 
1 60  otter,  and  2,000  miscellaneous  fur  bearers.  In  addition,  there  were  ap- 
proximately 20,000  predatory  animals,  including  17,000  coyotes,  2,500 
wildcats  or  lynxes,  250  mountain  lions,  and  a  few  wolves  and  outlaw 
bears.  Deer  and  elk  are  slowly  increasing,  the  1931  estimate  having  given 
their  numbers  as  only  52,000  and  15,000  respectively.  Moose,  mountain 
goats,  and  antelope  are  nearly  at  a  standstill;  mountain  sheep  are  grow- 
ing fewer.  There  is  a  surplus  of  elk  in  the  Flathead,  Lewis  and  Clark,  Gal- 
latin,  and  Absaroka  Forests,  where  the  range  is  over-grazed  to  the  point 
of  extermination  for  the  most  valuable  forage  plants,  and  in  some  places 
to  total  denudation.  Attempts  at  control  by  extension  of  the  hunting  sea- 
son have  proven  unsatisfactory. 

The  commonest  game  birds  include  Chinese,  or  ring-necked,  pheasant; 
Hungarian  partridge;  blue,  ruffed,  and  Franklin  (fool  hen)  grouse;  mal- 
lard ;  teal ;  canvasback  and  gadwall  ducks ;  and  Canadian  geese.  Montana's 
State  game  farm,  at  Warm  Springs,  Deer  Lodge  County,  liberated  9,600 
Chinese  pheasants  and  hundreds  of  birds  of  other  species  in  1935. 

Fourteen  fish  hatcheries  established  by  the  Montana  Fish  and  Game 
Commission  liberate  more  than  30,000,000  game  fish  each  year.  The 
hatcheries  are  at  Big  Timber,  Sweet  Grass  County;  Hamilton,  Ravalli 


WHITE-TAILED  DEER  "SPARRING" 


County;  Emigrant,  Park  County;  Libby,  Lincoln  County;  Lewistown, 
Fergus  County;  Ovando,  Powell  County;  Poison,  Lake  County;  Red 
Lodge,  Carbon  County;  Somers,  Flathead  County;  Havre,  Hill  County; 
Wolf  Creek,  Lewis  and  Clark  County;  Anaconda;  Great  Falls;  and 
Miles  City. 

Spawning  stations  are  at  Flint  Creek  and  Steward  Mill  on  Georgetown 
Lake,  Deer  Lodge  County;  Ashley  and  Rodgers  Lake,  Flathead  County; 
Hebgen  Lake,  Gallatin  County;  Lake  Ronan,  Lake  County;  and  Lake 
Francis,  Pondera  County.  A  pond  cultural  station  is  maintained  at  Miles 
City. 

From  1911  to  1935  the  Somers  hatchery  liberated  more  than  150  mil- 
lion fish.  Its  capacity  would  permit  an  annual  production  of  8,000,000  to 
10,000,000  fry  and  200,000  fingerlings.  It  is  perhaps  the  only  one  in  the 
country  that  produces  grayling,  a  fish  unusually  hard  to  raise  because  the 
food  of  the  fry  is  microscopic,  and  cannot  be  prepared  in  the  hatchery. 


20  MONTANA:  THE  GENERAL  BACKGROUND 

The  Somers  grayling  are  returned  soon  after  hatching  to  the  waters  where 
they  were  spawned,  the  Rodgers  Lake  spawning  station,  which  produced 
12,000,000  grayling  eggs  in  1935.  Later  they  are  distributed  to  lakes 
and  streams,  usually  in  Flathead  County. 

For  several  years,  land-locked  sockeye  salmon  have  been  increasing  in 
Flathead  Lake;  thousands  spawn  along  the  east  and  west  shores,  and 
many  run  up  the  Swan  and  Flathead  Rivers. 

High,  almost  inaccessible  slopes  in  Glacier  National  Park,  the  Mission 
Range,  and  the  rugged  Cabinet  Mountains  are  the  stronghold  of  the 
mountain  goat,  an  obscure  member  of  the  antelope  tribe — to  which 
the  American  "antelope"  does  not  belong.  It  lives  usually  above  timber 
line,  amid  snowbanks,  glaciers,  and  precipices,  and  feeds  chiefly  on  the 
short  moss  that  grows  on  rocks  and  in  crevices.  It  climbs  the  sharpest 
slant  easily,  and  can  be  approached  only  from  above,  being  apparently 
unable  to  understand  that  anything  can  descend  upon  it. 

Buffalo  have  been  wholly  restricted  to  game  preserves  since  the  first 
protective  legislation  in  1894.  On  the  National  Bison  Range  at  Dixon, 
more  than  400  of  them  graze  on  the  foothills  of  the  Cabinet  Mountains 
in  a  fenced  area  of  18,521  acres,  and  1,100  have  been  removed  as  sur- 
plus (see  Tour  12). 

Bears  weighing  from  300  to  800  pounds  prowl  the  highlands.  Usually 
they  do  little  damage,  eating  meat  only  when  driven  by  hunger.  Black 
bears  range  all  the  mountain  region,  while  the  rugged  Mission  Range  is 
the  chief  habitation  of  grizzlies.  More  are  seen  there  than  in  any  other 
part  of  the  United  States. 

Among  predatory  animals,  cougar  and  wolf  are  most  dangerous  to 
young  livestock.  The  weasel  and  coyote  are  the  worst  chicken  thieves. 
Damage  to  field  crops  by  gophers  and  jack  rabbits  yearly  reaches  a  high 
figure.  A  prime  nuisance  is  the  pack  rat,  which  carries  off  anything  that 
takes  its  fancy. 

The  pelican,  with  its  large  ugly  fish-pouch  jaw,  is  a  bird  rare  in  Mon- 
tana; but  a  flock  of  nearly  1,000  was  once  seen  on  Lake  Bowdoin,  7  miles 
east  of  Malta,  Phillips  County  (see  Tour  2).  The  great  blue  heron  sum- 
mers along  marshy  streams.  Wild  canaries,  juncoes,  meadow-larks,  black- 
birds, bobolinks,  chickadees,  and  scores  of  other  bird  species  are  common. 
A  showy  but  unpopular  one  is  the  ubiquitous  magpie,  a  long-tailed, 
noisy,  black  and  white  scavenger  that  frequents  highways  in  search  of 
gophers  and  rabbits  killed  by  cars.  Peculiarly  hateful  is  its  practice  of 
harassing  livestock  by  picking  at  little  wounds  and  scratches. 

Of  all  the  fauna  in  the  State,  the  greatest  menace  to  life  and  health  is 


NATURAL    SETTING    AND    CONSERVATION  21 

the  tick.  One  species,  Dermacentor  andersoni,  of  the  class  popularly  known 
as  wood  tick,  carries  tularemia  and  Rocky  Mountain  spotted  fever  to  hu- 
man beings  and  tick-paralysis  to  humans  and  animals.  It  also  causes  se- 
rious local  lesions.  The  wood  tick  feeds  on  many  animals;  in  immature 
stages  it  usually  fastens  upon  small  rodents,  such  as  mice  or  squirrels.  Like 
its  relative,  the  dog  tick,  this  species  is  marked  with  reddish-brown 
splotches  on  the  back. 

In  early  spring  the  ticks  emerge  from  the  ground  and  the  bark  of 
ips.  Unable  to  endure  hot  dry  weather,  they  disappear  from  the  lower 
levations  during  June  and  July  and  from  the  higher  ones  in  later  summer, 
order  to  combat  Rocky  Mountain  spotted  fever,  the  U.  S.  Public 
[ealth  Service  maintains  an  experimental  laboratory  at  Hamilton  (see 
*our  7). 

Control  efforts  have  been  directed  against  the  small  wild  animals  on 
which  the  ticks  live,  and  special  attention  has  been  given  to  systematic 
dipping  of  livestock.  Attempts  were  made  to  destroy  the  ticks  by  propa- 
gating and  liberating  minute  insects  supposedly  hostile  to  them,  but  the 
experiment  gave  no  results.  (For  first  aid  in  tick  bite,  see  General  Infor- 
mation.) 

Several  orders  of  insects  seriously  threaten  the  State's  forests  and 
farms.  The  western  pine  beetle — small,  brownish,  and  cylindrical — bores 
irregular  galleries  9  to  36  inches  long  under  the  outer  bark  of  trees.  In 
these  it  lays  60  to  80  eggs.  The  developing  larvae  bore  feeding  tunnels, 
from  i  to  3  inches  long,  ending  in  small  cells  where  they  pass  the  pupal 
stage.  The  adults  then  bore  outward  from  the  cell  and  migrate  to  other 
trees,  where  the  process  is  repeated.  In  some  areas  there  are  two  annual 
generations  of  the  pine  beetles.  Fortunately  predacious  insects  and  other 
natural  agents  destroy  most  of  the  eggs  and  larvae  of  each  brood.  Birds 
destroy  many  migrating  adults.  Even  so  they  would  increase  up  to  300 
percent  yearly  but  for  Forest  Service  control  measures.  Another  species  of 
beetle  confines  its  attack  almost  exclusively  to  Douglas  fir. 

The  pine  butterfly,  which  defoliates  yellow  and  white  pine,  is  black 
above  and  white  beneath,  with  white  wings  netted  with  black.  A  few 
hours  after  mating,  it  lays  eggs  along  the  needles  of  the  treetops.  The  eggs 
remain  over  the  winter  and  hatch  in  June;  the  larvae  eat  the  needles,  and 
in  late  July,  lowering  themselves  as  much  as  75  feet  by  silken  threads, 
pupate  in  shrubs,  grass,  fences,  and  stumps. 

Many  kinds  of  grasshoppers  and  cutworms,  army  worms,  and  Mormon 
crickets,  have  caused  serious  damage  to  Montana  agriculture.  In  contrast, 
the  bee  is  highly  profitable.  Annual  production  per  colony  averages  100 


22  MONTANA:  THE  GENERAL  BACKGROUND 

pounds  of  high  quality  white  honey;  the  State  total  is  about  120  carloads. 
The  abundant  alfalfa  and  sweet  clover  of  the  irrigated  valleys  form  the 
major  sources  of  supply.  In  the  fruit-growing  counties  bees  have  great 
value  in  cross-pollination. 

A  rare  animal  in  Montana  is  the  axolotl  (Mex.:  plays  in  the  water),  a 
larval  salamander  found  in  the  pools  and  mountain  lakes  of  Madison 
County.  Mexicans  regard  it  as  edible.  It  is  six  to  ten  inches  long,  and 
identical  with  young  amblystoma  tigrinum,  terrestrial  salamanders  of  the 
warmer  parts  of  the  United  States  and  Mexico.  The  axolotl  retains  its 
external  gills  and  breeds  in  the  larval  stages.  But,  should  its  native  pool 
dry  up,  it  is  capable  of  becoming  an  adult  salamander,  adapted  to  land 
life. 

Rattlesnakes,  the  only  poisonous  reptiles  in  Montana,  occur  in  twenty- 
three  central,  southern,  and  western  counties.  They  average  four  feet  in 
length,  and  are  yellow  to  brown  with  a  symmetrical  row  of  darker  rounded 
and  separated  blotches  on  the  back,  narrowly  bordered  with  yellow  or 
white.  A  distinct  V  of  light  color  is  on  the  shield  above  each  eye.  Nat- 
ural enemies  of  destructive  rodents,  rattlesnakes  are  also  dangerous  to 
man.  Occasional  organized  hunts  keep  them  well  under  control. 

Forests 

Forest  covers  about  one-fifth  of  the  State,  or  a  total  of  20  million  acres, 
1 8  million  of  which  are  in  national  forests.  Timber  of  commercial  size 
and  quality  occupies  nearly  half  of  this  acreage,  but  only  4,636,000  acres 
can  be  reached  profitably.  Even  so,  the  State's  merchantable  timber  totals 
about  50  billion  board  feet.  Three-fourths  of  this  is  west  of  the  Con- 
tinental Divide;  the  forests  on  the  eastern  slopes  and  in  the  southeast 
corner  of  the  State  are  chiefly  of  local  value. 

The  first  national  forest,  then  called  the  Yellowstone  Park  Timberland 
Reserve,  and  today  known  as  Yellowstone  National  Park,  was  set  aside  in 
1891.  As  the  idea  developed  and  others  were  created,  they  were  grouped 
into  districts,  or  regions,  now  10  in  number,  each  supervised  by  a  regional 
forester  and  a  staff  of  assistants.  Headquarters  for  Region  One,  embrac- 
ing northwestern  South  Dakota,  Montana,  northern  Idaho,  and  eastern 
Washington,  is  in  Missoula.  Montana's  12  national  forests  are  the  Ab- 
saroka,  Beaverhead,  Bitterroot,  Cabinet,  Custer,  Deer  Lodge,  Flathead, 
Gallatin,  Helena,  Kootenai,  Lewis  and  Clark,  and  Lolo. 

Ponderosa  (western  yellow)  pine  makes  up  about  one-fifth  of  Mon- 
tana's forests.  Commercial  stands  of  it  extend  along  the  Kootenai  River 


NATURAL    SETTING    AND    CONSERVATION  23 

and  Clark  Fork  of  the  Columbia;  extensive  pure  stands,  resistant  to  fire, 
occur  on  Thompson  River  and  in  the  Bitterroot  and  lower  Flathead 
Valleys,  and  also  to  some  extent  on  the  hills  and  broken  table-lands  of 
Custer  National  Forest.  It  serves  a  variety  of  purposes  in  building  houses 
and  ships  and  in  the  manufacture  of  furniture,  cars,  mine  timbers,  and 
railroad  ties. 

Western  larch  (tamarack)  is  one  of  the  largest  native  trees  and  reaches 
its  best  development  west  of  the  Continental  Divide  from  Canada  to 
Missoula,  where,  though  it  may  grow  in  pure  stands,  it  is  usually  asso- 
ciated with  Douglas  fir,  the  two  together  constituting  40  percent  of  Mon- 
tana's salable  timber.  Douglas  fir  is  found  in  all  the  national  forests  except 
Custer.  Its  eastern  limits  are  the  Big  Horn,  Big  Snowy,  and  Little  Rocky 
Mountains,  where  it  is  associated  with  lodgepole  pine.  It  is  more  suscep- 
tible to  fire  injury  than  western  larch  or  yellow  pine,  but  less  so  than  other 
species. 

Lodgepole  pine  forms  extensive  forests  in  the  mountains  of  central 
Montana,  along  the  main  range  of  the  Rockies,  and  on  the  upper  Missouri 
drainage ;  and  in  many  other  places  it  comes  in  as  a  temporary  forest  cover 
after  fires.  The  best  stands  are  usually  6,000  to  8,000  feet  above  sea  level. 
It  is  not  favored  for  lumber,  but  is  used  for  fuel,  mine  timbers,  poles,  and 
posts.  The  railroads  have  used  it  for  cross  ties  since  the  first  transcon- 
tinental road  crossed  the  Rocky  Mountains. 

The  greatest  development  of  western  white  pine  is  in  the  more  humid 
valleys  near  the  Idaho  boundary,  at  1,500  to  6,500  feet.  It  is  a  somewhat 
temporary  species,  and  may  be  forced  out  by  cedar  and  hemlock,  which  re- 
quire similar  moisture  conditions  but  endure  more  shade.  The  wood  re- 
sembles eastern  white  pine,  for  which  it  is  often  substituted. 

Minor  species  are  Engelmann  spruce,  lowland  white  fir,  western  red 
cedar  and  western  hemlock.  Juniper,  ash,  and  cottonwood  grow  in  limited 
numbers  along  streams  on  the  plains,  but  are  suitable  only  for  poles,  fence 
posts,  and  fuel.  Virtually  all  Montana  woods  are  soft. 

Forests,  by  increasing  the  absorptive  power  of  the  soil,  retard  the  run- 
off of  moisture  when  snow  is  melting  in  the  spring,  prevent  erosion,  and 
decrease  the  amount  of  silt  carried  into  streams  and  reservoirs.  The  shade 
prevents  rapid  evaporation  in  summer,  allowing  rain  to  soak  into  the 
ground  and  augment  the  supply  of  ground  water,  a  very  real  factor  in 
maintaining  the  flow  of  streams  and  springs.  One-fourth  of  Montana's 
forests  are  valuable  chiefly  for  watershed  protection. 

The  Civilian  Conservation  Corps,  under  the  provisions  of  the  Federal 
Highway  Act,  builds  forest  highways  for  public  travel,  and  forest  devel- 


24  MONTANA:  THE  GENERAL  BACKGROUND 

opment  roads  for  use  in  the  care  of  national  forest  property.  In  addition 
to  1,187  miles  of  the  former  and  5,978  miles  of  the  latter,  Montana  has 
22,065  miles  of  foot  and  bridle  trails.  Construction  and  improvement  are 
constantly  in  progress. 

In  1935,  not  an  unusual  year  for  the  destruction  of  forests,  931  fires 
burned  18,827  acres  of  Montana  forest.  The  loss  was  estimated  at  $50,679. 
Lightning  caused  503  fires;  the  others  were  due  to  human  agencies.  The 
cost  of  suppressing  them  was  $136,450. 

The  Forest  Service  operates  about  400  lookout  stations,  trains  observers 
and  firemen,  maintains  trails,  telephone  lines,  and  other  equipment,  and 
builds  new  lookout  houses  and  towers. 

The  lookout  station  is  a  glass-walled,  square  building  perched  on  a 
peak  observation  point.  Many  stations  have  radio  equipment  as  well  as 
telephone.  With  field  glasses,  a  lookout  can  spot  smoke  anywhere  within 
the  field  of  vision;  then  by  comparing  observations  with  another  lookout 
at  another  angle  he  can  exactly  locate  and  quickly  direct  fire  fighters  to  it. 
Fire-fighting  crews  keep  in  touch  with  headquarters  and  with  sources  of 
supply  by  telephone  or  radio. 

Region  One  has  a  fire  control  plan  which  gives  protection  on  each  of  its 
ten  worst  fire  areas  at  minimum  cost.  The  size  of  the  needed  organiza- 
tion is  determined  beforehand  by  factors  of  season,  visibility,  dryness, 
winds,  and  occurrence  of  fires,  all  reduced  to  a  single  figure  accurately  ex- 
pressing the  degree  or  class  of  danger.  Camping  restrictions  are  imposed 
according  to  current  fire  hazard;  when  danger  is  extreme  forests  may  be 
closed  entirely  (see  GENERAL  INFORMATION). 

Insects  yearly  destroy  millions  of  feet  of  timber,  and  the  Forest  Service, 
with  the  Bureau  of  Entomology  and  Plant  Quarantine,  constantly  struggles 
to  control  them.  Worst  is  the  mountain  pine  beetle  which  from  1926  to 
1936  destroyed  about  5  billion  board  feet  of  lodgepole  and  western  white 
pine  in  Region  One. 

A  beetle  infestation  may  be  controlled  if  attacked  in  its  early  stages. 
Crews  systematically  cover  the  areas  to  be  treated  and  mark  all  infected 
trees,  which  are  recognized  by  fading  foliage  or  the  presence  of  boring 
dust.  Control  is  obtained  by  burning  the  trunks  of  the  standing  trees  with 
an  oil  spray,  or  by  felling  and  burning  or  peeling  the  logs. 

Other  pests  are  the  Douglas  fir  beetle,  the  ponderosa  pine  butterfly, 
the  lodgepole  needle  tyer,  and  the  larch  and  lodgepole  sawflies.  The  Forest 
Service  Insect  Laboratory  at  Coeur  d'Alene,  Idaho,  carries  on  a  continual 
search  for  inexpensive  means  of  eradication. 

The  Montana  Legislature  and  the  Fish  and  Game  Commission  have 


NATURAL    SETTING    AND    CONSERVATION  25 

established  22  game  preserves.  Besides  the  1,388,431  acres  of  refuges  in 
the  national  forests,  there  are  1,458,328  acres  on  which  the  Forest  Service 
limits  grazing  of  domestic  stock  to  provide  forage  for  game.  Nevertheless 
more  than  500,000  acres  of  privately  owned  range  are  needed  to  supple- 
t  Federal  range  in  winter.  The  sanctuaries  are  largely  in  high  country, 

d  deep  snows  often  force  70  percent  of  the  animals  out  of  the  safety 
es,  where  an  abundance  of  summer  feed  has  built  up  herds  beyond  the 

inter  carrying  capacity.  The  results  are  heavy  kills  near  refuge  boundaries 
when  early  snows  force  migration  during  hunting  season;  death  or  low- 
ered vitality  from  starvation;  overgrazing  of  private  ranges;  and  damage 
by  herd  migration  to  fences,  haystacks,  pastures,  and  fields. 

The  Northern  Rocky  Mountain  Forest  and  Range  Experiment  Station 
in  Missoula  is  one  of  twelve  operated  by  the  Forest  Service  to  develop  and 
test  better  methods  of  forest  and  range  management,  and  to  reduce  costs. 
Its  studies  include  tree  culture,  protection,  forest  products,  and  forest 
and  range  resources. 

At  Haugan  (See  Tour  1,  Sec.  d),  the  Forest  Service  maintains  the  Save- 
nac  Forest  Nursery,  which  supplies  6  million  trees  annually  for  planting 
in  Region  One.  Plantings  in  Montana  run  from  800  to  1,000  acres  yearly, 
with  a  total  of  21,623  acres  planted  up  to  the  end  of  1935. 

Nearly  7  million  acres  of  national  forest  land  provide  excellent  grazing 
in  summer,  when  the  lower  ranges  are  dry.  Under  Forest  Service  super- 
vision particular  ranges  are  available  only  to  the  kind  of  stock  suited  to 
them,  and  numbers  are  limited  according  to  the  actual  feed  supply.  In 
1935  there  were  124,000  cattle  and  533,000  sheep  under  permit. 

The  principal  grazing  areas  lie  east  of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  where 
forests  are  mixed  grassland  and  timber,  and  the  elevation  favors  a  good 
forage  crop  each  season.  Cattle  are  usually  allotted  the  lower  grass  ranges, 
while  sheep,  because  of  their  ability  to  get  over  the  ground,  get  the 
higher,  rougher,  weedy  ones.  The  open,  grassy  ridges  are  best  for  horses. 

The  relatively  small  ranges  on  the  heavily  timbered  slopes  of  western 
Montana  support  many  sheep,  and  burnt-over  forest  land  affords  excel- 
lent sheep  forage  until  new  growth  crowds  it  out.  A  few  cattle  are  pas- 
tured in  the  foothills. 

This  use  of  national  forest  land  permits  the  production  of  thousands  of 
head  of  additional  livestock.  As  with  other  national  forest  receipts,  25 
percent  of  the  revenue  derived  from  grazing  reverts  to  the  counties  in 
which  the  forests  lie.  The  rest  goes  to  the  national  treasury. 


26  MONTANA:  THE  GENERAL  BACKGROUND 

Resources  and  Their  Conservation 

Of  Montana's  94  million  acres  almost  half  are  more  than  5,000  feet 
in  altitude  with  a  restricted  growing  season,  but  none  the  less  valuable 
for  grazing  and  timber.  Formerly  it  was  thought  the  land  could  be  di- 
vided into  three  classes  almost  equal  in  extent:  farm,  grazing,  and  for- 
ested and  waste.  Through  the  recent  dry  years  the  trend  has  been  to  turn 
back  to  grazing  more  and  more  marginal  land,  making  the  estimated 
present  classification:  grazing  land,  about  50  million  acres;  farm  lands, 
10  to  12  million.  An  immediate  need  is  a  detailed  survey  of  soils  to  estab- 
lish their  logical  use.  Before  1936  only  14  of  the  56  counties  had  such 
surveys. 

Montana  soils  are  fairly  well  supplied  with  the  basic  elements  of  fer- 
tility and  they  have  not  been  greatly  depleted  by  long-continued  crop- 
ping. Throughout  the  State,  additions  of  phosphate  greatly  increase  plant 
growth.  Nearly  all  the  mature  soils  show  the  effect  of  alkali  in  producing 
a  compact  subsoil,  in  places  a  dense  claypan.  White  alkali  (sodium  sul- 
phate), which  consists  of  mineral  salts  of  marine  origin,  is  widely  dis- 
tributed in  or  just  below  the  top  soils.  In  moderate  amounts  it  is  beneficial 
to  plant  growth,  and  often  remains  unnoticed  until  excessive  irrigation 
flushes  it  to  the  surface,  where  it  becomes  a  poison  to  plant  life.  Except  for 
the  expense  of  tiling,  sub-drainage  is  a  perfect  solution  of  this  problem. 

To  know  Montana  soils  one  must  understand  their  origin  as  clayey 
sediments  and  marine  shales  at  the  bottom  of  a  great  inland  sea,  or  as  later 
products  of  erosion. 

The  glacial  drift  that  covers  the  northern  plains  is  from  25  to  50  feet 
deep,  and  may  exceed  100  feet  where  ancient  depressions  were  filled.  It 
varies  in  character,  but  has  in  all  cases  been  modified  by  weathering  and 
vegetation.  At  present,  therefore,  the  northern  top  soils  range  from  silty 
clay,  through  a  series  of  productive  loams,  usually  clayey  rather  than 
sandy,  to  a  stony  leached  drift.  Alluvial  deposits  border  most  of  the 
streams;  along  the  Milk  River  they  are  wide  enough  for  important  agri- 
cultural development.  The  loams  and  silt  loams,  well  drained  and  sup- 
plied with  organic  matter,  produce  bountiful  crops  of  wheat  when  rainfall 
is  adequate. 

In  the  central  and  southern  plains,  which  were  unaffected  by  glaciation, 
the  soils  are  more  mature,  their  nature  modified  by  erosion  and  by  addi- 
tion of  wind-blown  volcanic  ash  from  the  immense  igneous  intrusions  of 
the  Rocky  Mountain  building  period.  The  bench  lands  are  characterized  by 


NATURAL    SETTING    AND    CONSERVATION  27 

very  productive  dark  brown  loams  over  clay  subsoils.  They  lie  too  high 
above  the  rivers  to  be  irrigable  on  an  important  scale.  Although  they  have 
been  widely  cultivated,  their  better  use  would  probably  be  as  grazing 
land.  Along  the  river  bottoms,  which  are  broader  than  in  the  north,  the 
alluvial  deposits  differ  in  composition  according  to  the  character  of  the 
formations  from  which  they  were  eroded,  and  occupy  positions  ranging 
from  low  flood  plains  to  high,  well  drained  terraces.  Readily  irrigable, 
they  support  large  crops  of  alfalfa,  small  grains,  sugar  beets,  peas,  and 
other  crops. 

Along  the  foot  slopes  of  the  Rockies  and  smaller  mountain  groups 
are  extensive  alluvial  fans  containing  coarse  gravel  with  a  thin  soil  cov- 
ering. Where  soft  sandstone,  shale,  and  clay  have  permitted  rapid  erosion, 
the  true  soil  has  been  stripped  off  and  badlands  areas  are  the  result. 

The  soils  of  the  western  valleys  are  the  result  of  erosion  by  piedmont 
glaciers,  and  of  comparatively  unimportant  alluvial  deposits  since  the 
glaciers  receded.  Much  of  this  land  has  for  centuries  supported  heavy 
forests.  Soil  developed  under  such  cover  is  characterized  by  a  veneer  of 
organic  matter  over  heavy  textured,  not  very  friable  clayey  subsoil.  Most 
cutover  land  is  suited  only  to  grazing.  . 

The  parent  material  of  nearly  all  the  agricultural  soils  was  transported. 
In  general,  those  that  have  developed  as  grassland  are  the  better  soils, 
but  the  character  of  the  subsoil  (which  must  permit  drainage)  and  the 
surface  relief  is  usually  the  final  determinant  of  their  adaptability  to  prof- 
itable cultivation.  As  would  be  expected  from  their  origin,  soils  through- 
out the  State  are  characterized  by  gumbo  rather  than  by  sand.  In  the 
western  valleys  there  are  sandy  areas  of  local  extent. 

In  a  region  of  somewhat  deficient  rainfall,  gumbo  has  the  advantage 
of  retaining  moisture  as  it  also  retains  tenaciously  its  mineral  salts.  The 
disadvantage  of  gumbo  under  irrigation  is  the  possible  dissolution  of 
these  salts  and  their  concentration  as  alkali  at  the  surface.  For  that  reason 
not  all  this  land  is  suited  to  irrigation. 

The  unwise  expansion  of  cultivation  in  dry  regions,  where  soil  was 
formerly  held  in  place  by  tough-rooted,  luxuriant  buffalo  grass,  has  ex- 
posed much  land  to  soil  blowing  and  the  threat  of  permanent  denudation. 
Present  recognition  of  the  danger  would  allow  this  land  to  be  returned 
to  permanent  grass  cover  before  the  damage  becomes  irreparable.  j 

The  annual  flow  of  Montana's  rivers,  with  their  sources  in  the  great 
national  forests,  is  sufficient  to  cover  the  whole  State  with  six  inches  of 
water — more  than  enough  to  irrigate  ten  million  acres.  It  does  not  drain 
off  in  great  floods — for  snow  at  the  higher  altitudes  melts  slowly — but 


28  MONTANA:    THE    GENERAL   BACKGROUND 

assures  a  flow  throughout  the  summer.  Nevertheless,  only  about  two-thirds 
of  the  State's  two  million  acres  of  irrigated  land  has  adequate  water  in 
dry  years. 

Most  of  Montana's  irrigation  is  in  the  southern  and  southwestern  coun- 
ties. Immense  central,  northern,  and  eastern  areas  have  no  irrigation  ex- 
cept of  the  "flood"  or  "spot"  type;  either  no  water  is  available,  or  the 
lands  are  not  suitable.  Tributaries  of  the  Missouri  River  are  used  in  irri- 
gation, but  the  river  itself  contributes  very  little. 

Spot  irrigation  is  gaining  in  favor  in  drought  areas,  and  has  received 
some  Government  support  through  Works  Progress  Administration  proj- 
ects. Small  dams  are  built  in  coulees  to  capture  flood  water  for  use  on 
gardens  and  patches  of  fodder.  Such  small  projects  are  expensive,  but 
their  influence  for  better  homes  makes  them  a  social  investment. 

The  average  farm  on  large  irrigation  projects  must  contain  more  than 
100  acres,  because  90  percent  of  the  land  is  devoted  to  the  raising  of  hay 
and  grains.  Beans  and  sugar  beets  each  account  for  only  3  percent  and 
other  products  make  up  the  difference.  More  intensive  use  of  irrigated 
land  is  not  feasible  because  of  climate  and  distance  from  consuming  cen- 
ters. The  cost  of  construction  on  large  projects  has  usually  made  them  un- 
economic for  the  tenant  or  proprietor,  since  Montana  has  no  law  provid- 
ing for  "conservancy  districts"  under  which  the  whole  community  would 
pay. 

The  history  of  irrigation  records  many  difficulties  in  financing  and  in 
meeting  charges  on  the  poorer  lands.  Present  indebtedness  is  a  serious  ob- 
stacle, especially  for  several  projects  undertaken  about  1919—20,  a  period 
of  high  costs.  In  contrast,  a  few  of  the  older  projects  have  retired  their 
bonds  and  are  forging  ahead.  The  benefits  of  irrigation  have  been  well 
worth  their  cost  when  measured  by  the  public  welfare. 

Montana's  rivers  make  an  average  descent  of  3,000  feet  from  source 
to  State  line,  and  could  produce  2,500,000  horsepower  of  electric  energy, 
more  than  five  times  their  actual  production.  In  annual  per  capita  con- 
sumption (2,061  kilowatt  hours),  Montana  ranks  first  and  in  present 
production  of  electricity,  sixth.  The  State's  most  extensive  project  for  the 
utilization  of  water  power,  Fort  Peck  Dam  in  Valley  County  (see  Tour 
10 A),  is  also  the  country's  largest  mud  dam.  Fort  Peck  will  generate 
12,000  kilowatts  of  continuous  power. 

Many  mining  regions  in  the  Rocky  Mountains  started  as  gold  camps. 
It  is  a  lucky  accident  for  prospectors  that  gold  ore  weathers  more  slowly 
than  other  metals  and  is  often  discovered  in  concentrated  form  where  the 


NATURAL    SETTING    AND    CONSERVATION  29 

others  have  been  recombined  or  diffused.  In  Montana  the  six  principal 
metals,  copper,  silver,  lead,  zinc,  manganese,  and  gold  are  usually  found 
mixed,  but  all  six  seldom  exist  in  commercial  quantities  in  a  single  ore. 
The  deposits  are  found  throughout  the  mountain  areas.  Sometimes,  as  at 
Butte,  they  are  almost  inexhaustible. 

At  Butte  the  metals  occur  in  a  zonal  arrangement,  one  or  two  pre- 
dominating in  each  zone.  The  central  zone  is  copper;  the  intermediate, 
zinc;  the  outer,  manganese.  The  copper  ores  (chiefly  chalcocite,  bornite, 
and  enargite)  contain  80  to  240  pounds  of  copper,  2  ounces  of  silver,  and 
i  ounce  of  gold  per  ton;  zinc  ores  contain  240  to  280  pounds  of  zinc,  40 
pounds  of  lead,  5  to  6  ounces  of  silver,  and  .008  ounce  of  gold  per  ton; 
manganese  ores  contain  600  to  760  pounds  of  manganese. 

Cascade,  Meagher,  Judith  Basin,  and  Glacier  Counties  have  deposits  of 
iron  ore.  Chromite,  a  rare  mineral  in  the  United  States,  is  found  in  Car- 
bon, Stillwater,  and  Park  Counties. 

Fifty  of  Montana's  fifty-six  counties  have  coal,  mostly  lignite.  Their 
38,000  square  miles  of  workable  coal  fields  contain  more  than  400  billion 
tons  of  fuel,  of  which  perhaps  30  billion  tons  are  bituminous  or  high- 
grade  sub-bituminous.  The  extensive  Fort  Union  formation  underlies  most 
of  the  eastern  end  of  the  State.  The  best  beds  are  at  Colstrip,  Rosebud 
County;  Roundup,  Musselshell  County;  Bear  Creek,  Carbon  County;  and 
Griffin,  near  Sand  Coulee.  Most  of  the  seams  are  from  3  to  15  feet  thick; 
some  exceed  30  feet.  A  small  amount  of  anthracite  exists  in  Park  County, 
and  deposits  of  lower  Cretaceous  coal  of  coking  quality  are  found  at  Sand 
Coulee,  Cascade  County,  and  at  Lewistown,  Fergus  County.  Lake-bed 
coal  occurs  at  many  places  in  the  mountain  region. 

In  the  1930*5  the  Government  spent  thousands  of  dollars  to  extinguish 
fires  in  coal  veins,  some  of  which  had  burned  for  years.  The  method  in 
most  cases  was  to  dig  through  the  seam  and  pack  dirt  between  the  fire  and 
the  unconsumed  coal. 

The  Sweetgrass  Arch,  a  huge  upward  fold  of  the  earth's  crust  paral- 
leling the  Rockies  and  extending  nearly  200  miles  from  the  Belt  Moun- 
tains, south  of  Great  Falls,  to  Lethbridge,  Canada,  is  one  of  the  most 
important  geological  formations  in  Montana.  It  is  60  miles  wide,  and 
embraces  five  natural  gas  and  petroleum  fields.  Near  Shelby  in  the  center 
of  the  arch,  a  pronounced  sag  has  caused  a  doming  of  the  strata.  This 
dome  contains  the  oil-bearing  sands. 

The  most  productive  gas  field  (also  yielding  petroleum)  is  the  Cut  Back 
strip,  4  miles  wide  and  25  miles  long,  in  Toole  and  Glacier  Counties.  The 


30  MONTANA:  THE  GENERAL  BACKGROUND 

gas  deposit  of  the  Cedar  Creek  anticline  in  Fallon  and  Dawson  Counties  is 
one  of  the  largest  in  the  Northwest.  One  gas  field  is  near  Havre,  Hill 
County,  another  near  Malta,  Phillips  County. 

Major  oil  fields  lie  in  Petroleum,  Pondera,  Toole,  Carbon,  and  Glacier 
Counties ;  several  produce  gas  as  well  as  oil.  Most  of  Montana's  crude  oil 
is  of  high  gravity  and  readily  refined.  Formations  strongly  indicating  oil 
are  plentiful  on  the  plains. 

Granite,  quartzite,  marble,  limestone,  sandstone,  and  various  clays  are 
found  in  commercial  quantities. 


Before  the  White  Man 

MONTANA  is  roughly  divided  by  the  main  range  of  the  Rockies 
into  two  archeological  provinces.  Early  Indians  spread  over  both 
areas,  Eastern  Plains  and  Western  Plateau,  but  apparently  there  was  little 
cultural  unity  between  the  two  groups  before  the  advent  of  the  horse  in 
the  eighteenth  century.  The  eastern  portion  contains  evidence  of  typical 
Plains  archeology.  Recent  explorations  in  the  western  counties  indicate  a 
prehistoric  people  whose  traits  of  culture  were  similar  to  those  of  the 
early  Puget  Sound  tribes.  In  this  early  period  the  foods,  manner  of  life, 
and  occupations  differed  widely;  the  Plateau  Indians  probably  had  mi- 
grated eastward  from  the  Pacific  Coast,  while  the  Plains  Indians  had  come 
westward  from  the  Mississippi  Valley  and  beyond. 

Evidences  of  prehistoric  man  in  eastern  Montana  appear  in  the  form 
of  buffalo  cliffs,  teepee  rings,  and  peculiar  arrangements  of  stones  which 
suggest  various  ceremonial  uses.  A  few  graves  have  also  been  uncovered. 
Crude  pottery  was  made  by  the  very  early  inhabitants,  but  not  by  the  his- 
toric tribes. 

Before  horses  were  introduced,  the  Plains  Indians  obtained  meat  by 
still  hunts;  firing  the  prairie  and  then  surrounding  their  quarry;  or  by 
drives.  The  drive  was  a  common  method  of  buffalo  hunting.  One  or  more 
series  of  stones  were  arranged  in  V-shape  on  a  plateau  of  good  grazing 
ground,  with  the  apex  at  the  edge  of  a  cliff.  Large  rocks  were  piled  on  the 
floor  of  the  canyon  below.  With  the  scene  thus  prepared,  the  hunting 
party  stampeded  a  herd  of  buffalo  toward  the  V,  a  number  of  the  Indians 
hiding  along  the  rock  walls  of  the  drive  and  waving  robes  to  confuse  the 
herd.  The  frightened  beasts  plunged  over  the  cliff  and  perished  either  as 
a  result  of  the  fall  or  from  the  hundreds  of  arrows  that  followed. 

At  the  foot  of  each  of  the  400  piskuns  (buffalo  cliffs)  discovered  in 
Montana,  have  been  found  arrowheads,  fragmentary  buffalo  skeletons, 
and  teeth.  The  ground  at  the  base  of  the  piskun  on  Two  Medicine  Creek 
about  two  miles  from  US  89  (see  Tour  4,  Sec.  a)  is  white  with  the  tooth 
enamel  of  buffalo  whose  bones  have  crumbled  (see  Tour  11). 

Teepee  rings  are  circles  of  stone  where  lodges  once  stood.  A  teepee  was 

31 


32  MONTANA:  THE  GENERAL  BACKGROUND 

a  conical  tent  of  animal  skins  wrapped  around  three  or  more  poles,  with  a 
ventilation  hole  in  the  top.  The  skins  were  weighted  down  with  stones 
to  retain  heat  and  to  prevent  their  flapping  in  the  wind.  Where  villages 
stood,  hundreds  of  these  circles  remain,  sometimes  on  the  surface,  some- 
times half-buried.  In  some  sections  on  the  plains  farmers  dug  and  hauled 
away  innumerable  tons  of  them  in  preparing  the  land  for  cultivation 
(see  Tour  4). 

A  short  distance  west  of  Armstead,  near  US  91  south  of  Dillon,  is  a 
curious  wheel-shaped  pattern  of  stones  thought  to  have  had  ceremonial 
uses  (see  Tour  6,  Sec.  c).  In  Inscription  Cave  on  US  87,  eight  miles  east 
of  Billings,  are  picture  writings  of  unknown  age  (see  Tour  3,  Sec.  b). 

Indian  artifacts  found  in  Montana  include  spearheads,  arrowheads,  and 
knives;  stone  pestles,  hammers,  and  mauls;  and  red  and  black  soapstone 
pipes  for  smoking  wild  tobacco.  Pipes  were  treasured  possessions.  "Smoke 
the  peace  pipe"  is  a  term  universally  known,  but  smoking  sometimes  sig- 
nified warlike  intent.  It  also  propitiated  the  spirits  of  animals  killed  for 
food,  confirmed  friendships,  pacified  the  elements,  conveyed  thanks  for 
a  good  harvest,  and  sealed  decisions.  Like  the  coup  stick  (the  Indian's 
Victoria  Cross),  the  pipe  was  decorated  with  eagle  feathers  to  record 
brave  deeds. 

Clothing,  bags,  and  mats  were  made  of  animal  skins,  fringed,  punctured, 
dyed,  painted,  or  decorated  with  porcupine  quills.  A  man  wore  a  hip- 
length  shirt,  long  leggings,  belt,  breechclout,  moccasins;  and  cap,  head- 
band, fur  hat,  or  feathered  bonnet.  A  woman  wore  a  dress  reaching  nearly 
to  the  ankles,  short  leggings,  moccasins,  belt,  and  headband.  Shell  earrings 
and  necklaces  were  often  worn,  and  face  and  body  painting  was  general. 
Symbolical  tattooing,  chiefly  of  the  wrists  and  forearms,  was  probably 
practiced  only  rarely  by  either  sex. 

To  the  Plains  people  the  great  provider  of  food,  shelter,  and  tools  was 
the  buffalo.  Bitter  intertribal  wars  were  fought  over  his  ranges;  his  favor 
was  wooed  in  many  ways.  If  Indians  found  a  peculiar  red  "buffalo  stone," 
they  did  a  buffalo  dance  forthwith.  If  more  women  than  men  danced, 
more  cows  than  bulls  would  be  taken.  Some  villages  had  a  saying:  "Do 
not  steal.  A  buffalo  will  search  you  out  and  expose  you." 

The  buffalo  robe  was  the  Indian's  bed;  dressed  skins  covered  his 
lodges;  braided  strands  of  rawhide  and  twisted  hair  served  him  as  ropes; 
and  the  green  hide  provided  him  a  vessel  in  which  to  boil  meat,  or,  when 
stretched  over  a  frame  of  boughs,  one  in  which  to  cross  a  river.  Though 
deer  and  elk  skins  were  preferred  for  other  clothing,  moccasins  and  leg- 
gings were  often  of  buffalo  hide. 


BEFORE    THE    WHITE    MAN  33 

From  the  tough,  thick  hide  of  the  bull's  neck,  shrunk  hard,  the  Indians 
made  a  shield  that  would  turn  a  lance  or  arrow.  From  dried  and  hairless 
rawhide  (parfleche),  they  made  carrying  cases.  They  made  cannon  bones 
and  ribs  into  tools  for  dressing  hides;  shoulder  blades  lashed  to  sticks 
into  hoes  and  axes;  hoofs  into  glue  for  fastening  feathers  and  heads  on 
arrows.  Bowstrings  and  thread  were  made  of  back  sinews;  spoons,  ladles, 
and  ornaments,  of  the  horns;  buckets,  of  the  lining  of  the  paunch.  The 
dried  skin  of  the  tail,  fastened  on  a  stick,  was  used  for  a  fly  brush. 

Some  time  in  the  eighteenth  century,  the  horse  was  introduced  to  Mon- 
tana Indians,  possibly  by  the  Shoshones.  After  that,  modes  of  living  on  the 
two  sides  of  the  Rockies  grew  more  similar.  As  buffalo  hunters,  the  Plains 
Indians  became  the  best  horsemen;  the  Crow  name  for  a  horse  was 
espheta  (something  to  hunt  with).  Other  Indian  terms  for  "horse"  indi- 
cated it  as  only  a  bigger  and  better  dog:  "medicine-dog,"  "elk-dog,"  and 
the  like. 

Plains  Indians  did  little  trapping,  and  did  not  molest  "the  underwater 
people" ;  but  the  Plateau  tribes  were  eager  fishermen  and  trappers.  The 
women  of  both  regions  dug  roots  for  food:  chiefly  wild  turnip  on  the 
Plains,  and  camas,  bitterroot,  parasitic  pine  moss,  wild  carrot,  and  onion 

the  mountains.  Mixing  berries  in  pemmican  (dried  and  pounded  meat) 
ras  a  Plains  practice. 

Surviving  among  Plains  Indians  are  certain  early  secret  societies,  such 

the  Blackfeet  Ikunikahntsiks  (All  Friends).  This  society  is  made  up  of 
"sistsiks  (Little  Birds),  youths  under  20  years;  Kuh-kwo-iks  (Pigeons), 
young  warriors;  Suyis-Kaisiks  (Mosquitos),  mature  warriors;  Mut-siks 
(Braves),  warriors  of  long  experience;  and  Ikunuts-Omitaiks  (All  Crazy 
Dogs),  warriors  of  40  to  50  years.  Other  bands  of  the  society,  each  with 
its  own  costume  and  way  of  dancing,  are  extinct. 

Crow  societies  often  originated  in  war  parties  which,  after  a  successful 
campaign,  met  and  swore  their  members  to  supreme  mutual  loyalty.  The 
leading  ones  were  the  Foxes,  War  Clubs,  Big  Dogs,  Crazy  Dogs,  Muddy 
Hands,  and  Fighting  Bulls.  Meetings  were  held  at  night,  with  fires  blaz- 
ing and  drums  beating  as  each  member  recited  his  deeds  of  valor.  Mem- 
bers were  elected  upon  petition,  any  warrior  who  had  "counted  coup" 
being  eligible.  When  a  member  died,  his  brother  could  demand  his  place. 
The  only  society  limited  to  one  class  of  members  was  the  Fighting  Bulls, 
made  up  of  aged  warriors. 

An  important  duty,  especially  of  Foxes  and  War  Clubs,  the  most  re- 
spected societies,  was  to  police  the  villages  and  prevent  young  warriors 
from  venturing  out  on  expeditions  alone. 


34  MONTANA:  THE  GENERAL  BACKGROUND 

Each  society  had  two  tribal  coup  sticks  carried  by  volunteer  bearers  from 
appointment  until  "snow  fell  upon  their  heads"  (usually  about  a  year). 
In  the  ceremony  of  appointment,  the  society  chief  asked  who  would  next 
carry  the  sticks,  then  passed  the  pipe.  To  take  the  pipe  and  smoke  it  sig- 
nified acceptance  of  the  charge. 

One  stick  was  straight,  with  an  eagle  feather  on  the  small  end.  When, 
in  battle,  the  bearer  thrust  this  stick  into  the  ground,  it  represented  his 
country,  and  he  must  remain  and  defend  it  until  he  died  or  until  a  society 
brother  rode  between  him  and  the  enemy;  then  it  might  be  removed  with 
honor.  The  other,  the  two-feathered  "crooked  stick,"  might  be  moved  to  a 
better  position  at  discretion,  but  must  not  be  lost  to  an  enemy  except  by 
the  bearer's  death. 

"Coup"  consisted  in  striking  an  armed  enemy  with  coup  stick,  quirt,  or 
bow  before  otherwise  harming  him;  striking  the  first  enemy  in  battle; 
striking  the  enemy's  fortification  under  fire;  stealing  a  horse  tied  to  a 
lodge  in  an  enemy  camp ;  or  disarming  a  living  enemy.  Striking  coup  with 
the  tribal  sticks  counted  double,  for  a  man  was  in  greater  danger  while 
carrying  them.  In  the  ceremony  of  "counting  coup,"  the  braves  sat  around 
the  campfire  and  listened  to  the  hero's  account  of  his  exploit.  A  warrior 
wore  an  eagle  feather  in  his  hair  to  show  that  he  had  "counted  coup."  If 
he  had  been  wounded,  the  feather  was  painted  red;  but  it  was  more 
praiseworthy  to  have  "struck  coup"  without  being  wounded.  To  carry  an 
eagle's  wing  signified  that  one  had  accomplished  a  feat  of  unusual  valor. 

The  sun  dance  of  the  Plains  tribes  may  be  regarded  as  a  summer  solstice 
ceremony,  an  offering  to  the  sky  gods.  The  early  fur  traders  named  it  the 
Medicine  Lodge,  which  seems  a  better  term  than  sun  dance,  at  least  in  the 
case  of  the  Blackfeet,  with  whom  dancing  is  not  the  important  part  of  the 
ceremony.  The  Blackfeet  themselves  call  it  O-Kan  (Vision).  They  believe 
that  dreams  are  actual  experiences  of  the  shadow  (soul)  while  the  body 
is  inert,  and  their  great  annual  rite  doubtless  originated  in  the  visions  of 
some  ancient  sleeper.  A  tribal  legend  tells  that  once  when  meat  was  scarce 
an  old  woman,  in  a  vision,  learned  the  use  of  the  "piskun"  from  one  of 
her  animal  friends. 

The  vow  to  the  Sun  of  which  the  sun  dance  is  the  fulfillment  was  made 
among  the  Crow,  Sioux,  Cheyenne,  and  Arapaho  by  a  man,  but  among  the 
Blackfeet  by  a  woman.  In  Blackfeet  legend  it  was  Tailfeathers  Woman 
who,  first  of  mankind,  visited  Sun  and  received  his  request  that  sacred 
lodges  be  built  in  his  honor.  (For  description  of  Blackfeet  sun  dance,  see 
Tour  2,  Sec.  b.) 

The  predominant  Plains  tribes  were  the  Crow  and  the  Blackfeet.  Others 


BEFORE    THE    WHITE    MAN  35 

were  the  Assiniboine  in  the  northeast;  the  Sioux,  or  Dakota;  the  Minne- 
taree  (Gros  Ventres  of  the  River)  ;  the  Shoshone  (nicknamed  "Snakes," 
perhaps  because  of  the  tribal  symbol  in  the  sign  language),  widely  scat- 
tered, living  also  west  of  the  mountains;  the  Cheyenne  in  the  southeast; 
the  Arapaho  (White  daymen  or  Gros  Ventres  of  the  Prairie).  Not  all 
Gros  Ventres  (Big  Bellies)  were  of  one  stock.  The  Arapaho  and  Minne- 
taree  spoke  different  languages  and  were  bitter  enemies.  A  third  tribe 
called  Gros  Ventres  of  the  Mountains  (Atsina)  spoke  the  Arapaho 
dialect. 

The  Blackfeet  were  a  loose  confederacy  of  Pikunis  (Piegans),  Bloods, 
and  Blackfeet  proper,  all  of  Algonquian  stock.  They  camped  and  hunted 
from  the  North  Saskatchewan  River  to  the  headwaters  of  the  Missouri. 
They  were  cleanly,  warlike  people,  and  famous  as  horsemen.  In  their 
campaigns  they  crossed  the  Rockies  and  ranged  west  and  south  as  far  as 
Great  Salt  Lake. 

The  Crow  (Absarokee)  were  a  branch  of  the  Hidatsa  from  the  lower 
reaches  of  the  Missouri.  Legend  tells  that  two  women's  quarrel  over  a 

iffalo  paunch  split  the  Hidatsa  into  Minnetaree  and  Crow  factions.  The 
went  west  to  the  "land  of  the  lone  mountains,"  settling  along  the 
'ellowstone,  Big  Horn,  Powder,  and  Wind  Rivers,  where  they  became 
ic  most  powerful  tribe. 

The  Cheyenne,  who  probably  preceded  the  Sioux  in  the  upper  Missis- 
sippi region,  were  Algonquian.  According  to  their  traditions,  they  were 
the  first  eastern  Montana  Indians  to  use  horses.  The  Shoshone  roamed  and 
hunted  from  the  Big  Horn  Mountains  to  the  Coastal  Range.  Arapaho 
(Algonquian)  ranged  over  a  wide  territory  around  the  headwaters  of  the 
Missouri  and  Yellowstone  Rivers  and  were  allied  at  various  times  with 
both  Blackfeet  and  Cheyenne. 

Little  is  known  of  the  earliest  inhabitants  of  western  Montana.  Skeletal 
remains  show  that  they  were  short  and  stocky,  like  modern  Coast  tribes, 
and  practiced  flexed  burial  in  pits.  Charcoal  remains  suggest  cremation, 
which  was  not  a  custom  of  the  historic  Flathead.  Trinkets  and  adorn- 
ments, beads  of  abalone  shell  and  salt-water  mollusks,  indicate  coastal 
origin.  Legends  describe  them  as  courageous,  but  stupid  and  cruel.  They 
lived  in  pit  dwellings  little  better  than  holes  in  the  ground. 

Despite  their  name,  the  Flathead  (Salish)  Indians  never  flattened  the 
heads  of  infants,  as  did  Coast  tribes.  The  name  may  have  been  given  them 
by  their  neighbors  on  the  west,  whose  heads  were  pointed.  They  originally 
lived  in  the  double  lean-to,  later  adopting  a  teepee-style  dwelling  of  poles 
chinked  with  grass  and  earth  and  covered  with  hides.  Their  ceremonial 


FLATHEAD  INDIAN 


BEFORE    THE    WHITE    MAN  37 

inces  differed  from  the  sun  dance  of  the  Plains,  and  they  had  no  secret 

rieties.  They  were,  in  addition,  fish  eaters.  Otherwise  they  were  so  much 
Plains  Indians  that  anthropologists  account  for  this  only  by  their 

irly  migrations  to  the  Plains  after  they  acquired  horses. 

They  dwelt  along  the  shores  of  Flathead  Lake  and  in  the  Bitterroot 
Valley,  often  crossing  the  Divide  to  hunt  along  the  Judith  and  Mussel- 
shell  Rivers.  They  recognized  kinship  with  the  Kalispel,  Coeur  d'Alene, 
Colville,  and  Spokan,  and  intermarried  with  the  Nez  Perce.  The  Kalispel 
are  closely  related  to,  and  sometimes  identified  with,  the  Pend  d'Oreille 
or  Hanging  Ears,  who,  like  the  Flathead  and  Kootenai,  have  given  their 
name  to  a  river  and  a  lake. 

The  Kootenai,  who  extend  from  northwestern  Montana  into  northern 
Idaho  and  southeastern  British  Columbia,  are  usually  accounted  a  distinct 
stock  (Kitunahan),  but  their  speech  has  similarities  to  Algonquian  which 
may  indicate  relationship.  It  is  believed  that  they  lived  east  of  the  Rockies, 
and  were  driven  west  by  the  Blackfeet.  They  were  more  warlike  than  their 
western  neighbors,  and  were  the  greatest  of  deer  hunters  and  tanners  of 
buckskin.  They  were  noted  for  their  birchbark  canoes  with  undershot 
ends,  resembling  those  used  on  the  Amur  River  in  Siberia.  They  hunted 
and  traded  peaceably  with  the  Flatheads,  but  were  constantly  at  war  with 
the  Blackfeet. 

The  Indians  who  came  into  Montana  in  the  i88o's  as  the  Rocky  Boy 
group  were  Chippewa  from  Minnesota  and  Canadian  Cree  (see  Tour  14). 
The  Bannack,  a  Shoshonean  tribe,  ranged  over  part  of  southwestern  Mon- 
tana, but  lived  in  Idaho. 


MONTANA'S  history  is  alive  with  action  and  color,  a  drama  in 
which  the  characters  range  from  Indians  and  buckskin-clad  trap- 
pers to  copper  kings  and  skilful  modern  politicians.  The  scenes  shift  from 
lonely  trading  posts  or  settlers'  cabins  to  roaring  gold  camps;  conflict 
sweeps  from  Indian  battles  and  the  "war  of  the  copper  kings"  to  the  dry- 
land farmer's  grim  struggle  against  the  elements. 

An  eighteenth  century  French  trader,  Pierre  Gaultier,  Sieur  de  Varennes 
de  la  Verendrye,  heard  Indian  tales  of  a  river  that  flowed  into  a  western 
sea.  In  1738,  after  obtaining  a  grant  of  the  fur  trade  monopoly  from  the 
French  Government,  he  made  his  way  to  the  Mandan  villages  in  what  is 
now  North  Dakota,  then  returned  to  Montreal  by  way  of  Fort  La  Reine, 
near  the  site  of  Winnipeg. 

In  1742  he  sent  two  of  his  sons,  Pierre  and  Frangois,  on  another  expedi- 
tion. After  long  dreary  marches  across  the  Dakota  plains,  they  first  saw, 
early  in  January  1743,  the  "shining  mountains"  generally  believed  to  have 
been  the  Big  Horns  of  Wyoming  and  southern  Montana.  Here  the  threat 
of  Indian  war,  and  perhaps  discouraging  reports  of  what  lay  ahead,  made 
them  return  to  Montreal. 

The  elder  Verendrye  died  in  1749,  the  sons  were  deprived  of  their 
grants,  and  the  French  and  Indian  Wars  stopped  all  expeditions  of  dis- 
covery. In  1763  New  France  (Canada)  passed  into  British  hands,  and 
Louisiana  came  under  the  control  of  Spain.  No  other  white  men  were  to 
see  Montana's  "shining  mountains"  for  more  than  sixty  years. 

The  Lewis  and  Clark  expedition  outfitted  for  its  epic  adventure  at 
Wood  River,  Illinois,  opposite  St.  Louis.  On  May  14,  1804,  with  a  large 
keelboat,  two  smaller  boats,  and  a  party  of  thirty-two  men,  they  started, 
traveling  1,609  miles  against  Missouri  currents  before  ice  on  the  river 
compelled  them  to  go  into  winter  quarters  in  a  friendly  Mandan  village. 

The  next  spring  they  sent  the  keelboat  back  and,  using  the  lighter  craft, 
reached  the  mouth  of  the  Yellowstone  on  April  26,  1805.  Only  Sacajawea, 
a  Shoshone  Indian  woman,  and  her  French-Canadian  husband,  Char- 
bonneau,  who  had  joined  the  party  at  the  Mandan  villages  as  interpreter, 

38 


HISTORY  39 

had  ever  been  west  of  that  point.  A  little  farther  on,  the  expedition  had 
its  first  sight  of  grizzly  bears.  Lewis  later  wrote  that  he  would  rather  meet 
two  Indians  than  one  grizzly. 

They  reached  the  mouth  of  the  Marias  River  June  2,  and  saw  the  spray 
of  the  Great  Falls  on  June  14.  The  1 8-mile  portage  around  the  falls  and 
rapids  was  enlivened  by  the  first  Fourth  of  July  celebration  west  of  the 
Mississippi.  Lewis  wrote:  "I  gave  the  men  a  drink  of  spirits  which  was 
the  last  of  our  stock.  Fiddle  was  produced  and  a  dance  begun  which  lasted 
until  9  o'clock,  when  it  was  interrupted  by  rain." 

Launching  their  boats  on  the  upper  Missouri  July  15,  they  began  the 

irney  through  the  mountains.  On  July  19,  about  14  miles  northeast  of 
ic  present  site  of  Helena,  they  poled  through  a  steep-walled  canyon 
rhich  they  named  the  Gates  of  the  Mountains.  Six  days  later  they  camped 
at  the  three  forks  of  the  Missouri,  naming  each  stream  for  a  leading 
statesman:  Jefferson,  Madison,  Gallatin.  Sacajawea  said  it  was  here,  five 
years  earlier,  that  she  had  been  captured  by  a  band  of  Minnetaree  Indians 
of  the  Dakota  Nation. 

Pushing  up  the  Jefferson  River  July  30,  they  were  delayed  by  beaver 
dams,  shallow  water,  and  thick  alder  and  willow  growth.  Game  was  much 
less  abundant  and  supplies  were  low;  it  was  imperative  that  they  meet 
with  Indians  and  obtain  horses  for  the  journey  across  the  mountains.  Up 
to  this  point  the  expedition  had  not  encountered  a  single  Indian. 

From  the  headwaters  of  the  Beaverhead  River,  Lewis'  advance  party 
crossed  the  Divide  through  Lemhi  Pass,  and  camped  August  12  at  the 
source  of  a  stream  flowing  west.  They  were  3,000  miles  from  the  mouth 
of  the  Missouri,  and  on  short  rations.  Next  morning  they  came  upon  a 
Shoshone  camp.  The  chief,  Cameahwait,  was  propitiated  with  presents 
and  persuaded,  with  a  few  others,  to  return  with  Lewis  to  the  Beaverhead. 
There,  when  Clark  came  up  on  August  17,  it  was  learned  that  Cameah- 
wait was  Sacajawea's  brother.  This  happy  storybook  circumstance  assured 
the  party  of  a  cordial  welcome. 

They  spent  two  weeks  with  the  Shoshone,  caching  their  canoes,  bring- 
ing up  their  equipment,  and  trading  for  horses.  Clark  explored  the  Salmon 
River  for  some  distance,  but  found  it  impassable.  On  August  30  the  ex- 
pedition started  north  down  the  Bitterroot  Valley  with  a  few  unshod 
horses  and  an  Indian  guide,  stopping  at  a  spot  on  Lolo  Creek  which  they 
named  Traveler's  Rest.  On  September  n  they  pushed  on  over  Lolo  Pass 
and  out  of  Montana. 

At  the  Mandan  villages,  in  the  winter  of  1804—05,  a  party  of  French- 
Canadian  fur  hunters  led  by  Francois  Antoine  Larocque  of  the  North- 


40  MONTANA:  THE  GENERAL  BACKGROUND 

West  Company,  offered  to  accompany  the  expedition,  but  Lewis  declined 
the  offer.  In  the  spring  of  1805  Larocque's  party  explored  the  Yellowstone 
region,  buying  beaverskins  from  the  Crow. 

On  June  30,  1806,  having  returned  from  the  Pacific,  the  Lewis  and 
Clark  expedition  divided  at  Traveler's  Rest.  Captain  Lewis,  with  nine 
men,  went  northward  over  the  present  site  of  Missoula  and  up  the  Black- 
foot  River,  crossing  the  Continental  Divide  at  its  headwaters.  While  ex- 
ploring the  Marias  River  to  learn  whether  it  afforded  a  trade  route  to  the 
Saskatchewan,  his  party  skirmished  with  Gros  Ventre  Indians,  killing 
two.  Of  the  entire  trip,  this  was  the  only  hostile  encounter  that  ended  in 
fatality. 

Clark,  with  the  remainder  of  the  party,  crossed  through  Gibbon's 
Pass  to  the  Big  Hole  River,  then  went  down  the  Beaverhead  and  Jefferson 
Rivers  to  the  Missouri.  A  detail  was  sent  to  meet  Lewis  at  the  mouth 
of  the  Marias,  while  Clark  went  overland  to  the  Yellowstone.  Near  the 
mouth  of  that  river,  on  August  12,  the  expedition  was  reunited. 

Lewis  and  Clark  had  found  St.  Louis  eager  for  news  of  their  discov- 
eries. None  was  more  interested  than  Manuel  Lisa,  a  New  Orleanian  of 
Spanish  descent,  who  had  traded  with  the  Osages  to  the  south.  Outfitting 
an  expedition  of  42  men,  he  took  them  up  the  Yellowstone  to  the  mouth 
of  the  Big  Horn,  where,  in  1807,  he  built  Montana's  first  trading  post. 
Lisa  named  it  Fort  Ramon,  for  his  son,  but  his  trappers  knew  it  as  Lisa's 
Fort  or  Fort  Manuel.  Within  two  years  he  had  350  men  working  for  him, 
and  his  organization  continued  to  spread  out  until  his  death. 

In  1807  he  had  sent  John  Colter  and  Sergeant  Potts,  veterans  of  the 
Lewis  and  Clark  expedition,  to  the  forks  of  the  Missouri  to  trade  with 
the  Indians.  Potts  was  slain  by  Indians,  and  Colter  narrowly  escaped.  He 
made  his  way  back  to  Lisa's  Fort  by  way  of  what  is  now  Yellowstone 
National  Park.  His  account  of  the  region  caused  fur  traders  to  call  it 
Colter's  Hell. 

Under  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company  the  British  were  operating  westward 
to  the  Rockies  and  far  to  the  north.  Alexander  Mackenzie  and  Simon 
Fraser,  factors,  had  even  penetrated  to  the  Pacific.  Although  they  had 
missed  the  Columbia  River,  their  explorations  led  to  the  forming  of  the 
North-West  Company,  in  whose  employ  the  great  David  Thompson,  with 
few  instruments,  explored  and  mapped  the  Columbia  Basin.  Even  today 
his  maps  are  found  to  be  amazingly  accurate. 

Thompson  came  to  Canada  as  a  Hudson's  Bay  Company  apprentice. 
He  did  not  like  the  duties  of  a  factor,  and  joined  the  North-West  Com- 
pany as  an  explorer  at  a  time  when  the  British  were  being  spurred  by  the 


HISTORY  41 

prospect  of  American  competition  in  the  Oregon  country.  In  the  spring 
of  1806  he  crossed  the  Rockies  and  a  year  later  was  on  the  Kootenai  River 
with  a  group  of  traders,  the  first  white  men  to  visit  many  of  the  tribes 
west  of  the  Rockies.  He  built  Kootenai  House  that  year,  and  in  November 
1809,  the  Salish  House  near  Thompson  Falls.  In  the  spring  of  1810  he 
made  several  expeditions  into  the  Flathead  region.  He  returned  to  Canada 
in  1812  and  never  again  came  west;  but  in  his  five  years  of  careful  work 
on  the  Pacific  slope  he  had  explored  and  charted  a  great  and  previously 
unknown  region. 

In  the  spring  of  1810  Pierre  Menard  and  Andrew  Henry  built  a  trading 
post  near  Three  Forks.  The  Blackfeet  began  a  series  of  attacks,  and  twenty 
men  were  killed,  among  them  George  Drouillard,  the  second  Lewis  and 
Clark  veteran  to  be  killed  near  this  place.  Henry  crossed  the  mountains  to 
the  headwaters  of  the  Snake  and  established  a  post  there;  Menard  and 
the  main  party  returned  to  St.  Louis. 

In  1811  an  overland  party  sent  out  by  John  Jacob  Astor  crossed  the 
southeast  corner  of  Montana.  At  about  the  same  time  a  party  sent  to 
Astoria  by  sea  landed  at  the  mouth  of  the  Columbia  River.  Among  these 
were  Alexander  Ross,  a  Scot.  When  Astor 's  Pacific  Fur  Company  failed 
because  of  the  War  of  1812,  Ross  joined  the  North- West  Company,  and 
led  a  motley  band  of  Canadians,  half-breeds,  Iroquois — even  Hawaiians — 
through  the  Columbia  Basin.  In  the  spring  of  1824  he  passed  through 
Hell  Gate  Canyon  to  the  source  of  Clark  Fork  of  the  Columbia,  and 
across  the  Rockies  to  the  headwaters  of  the  Missouri.  After  retiring  from 
the  fur  trade,  he  became  one  of  the  first  and  most  prominent  citizens  of 
Winnipeg. 

On  March  20,  1822,  William  H.  Ashley  advertised  for  100  "enterpris- 
ing young  men"  to  engage  in  the  Missouri  River  fur  trade,  and  the  ac- 
tivities of  the  Rocky  Mountain  Fur  Company  then  began.  Among  those 
who  responded  were  Jim  Bridger,  Mike  Fink,  "king  of  the  keelboatmen," 
and  Hugh  Glass.  Ashley,  a  Virginian  and  a  brigadier  general  in  the  War 
of  1812,  had  served  as  general  of  the  Missouri  Militia,  and  as  Lieutenant 
Governor.  Major  Andrew  Henry,  of  the  ill-fated  Three  Forks  trading 
post,  was  his  associate. 

The  first  expedition  set  out  from  St.  Louis  on  April  15,  1822.  At  the 
Arikara  villages  it  encountered  hostile  Indians  and  lost  a  boat  and  valuable 
equipment.  Ashley  returned  to  St.  Louis,  but  the  remainder  of  the  party 
proceeded  upstream  and  weeks  later  built  Fort  Henry  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Yellowstone.  Ashley's  defeat  might  have  been  averted,  had  he  taken  the 
warnings  of  his  guide  and  interpreter,  Edward  Rose.  Of  mixed  Negro, 


42  MONTANA:  THE  GENERAL  BACKGROUND 

Indian,  and  white  blood,  Rose  bore  an  unjustified  reputation  for  disloyalty 
to  the  soldiers  and  trappers,  probably  strengthened  by  his  notoriously 
sullen  nature  and  mutilated  face. 

In  1823  Henry  pushed  up  the  Missouri  as  far  as  Great  Falls,  but  was 
put  to  flight  by  the  Blackfeet.  He  then  built  a  post  on  the  Yellowstone  at 
the  mouth  of  the  Big  Horn,  but  again  had  trouble  with  Indians,  who 
killed  several  trappers. 

The  achievements  of  the  Rocky  Mountain  Fur  Company  men,  like  those 
of  David  Thompson,  were  more  important  geographically  than  financially. 
Hiram  Martin  Chittenden,  the  historian,  estimated,  however,  that  in  the 
twelve  years  of  its  career  the  company  shipped  $500,000  worth  of  beaver 
to  St.  Louis;  at  the  same  time  goods,  furs,  and  horses  to  the  value  of 
$100,000  were  stolen.  A  hundred  human  lives  were  lost  during  the 
twelve  years  of  exploring  and  trading. 

As  trapper,  guide,  and  scout  Jim  Bridger  became  the  most  famous  of 
the  mountain  men.  For  about  fifty  years  he  traveled  over  the  Rockies,  ex- 
ploring and  discovering,  his  exploits  being  a  frontier  byword.  Shot  by  an 
Indian,  he  carried  an  arrow-head  in  his  back  for  three  years,  and,  when 
asked  by  Father  de  Smet  if  the  wound  had  not  become  infected,  smilingly 
replied,  "In  the  mountains,  meat  never  spoils." 

The  American  Fur  Company  was  founded  in  1808,  with  John  Jacob 
Astor  for  years  the  only  stockholder.  In  1822  a  St.  Louis  branch  was 
formed,  with  Pierre  Chouteau,  Bernard  Pratte,  and  others  as  partners. 
Kenneth  McKenzie,  one  of  several  former  agents  of  Canadian  companies 
who  were  enlisted  into  the  service,  came  in  1827  and  was  given  charge  of 
the  company's  interests  on  the  upper  Missouri.  In  1828  he  built  a  large 
post  near  the  mouth  of  the  Yellowstone  not  far  from  the  site  of  the  one 
Henry  had  abandoned  in  1823.  McKenzie  called  it  Fort  Floyd,  but  soon 
afterward  it  became  known  as  Fort  Union. 

McKenzie  is  said  to  have  been  the  company's  ablest  trader.  He  made 
Fort  Union  the  greatest  concentration  point  of  the  western  fur  trade;  he 
obtained  the  trade  of  the  Blackfeet;  he  built  Forts  Piegan,  McKenzie, 
Chardon,  Lewis,  Benton  (on  or  near  Marias  River),  Cass  (Big  Horn), 
and  Van  Buren  (Tongue).  Pierre  Chouteau,  Jr.,  who  was  the  first  to  bring 
a  steamboat  up  to  Fort  Union  (1832),  Alexander  Culbertson,  who  suc- 
ceeded McKenzie  as  factor,  and  Malcolm  Clark,  who  helped  settle  the 
Prickly  Pear  Valley  near  Helena  and  was  killed  there  by  Piegan  Indians, 
all  received  their  training  at  Fort  Union. 

Famous  visitors  to  Montana  while  the  fur  trade  was  at  its  height  were 
George  Catlin  (1832),  American  painter  of  early-day  Indian  life;  Prince 


HISTORY  43 

Maximilian  of  Wied-Neuwied  (1833),  whose  travel  journals  are  among 
the  most  valuable  records  of  the  period;  and  John  James  Audubon 
(1843),  the  naturalist. 

Fort  Lewis,  most  famous  offshoot  of  Fort  Union,  was  established  in 
1846.  In  1850  it  was  rebuilt  by  Major  Alexander  Culbertson  and  chris- 
tened Fort  Benton  in  honor  of  Senator  Thomas  Benton  of  Missouri.  This 
fort  is  conspicuous  in  Montana  history  mainly  because  of  its  site  at  the 
head  of  navigation  on  the  Missouri  River.  Its  importance  as  a  fur  trading 
post  was  secondary,  for  by  1850,  beavers  were  almost  extinct  and  other 
kinds  of  fur  were  hard  to  get.  Nearly  all  profit  had  vanished  for  inde- 
pendent traders,  although  at  Fort  Owen,  near  Stevensville,  the  trade 
carried  on  into  the  gold  rush  period.  The  first  steamer  to  arrive  at  Fort 
Benton  was  the  Chippewa,  in  1859.  In  1862,  year  of  the  discovery  of  gold 
at  Bannack,  four  boats  landed  cargoes;  five  years  later  there  were  thirty- 
nine  boats.  Then  the  traffic  decreased  again,  and  the  last  freight  arrived 
in  1888. 

An  episode  of  1854,  notable  for  sheer  dash  and  display,  was  perhaps 
the  last  wild  explosion  of  color  in  Montana's  hunting  and  trapping  era. 
A  wealthy  Irish  sportsman,  Sir  St.  George  Gore,  came  in  with  some  com- 
panions, 40  servants,  112  horses,  12  yoke  of  oxen,  14  hunting  dogs, 
enough  arms  and  ammunition  for  a  small  arsenal,  and  6  wagons  and  21 
carts  laden  with  every  luxury  of  the  times.  Engaging  Jim  Bridger  as  guide, 
he  hunted  in  the  Powder  River  region  and  slaughtered  so  much  game  that 
the  Indians  became  resentful.  In  1856  Gore  drifted  down  to  Fort  Union, 
where  he  burned  his  equipment  rather  than  pay  the  price  Major  Culbert- 
son asked  for  transporting  it  to  St.  Louis.  He  spent  the  winter  at  Fort 
Berthold,  and  returned  to  St.  Louis  in  the  spring  of  1857. 

The  first  attempt  to  find  a  route  for  a  railroad  from  St.  Paul  to  the 
Pacific  was  made  by  one  of  five  parties  of  the  Pacific  Railway  expedition 
sent  out  by  Secretary  of  War  Jefferson  Davis.  The  expedition,  in  charge 
of  Governor  Isaac  I.  Stevens  of  Washington  Territory,  reached  Fort  Union 
on  August  i,  1853.  Only  part  of  the  way  surveyed  was  ever  used  in  rail- 
road building,  but  a  member  of  the  party,  Lieutenant  John  Mullan,  later 
(1858-1862)  built  the  first  wagon  road  over  the  northern  Rockies,  from 
Fort  Benton  to  Walla  Walla. 

While  explorers  and  trappers  were  breaking  trails  in  this  western  coun- 
try, missionaries  also  began  to  come  in.  Hearing  of  Christianity  from 
Iroquois  employees  of  the  North- West  Company,  the  Flathead  and  Nez 
Perce  sent  four  delegates  to  St.  Louis  in  1831  asking  for  missionaries  to 
teach  them  how  to  worship  the  Great  Spirit  in  the  white  man's  way.  Two 


44  MONTANA:  THE  GENERAL  BACKGROUND 

of  the  envoys  died  in  St.  Louis  and  were  buried  in  the  cathedral.  Nothing 
came  of  the  mission  at  that  time,  and  in  1835,  and  again  in  1839,  other 
envoys  repeated  the  request. 

Fired  by  the  story  of  distant  Indians  waiting  to  be  converted,  Father 
Pierre  Jean  de  Smet,  Belgian  Jesuit,  traveled  to  the  Rocky  Mountains  in 
1840  by  way  of  the  Platte  River.  He  received  a  delegation  of  the  Flathead 
on  Green  River,  Wyoming,  baptized  them,  and  on  July  5  celebrated  mass. 
Then  he  accompanied  the  Flathead  to  the  Gallatin  Valley,  where  he  left 
them  on  August  27  and  returned  to  St.  Louis.  The  following  spring,  with 
two  priests  and  four  lay  brothers,  he  came  back  and  founded  St.  Mary's 
Mission  in  the  Bitterroot  Valley. 

Late  the  next  winter  he  obtained  a  supply  of  seed  at  Fort  Colville, 
Washington,  and  in  the  spring,  at  St.  Mary's  Mission,  he  planted  oats, 
wheat,  and  potatoes — Montana's  first  crop.  In  1845  Father  Anthony 
Ravalli,  Italian  Jesuit,  joined  him,  and  the  two  pioneering  priests  built  the 
first  gristmill  in  Montana  at  St.  Mary's  Mission. 

In  1854  the  Idaho  mission  of  St.  Ignatius  was  moved  by  Father  Adrian 
Hoecken  to  the  Mission  Valley.  Here,  twenty  years  later,  a  press  was 
installed  and  a  dictionary  printed  of  the  Kalispel  language.  Another  mis- 
sion was  established  near  the  site  of  Choteau,  in  the  heart  of  the  Blackfeet 
country,  but  because  of  the  hostility  of  the  Indians,  it  was  moved  to  the 
Missouri  River  and  then  to  Skull  Butte  above  Cascade,  becoming  known 
as  St.  Peter's-by-the-Rock.  While  St.  Ignatius  still  serves  the  Flathead,  the 
other  missions  are  now  only  historic  points  of  interest. 

In  1856  a  party  en  route  from  the  Bitterroot  Valley  to  Salt  Lake,  ob- 
tained a  small  quantity  of  gold  from  Francois  Finlay,  a  quarter-breed 
Indian  known  as  Benetsee,  who  had  prospected  on  Gold  Creek.  Evidently 
they  thought  little  of  their  find  for  they  gave  it  to  Richard  Grant,  who 
lived  in  the  Deer  Lodge  Valley  near  by.  In  the  spring  of  1858  John  Silver- 
thorne,  a  packer  at  Fort  Owen,  gave  Major  Culbertson  at  Fort  Benton  a 
small  amount  of  what  appeared  to  be  gold  dust  in  exchange  for  goods. 
Culbertson  sent  it  to  St.  Louis;  and  there  it  was  pronounced  gold.  Silver- 
thorne  had  procured  the  dust  from  Benetsee. 

James  and  Granville  Stuart,  returning  from  California,  found  gold 
values  as  high  as  ten  cents  a  pan  near  Benetsee' s  discovery,  but,  as  they 
had  neither  sufficient  provisions  nor  proper  tools  and  were  menaced  by  the 
Blackfeet,  they  went  on  to  Fort  Bridger  on  the  Oregon  Trail.  In  the  sum- 
mer of  1860  Henry  Thomas,  known  as  "Gold  Tom,"  sank  a  3O-foot  shaft 
in  the  glacial  drift.  He  made  only  $1.50  a  day,  and  so  he  moved  on. 

The  Stuarts  returned  and,  on  May  8,  1862,  set  up  the  first  sluices  in 


FATHER 


46  MONTANA:    THE   GENERAL   BACKGROUND 

Montana  near  the  head  of  Gold  Creek.  A  letter  written  to  their  brother 
Thomas  in  Colorado,  advising  him  to  join  them,  started  a  small  rush  to 
Montana.  Among  the  prospectors  were  John  M.  Bozeman,  Samuel  T. 
Hauser,  and  W.  B.  Dance. 

While  the  Gold  Creek  diggings  were  becoming  active,  large  parties  of 
Colorado  miners,  bound  for  Idaho,  turned  toward  the  Deer  Lodge  Valley 
when  they  learned  that  the  Idaho  gold  camps  were  overrun  with  men 
from  the  coast.  On  Willard's  (Grasshopper)  Creek,  a  tributary  of  the 
Beaverhead,  John  White  and  William  Eads  made  the  first  big  strike  in 
Montana,  July  28,  1862.  Bannack,  named  for  an  Indian  tribe,  sprang  up 
overnight. 

Many  of  the  gold  seekers  had  left  the  East  to  escape  the  war  raging 
there,  but  its  echoes  followed  them.  Confederate  sympathizers  named  a 
gulch  "Jeff  Davis";  Bannack's  residential  district  became  "Yankee  Flat." 

In  1863  the  Edgar- Fairweather  party  from  Cottonwood  (Deer  Lodge) 
missed  a  rendezvous  with  a  party  from  Bannack  for  a  prospecting  trip  to 
the  Yellowstone  Valley  and  the  Black  Hills.  Turned  back  by  Indians,  they 
made  one  of  the  greatest  of  all  gold  discoveries  in  Alder  Gulch  on  May 
26.  The  first  year's  yield  from  this  gulch  was  estimated  at  $10,000,000  or 
more.  At  once  towns  sprang  up;  in  two  years  Virginia  City  had  10,000 
inhabitants. 

Drawn  to  the  new  El  Dorado,  in  addition  to  honest  prospectors,  were 
fugitives  from  older  camps,  among  them  Henry  Plummer,  who  became 
sheriff  at  Bannack.  With  him  as  chief,  a  gang  of  highwaymen  began  op- 
erations in  1863  along  the  wild  9o-mile  stretch  between  Alder  Gulch  and 
Bannack.  Corresponding  in  cipher,  they  marked  men  and  coaches  for 
plunder,  used  stage  stops  as  hang-outs,  and  killed  at  least  io'2  persons. 

A  group  of  determined  men  decided  to  act.  Arresting  one  George  Ives 
after  a  particularly  brutal  murder,  they  tried  him  before  a  miners'  court, 
and,  defying  the  threats  of  the  organized  criminals,  convicted  and  hanged 
him  December  21,  1863.  Then  a  secret  group  calling  themselves  Vigi- 
lantes took  up  the  task  of  swift  and  wholesale  justice.  They  hanged  Eras- 
tus  (Red)  Yeager  and  George  W.  Brown  at  Laurin  on  January  4,  1864. 
Plummer  and  his  chief  deputies,  Stinson  and  Ray,  were  hanged  at  Ban- 
nack on  January  10.  Altogether,  twenty-four  "bad  men"  paid  their  score 
between  December  20,  1863,  and  February  5,  1864,  and  organized  robbery 
and  murder  on  the  road  ceased. 

On  July  14,  1864,  John  Cowen,  John  Crabb,  Robert  Stanley,  and  Gabe 
Johnson  found  traces  of  color  in  Last  Chance  Gulch.  After  prospecting 
northward  in  the  hope  of  a  richer  find,  they  returned  to  this  "last  chance" 


HISTORY  47 

— and  made  a  big  strike.  Other  rich  gulches  were  soon  found  in  the  same 
region.  Some  of  the  values  in  Confederate  Gulch,  thirty  miles  east  of 
Helena,  were  sensational,  Montana  Bar  yielding  as  high  as  $1,000  per  pan 
and  one  clean-up  of  seven  days  amounting  to  $114,800. 

In  May  1864  G.  O.  Humphreys  and  William  Allison  had  found  placer 
gold  in  Silver  Bow  Creek.  The  camp  boomed  for  a  few  seasons,  but  a  dry 
year  (1869)  reduced  the  clean-ups  and  by  1870  it  was  almost  deserted. 
In  1875  William  Farlin  opened  rich  silver  veins  in  the  Travonia  mine, 
and  started  a  boom  that  made  Butte  "the  silver  city"  for  twenty  years.  The 
Travonia  was  taken  over  by  W.  A.  Clark,  who  built  a  mill  to  handle 
the  ore. 

Montana  had  been  a  component  successively  of  Oregon,  Washington, 
Nebraska,  Dakota,  and  Idaho  Territories,  always  with  the  seat  of  govern- 
ment far  away.  Miners'  courts  had  been  organized  but  were  largely  inef- 
fective; knowledge  of  law  was  not  a  necessary  qualification  of  judges.  As 
people  poured  in,  some  local  government  became  a  necessity.  The  organic 
act  of  May  26,  1864,  created  Montana  Territory,  and  Sidney  Edgerton  be- 
came Governor.  Three  justices  were  provided.  The  first  Territorial  legis- 
lature met  at  Bannack  and  enacted  provisions  that  form  the  basis  of  the 
present  codes. 

In  1865  the  legislature  changed  the  capital  to  Virginia  City,  established 
the  original  nine  counties,  and  then  adjourned  without  providing  for  fu- 
ture meetings.  As  a  result  the  court  refused  to  recognize  the  legislative 
acts,  thus  creating  grave  antagonism  between  bar  and  people.  Congress 
somewhat  eased  matters  by  passing  an  enabling  act  for  the  Legislature  of 
1867.  The  new  government  followed  Idaho  statutes  in  legislative  and 
judicial  procedure,  but  among  its  problems  were  water  rights  and  mine 
law,  both  new  branches. 

A  movement  toward  statehood  in  1865  resulted  in  Acting  Governor 
Meagher's  calling  a  constitutional  convention.  Eight  of  the  delegates  did 
not  bother  to  attend.  The  constitution  was  sent  to  St.  Louis  for  printing 
and  was  lost  somewhere  on  the  way. 

At  first  Montana  Indians  were  not  invariably  hostile — as  shown  by  the 
Laramie  treaty  (1851)  and  the  Isaac  I.  Stevens  treaties  (1855) — but  gov- 
ernment on  both  sides  was  inadequate  to  compel  observance  of  agree- 
ments, and  frequent  clashes  resulted. 

The  Indians  soon  made  it  clear  that  they  did  not  like  being  confined  to 
reservations,  especially  when  the  buffalo  sought  other  pastures.  Chiefs  and 
medicine  men,  who  had  predicted  distress  and  doom  if  the  whites  con- 
tinued to  come  in.  found  many  followers.  The  Government's  failure  dur- 


48  MONTANA:    THE    GENERAL    BACKGROUND 

ing  the  Civil  War  to  forward  the  goods  and  money  promised  in  treaties 
made  the  Indians  openly  hostile.  The  Sioux,  who  were  crowded  westward, 
harassed  routes  of  travel  and  took  heavy  toll  of  emigrant  trains. 

In  1863  John  M.  Bozeman  blazed  a  road  from  the  Oregon  Trail  to  the 
Montana  gold  camps;  in  1864  he  escorted  a  large  wagon  train  over  it. 
The  Sioux  and  Cheyenne  at  once  began  attacks  on  the  road,  and  the  Black- 
feet  followed  their  example  in  the  north.  In  April  1867  Bozeman  was 
slain  by  Piegans  on  Mission  Creek,  east  of  Livingston. 

To  guard  the  trail  Fort  C.  F.  Smith,  Montana's  first  army  post,  was 
established  on  the  upper  Big  Horn  in  1866.  It  irritated  the  Indians  so 
much  that  in  1868,  a  year  after  the  notable  Hayfield  and  Wagon  Box 
fights  in  which  a  handful  of  United  States  soldiers  repulsed  hundreds  of 
Indian  horsemen,  the  Government  withdrew  the  troops,  declared  the  re- 
gion a  reservation,  and  forbade  settlers  to  enter  it.  For  nine  years  the 
Bozeman  Trail  was  unused;  emigrants  came  by  the  Mullan  Road  from 
Walla  Walla,  the  water  route  to  Fort  Benton,  and  a  road  northward  from 
Utah. 

In  1876  the  War  Department  launched  a  campaign  against  the  Sioux 
and  Cheyenne.  On  June  17  the  Sioux,  under  Crazy  Horse,  outfought  Gen- 
eral Crook  on  the  Rosebud.  Meanwhile  General  George  A.  Custer,  with 
600  officers  and  men  of  the  Seventh  Cavalry,  rode  toward  the  Little  Horn. 
When  his  scouts  brought  word  that  he  was  approaching  a  large  Indian 
village,  Custer  divided  his  command,  sending  Major  Marcus  A.  Reno  with 
three  troops  to  the  river,  and  Captain  Frederick  Benteen  with  three  more 
to  keep  to  Reno's  left  and  to  attack  any  Indians  before  him. 

Taking  somewhere  between  208  and  277  (historians  differ)  men  and 
officers,  Custer  swung  right  and  soon  engaged  an  overwhelming  force  on 
the  hills  just  east  of  the  river.  When  the  firing  ceased  and  the  Indians  left 
the  field,  the  only  living  thing  remaining  was  Comanche,  Captain  Myles 
Keogh's  wounded  horse.  Four  miles  to  the  south  Reno  was  too  busily  en- 
gaged to  know  either  the  whereabouts  or  the  tragic  fate  of  Custer.  Al- 
though his  losses  were  heavy,  Reno  saved  his  command  when  Benteen 
came  up  and,  with  him,  took  a  defensible  position  on  the  bluffs  above  the 
river. 

The  tragedy  led  to  the  establishment,  later  in  the  year,  of  Fort  Keogh 
(the  beginning  of  Miles  City)  at  the  mouth  of  the  Tongue  River.  Next 
year  Fort  Custer,  another  cavalry  post,  was  built  at  the  junction  of  the  Big 
Horn  and  Little  Horn. 

The  last  major  Indian  battles  in  the  United  States  were  fought  with  the 
Nez  Perce,  who,  rather  than  be  confined  to  their  north  Idaho  reservation, 


VIRGINIA  CITY 


attempted  a  flight  to  Canada.  Led  by  their  chief,  Joseph,  they  eluded  90 
cavalrymen  from  Fort  Lapwai  (Idaho)  and  300  soldiers  under  General 
Howard,  and  entered  Montana  over  the  tortuous  Lolo  Trail.  Captain  C.  C. 
Rawn,  in  command  of  Fort  Missoula  (just  established),  fortified  Lolo 
Pass  with  50  regulars  and  100  volunteers.  Joseph  demanded  free  passage 
up  the  Bitterroot  Valley,  and  the  citizens,  realizing  they  would  not  be 
molested,  withdrew  their  support  from  Rawn,  compelling  him  to  return 
to  Fort  Missoula.  Meanwhile  General  John  Gibbon  had  left  Helena  with 
197  officers  and  men;  on  August  8,  1877,  he  found  the  Nez  Perce  in  Big 
Hole  Basin  at  the  junction  of  Ruby  and  Trail  Creeks.  The  battle  started 
at  daylight  August  9;  on  the  night  of  August  10  Joseph  withdrew,  leaving 
the  wounded  Gibbon  with  69  casualties. 

Chief  Joseph  moved  southeast  into  the  Yellowstone  Park  region,  then 
turned  north  through  Cooke  City.  Across  Montana  he  retreated,  skirmish- 
ing with  his  pursuers  but  eluding  them.  The  telegraph  was  his  undoing; 
General  Nelson  A.  Miles  of  Fort  Keogh,  being  forewarned,  headed  him 
off  in  the  Bear  Paw  Mountains.  After  a  masterly  i,6oo-mile  retreat,  en- 

1140134 


50  MONTANA:    THE   GENERAL    BACKGROUND 

cumbered  by  women,  children,  and  a  large  band  of  horses,  Joseph  engaged 
in  a  four-day  battle  and,  on  October  8,  finally  surrendered. 

With  the  way  cleared  for  settlement,  the  grassy  plains  and  valleys  were 
found  to  be  as  ideal  for  cattle  as  they  had  been  for  buffalo.  In  1853  John 
Grant  started  a  beef  herd  in  Deer  Lodge  Valley,  driving  the  cattle  from 
the  Oregon  Trail.  He  sold  out  in  1865  to  Conrad  Kohrs,  who  also  ran  a 
large  herd  in  the  Sun  River  Valley.  The  first  Texas  drive  was  made  in 
1866  by  Nelson  Story  of  Bozeman;  the  last,  about  1888.  In  the  years  be- 
tween, large  outfits  financed  by  outside  capital  occupied  most  of  the  Ter- 
ritory. The  great  difficulty  was  the  long  drive  to  market.  In  1874  James 
Forbes  drove  a  herd  to  Ogden,  Utah,  and  from  there  sent  it  east  by  rail, 
the  first  Montana  cattle  so  shipped.  Building  of  the  Northern  Pacific  and 
Great  Northern  brought  into  being  a  string  of  "cowtowns"  of  which 
Billings,  Miles  City,  Culbertson,  and  Havre  were  typical.  The  Montana 
Stock  Growers'  Association  was  organized  July  28,  1884,  with  Theodore 
Roosevelt,  then  ranching  in  western  Dakota,  a  charter  member.  Brand 
books  had  been  published  in  1872,  with  the  Masonic  square  of  Poindexter 
and  Orr,  of  Beaverhead,  the  first  brand  entered.  Sheep  had  first  been 
brought  to  the  Bitterroot  Valley  in  1857,  and,  despite  heavy  depredations 
by  coyotes,  they  increased  steadily  until  damage  to  ranges  by  their  close 
cropping  of  grass  forced  reductions. 

Statehood  and  the  railroad  building  era — roughly  1880-1910 — ended 
the  days  of  the  open  range.  Settlers  flooded  in ;  sod  was  broken  and  fences 
built;  immense  counties  were  split  up;  cowtowns  became  small  cities;  the 
people  of  the  State  set  about  building  a  new  way  of  life. 

The  Territorial  government  having  become  thoroughly  unsatisfactory, 
a  convention  held  in  Helena  on  January  14,  1884,  drafted  a  constitution 
which  the  people  ratified.  Five  years  later  Congress  passed  an  enabling 
act  providing  for  the  forming  of  constitutions  and  State  governments  in 
several  western  Territories.  The  delegates,  well  practiced  by  then,  met 
once  more  and  drew  up  a  constitution  prefaced  by  the  Magna  Carta,  the 
Declaration  of  Independence,  the  Articles  of  Confederation,  the  United 
States  Constitution,  and  organic  and  enabling  acts.  It  was  ratified  at  a  spe- 
cial election,  and  the  State  was  admitted  to  the  Union  on  November  8, 
1889. 

The  new  State's  resources  seemed  limitless.  Every  type  of  endeavor  of- 
fered bonanza  returns.  Silver  and  gold  mines  were  in  flush  production; 
the  great  copper  boom  was  getting  into  full  swing ;  immense  coal  deposits 
had  been  discovered;  timber  products  were  in  demand;  a  new  agriculture 
was  beginning.  The  people  were  lusty,  adventurous,  seeking  opportunity. 


HISTORY  51 

Nowhere  was  the  struggle  for  power  and  wealth  more  intense  than  in 
Butte,  which  city  had  come  into  prominence  mainly  through  the  work  of 
William  A.  Clark  and  Marcus  Daly,  lifelong  rivals.  Clark  developed  di- 
verse interests,  but  Daly,  having  discovered  in  1881,  by  depth  explora- 
tions in  his  silver  mine,  the  fabulous  richness  of  the  Butte  copper  deposits, 
concentrated  on  the  development  of  his  great  mining  company. 

In  1889  F.  Augustus  Heinze,  a  young  engineer  from  the  Columbia 
School  of  Mines,  came  to  Butte.  Two  years  later  he  inherited  $50,000, 
went  to  Germany  for  a  few  months  of  study,  and  returned  to  found  the 
Montana  Ore  Purchasing  Company.  With  New  York  capital  he  built  a 
smelter  to  treat  ore  from  small  mines,  thus  gaining  a  foothold  in  the  in- 
dustry. Soon  he  was  buying  and  leasing  claims  all  over  the  district. 

In  1895  he  was  ready  for  bigger  game.  His  plans  were  based  on  the 
"law  of  the  apex,"  under  which,  within  certain  limits,  an  owner  could 
follow  any  vein  that  apexed  (came  to  the  surface)  on  his  property.  In 
the  Butte  district,  with  its  faulted  and  offset  geologic  structure,  it  was  any- 
body's guess  where  a  vein  apexed.  Before  a  friendly  court  a  good  lawyer 
and  "experts,"  suitably  rewarded,  could  make  a  convincing  case  of  any 
claim.  On  this  basis  Heinze  brought  suit  against  the  Anaconda,  St.  Law- 
rence, and  Neversweat  mines — the  best  of  the  Butte  properties.  District 
Judge  Clancy  issued  an  injunction  stopping  production  and  throwing 
thousands  out  of  work.  When  the  angry  miners  threatened  to  hang  him, 
he  dissolved  the  injunction;  but  for  eight  years  thereafter  the  courts  were 
cluttered  with  suits  and  countersuits. 

When  the  Minnie  Healy,  a  claim  adjoining  the  rich  Leonard  mine,  un- 
expectedly became  a  heavy  producer,  Heinze  claimed  apex  rights  to  the 
Leonard  ore  bodies,  though  his  title  to  the  Minnie  Healy  itself  was  ques- 
tionable. The  case  of  the  Michael  Davitt  was  even  more  bitter,  developing 
into  an  underground  battle  in  which  two  miners  were  killed  and  others 
barely  escaped,  while  Heinze  mined  $1,000,000  worth  of  ore. 

After  several  years  of  strife  the  Amalgamated  Company,  rather  than 
continue  a  fight  costing  $1,000,000  a  year,  bought  out  Heinze  for  $14,- 
000,000  and  an  interest  in  a  company  formed  to  work  his  holdings. 
Heinze  went  to  New  York,  where,  it  is  said,  powerful  interests  broke  him 
when  he  attempted  to  juggle  prices  on  the  New  York  Stock  Exchange. 
His  failure  is  held  by  some  to  have  been  a  cause  of  the  1907  panic. 

Other  stories  from  Montana  mining  history  are  nearly  as  exciting  al- 
though the  characters  and  events  do  not  loom  so  large.  In  the  Granite 
Mountain  silver  mine  at  Philipsburg,  the  owner's  last  shot  of  powder  had 


52  MONTANA:  THE  GENERAL  BACKGROUND 

been  set  and  the  men  were  putting  on  their  coats  to  leave,  when  the  blast 

piled  bonanza  at  their  feet. 

Before  he  died  in  1900,  Marcus  Daly  had  created  a  great  industrial  or- 
ganization, built  much  of  Butte,  and  founded  Anaconda.  Meanwhile,  with 
scores  of  metal  mines  in  the  mountains,  it  was  natural  that  a  wider  smelt- 
ing industry  should  develop.  Great  Falls,  with  unlimited  water  power  and 
extensive  coal  deposits  near  by,  was  an  ideal  site.  The  first  hydroelectric 
plant  and  smelter  was  established  in  1890;  within  ten  years  the  city  be- 
came second  in  the  State.  A  third  important  smelter  was  built  at  East 
Helena.  In  Territorial  days  only  a  few  towns  had  had  more  than  2,000 
inhabitants;  Helena  led  for  many  years  with  about  10,000.  The  coming  of 
railroads  and  the  admission  of  Montana  to  the  Union  spurred  growth, 
especially  in  the  case  of  Billings,  Havre,  Kalispell,  Missoula,  Miles  City, 
and  the  mining  and  smelting  towns.  Those  fortunately  placed  as  distribut- 
ing centers  grew  most  rapidly.  In  Bozeman,  Missoula,  and  Dillon,  the 
establishment  of  units  of  the  University  of  Montana  in  1893,  1895,  and 
1897,  respectively,  helped  greatly  in  laying  the  foundation  for  later  de- 
velopment, both  economic  and  cultural. 

Republicans  and  Democrats  had  about  equal  strength  in  the  young 
State,  and  politics  was  lively  from  the  start.  It  was  said  at  the  time  that 
electioneering  practices  were  open  to  question;  this  led  to  many  charges 
of  corruption.  William  A.  Clark,  a  Democrat,  was  a  leading  candidate  for 
Senator;  Marcus  Daly,  also  a  Democrat,  was  determined  to  prevent  his 
election.  Daly  wished  to  make  Anaconda  the  State  capital,  while  Clark 
favored  Helena.  Election  to  the  United  States  Senate  (by  the  State  legis- 
lature) hinged  on  the  disputed  election  of  five  representatives  from  Butte. 
Each  party  claimed  the  election  of  its  own  delegates,  thus  deadlocking  the 
legislature.  The  Republicans  sent  Wilbur  F.  Sanders  and  T.  C.  Power  to 
the  Senate;  the  Democrats  sent  W.  A.  Clark  and  Martin  Maginnis.  The 
Senate  seated  Republican  Sanders  and  Power.  In  the  capital  contest  Helena 
won  after  two  elections  (1894)  by  a  small  majority. 

Clark  still  aspired  to  the  Senate,  but  his  party  did  not  gain  control  of 
the  legislature  until  1899.  Then  he  was  elected;  but  twenty-seven  legis- 
lators sent  a  memorial  to  Congress  charging  that  he  had  bought  votes. 
Before  the  Senate  investigating  committee  could  report,  Clark  resigned. 
In  the  absence  of  Governor  Smith  from  the  State,  Lieutenant  Governor 
Spriggs  appointed  Clark  to  the  vacancy.  Smith,  returning,  declared  the 
appointment  invalid  and  appointed  Martin  Maginnis,  whom  the  Senate 
refused  to  seat.  The  office  remained  vacant  until  Clark  was  elected  again 
in  1901. 


* 


HISTORY  53 

The  passage  of  the  Reclamation  Act  of  1902  made  farming  under 
large-scale  irrigation  possible  for  the  first  time.  In  Montana  the  Huntley 
project  in  Yellowstone  County  (completed  1907)  was  the  first  of  the 
large  projects  and  one  of  the  outstandingly  successful  ones.  It  was  soon 
followed  by  others.  In  the  same  period  (1902-1910)  there  were  large 
increases  in  the  number  of  homestead  entries  in  the  dry-land  areas.  The 
last  section  settled  was  the  northeastern  one,  which  was  still  being  home- 
steaded  during  the  early  years  of  the  World  War.  Division  of  the  large 
older  counties  into  smaller  and  usually  more  convenient  units  continued 
into  the  1920*5,  in  most  cases  under  the  guidance  of  one  Dan  McKay,  a 
shrewd  manipulator  who  became  known  to  the  State  as  County  Splitter 
McKay. 

Meanwhile  industry  in  the  State  reached  something  like  the  limit  of 
logical  development  under  prevailing  conditions.  In  Anaconda  the  Wa- 

oe  Smelter,  replacing  the  older,  smaller  smelter  in  1902,  gave  Montana 
one  of  the  greatest  copper  reduction  plants  in  the  world.  In  Great  Falls, 
during  the  wartime  stimulation  of  markets  (1918),  a  wire,  rod,  and  cable 
actory  was  built  to  make  the  copper  refined  in  the  electrolytic  plant  into 
finished  products.  Oil  and  lumber  production  boomed  and  declined.  Sugar 
refining,  flour  milling,  canning,  and  meat  packing  grew  slowly.  Hydro- 
electric power  production  expanded  steadily.  As  in  other  parts  of  the 
United  States,  the  emphasis  in  transportation  development  swung  to  high- 
ways; except  for  a  few  short  branch  lines  built  for  special  purposes,  rail- 
road expansion  ended  by  1920. 

The  greatest  growth  of  population  after  the  end  of  the  gold  rush  period 
came  in  the  decade  between  1880  and  1890,  when  the  number  of  people 
increased  365  per  cent.  This  record  was  never  approached  again.  Later 
census  reports — up  to  1930 — show  that,  although  the  State's  growth  was 
still  rapid,  it  became  steadily  less  so;  from  1890  to  1900  the  increase  was 
70  per  cent;  from  1900  to  1910,  nearly  55  per  cent;  from  1910  to  1920, 
about  46  per  cent.  Then  as  drought  and  price  inequalities  struck  hard  at 
the  farmers,  and  activity  in  the  State's  chief  industries  slumped,  the  move- 
ment of  population  changed  its  direction;  from  1920  to  1930  there  was  a 
decline  of  slightly  more  than  2  per  cent. 

Politically  Montana  has  been  somewhat  unpredictable  during  its  entire 
period  of  statehood.  Since  1900  it  has  invariably  cast  its  electoral  votes 
for  the  winning  Presidential  candidate;  but,  while  all  but  two  of  its  Gov- 
ernors have  been  Democrats,  a  majority  of  the  other  elective  State  offices 
— up  to  1933 — was  held  by  Republicans. 

Socially  significant  laws  include  those  on  compulsory  school  attendance 


54  MONTANA:  THE  GENERAL  BACKGROUND 

(1887)  and  child  labor  (1907);  the  initiative  and  referendum  (1907) 
and  the  direct  primary  (1912)  ;  and  special  laws  which  protect  the  health 
of  women  at  work,  and  provide  for  an  eight-hour  day  (1917),  and  equal 
wages  to  men  and  women  for  identical  work.  Under  the  Workmen's  Com- 
pensation Act  (1915)  graduated  compensation  is  paid  to  those  injured  in 
industry,  and  employers  are  required  to  contribute  to  an  insurance  fund. 
An  inheritance  tax  law  imposing  graduated  assessments  was  passed  in 
1923,  the  moneys  received  to  go  into  educational,  conservational,  and  gen- 
eral funds.  A  year  later  the  people  initiated  and  passed  a  law  imposing  a 
tax  of  one-fourth  to  one  per  cent  on  the  gross  production  of  metal  mines. 
Laws  on  grain  grading  and  marketing  (1915),  livestock  and  fruit  inspec- 
tion, hail  insurance  (1917),  and  education  through  extension  service  have 
aided  agriculture.  Traffic  laws  were  first  passed  in  1905,  and  the  State 
highway  commission  was  created  in  1913.  A  gasoline  tax  of  five  cents 
(1931)  pays  for  construction  of  hard-surfaced  roads.  A  planning  board, 
created  in  1934,  is  studying  means  of  bringing  resources  of  the  State  into 
more  extended  use.  A  highway  patrol  system  was  inaugurated  in  1935.  Mon- 
tana has  two  executive  bodies  not  common  to  all  States :  a  special  livestock 
commission  of  six  members  appointed  to  protect  the  livestock  interests  of 
the  State,  and  a  water  conservation  board  whose  special  interest  is  irri- 
gation. 

In  1916  Jeannette  Rankin  of  Missoula  was  elected  to  Congress  as  the 
Representative  of  the  western  district.  She  took  her  seat  as  the  Nation's 
first  Congresswoman  the  following  spring,  in  the  special  session  which 
met  to  declare  war  on  Germany.  At  first — according  to  Walter  Millis' 
Road  to  War  (1935) — she  did  not  vote.  Then  "Uncle  Joe"  Cannon  urged 
her,  "You  cannot  afford  not  to  vote.  You  represent  the  womanhood  of  the 
country  in  the  American  Congress."  "At  last,"  says  Millis,  "she  rose  .  .  . 
looking  straight  ahead.  'I  want/  she  said  ...  'to  stand  by  my  country,  but 
I  cannot  vote  for  war  ...  I  vote  No.'  "  Then  she  "fell  back  into  her  seat, 
pressed  her  forehead,  and  began  to  cry."  Her  action  was  widely  denounced 
as  discreditable  to  women  and  to  women's  participation  in  politics,  and, 
from  an  opposite  point  of  view,  it  was  as  widely  acclaimed. 

Montanans  have  a  fairly  warlike  tradition.  Many  of  the  pioneers  were 
veterans  of  the  Civil  War,  or  had  fought  Indians.  The  First  Regiment  of 
Montana  Infantry  won  high  praise  in  the  Philippines,  and  their  flag  in 
1905  became  the  official  State  flag.  The  Second  Montana  Infantry  served 
four  and  one-half  months  on  the  Mexican  border  in  1916,  and  in  1917 
sailed  for  France  as  part  of  the  i63rd  Regiment.  Montana  troops  fought 
at  Cantigny,  Chateau  Thierry,  and  the  Argonne,  winning  53  Distin- 


HISTORY 


55 


JIM  BRIDGER 


guished  Service  crosses.  In  the  Argonne,  the  war  cry  of  the  Ninety-first 
became  famous,  "(We're  from)  Powder  River;  let  'er  buck!" 

In  the  early  1920'$,  while  oil  and  gas  fields  were  being  discovered  in 
Montana,  oil  was  indirectly  responsible  for  bringing  into  Nation-wide 
prominence  two  Montana  Senators,  Thomas  J.  Walsh  and  Burton  K. 
Wheeler.  Walsh,  who  led  the  investigation  that  unearthed  the  illegal  Tea- 
pot Dome  lease  and  other  irregular  leases  of  naval  oil  lands,  had  been 
Senator  from  Montana  for  years;  after  this  episode  he  became  known  as 


56  MONTANA:  THE  GENERAL  BACKGROUND 

the  inquisitorial  genius  of  the  United  States  Senate  and  one  of  the  best 
legal  minds  in  the  Nation.  In  1933  he  was  chosen  for  the  post  of  Attorney- 
General  in  the  Cabinet  of  Franklin  D.  Roosevelt,  but  died  suddenly  be- 
fore taking  office.  Senator  Wheeler  became  the  Vice-Presidential  candidate 
of  the  Progressive  ticket  headed  by  Robert  M.  La  Follette  in  1924.  When 
this  ticket  was  defeated  he  continued  as  Senator  from  Montana.  In  1937 
he  acted  as  spokesman  for  the  group  in  Congress  that  opposed  the  Presi- 
dent's court  reform  plan. 

Montana  recovered  slowly  from  the  depression  of  the  early  1930'$;  ad- 
verse factors  included  a  drought  of  unprecedented  length.  Great  aids  to 
the  State,  however,  were  Federal  projects  such  as  Fort  Peck  Dam  and 
lesser  undertakings,  and  large  Federally  sponsored  programs  of  soil  con- 
servation, irrigation,  rural  electrification,  insect  control,  and  construction 
of  roads,  parks,  and  recreational  facilities,  under  such  agencies  as  the  Pub- 
lic Works  Administration  and  Works  Progress  Administration.  In  1935 
Helena  suffered  disastrous  earthquakes.  Several  lives  were  lost  and  prop- 
erty damage  ran  to  $4,000,000.  Business  revival  and  great  activity  in  min- 
ing and  oil  districts  were  observed  in  1936  and  1937;  mines  and  ore- 
reduction  plants  operated  at  capacity.  Eastern  Montana,  at  the  same  time, 
was  subjected  to  extreme  drought.  In  the  autumn  of  1937  some  of  the 
Butte  mines  suspended  operations ;  others  followed  until,  early  in  the  sum- 
mer of  1938,  only  one  or  two  remained  in  operation.  In  contrast  to  the 
gloom  in  industrial  Butte,  there  was  joy  in  the  State's  agricultural  districts 
as  a  rainy  summer  had  brought  to  maturity  the  best  crops  in  ten  years. 


Ethnic  Groups 

JL 


MANY  of  the  early  trappers  engaged  in  the  Montana  fur  trade  were 
French-Indian ;  the  managers  of  the  companies  were  usually  Eng- 
lish or  Scottish,  and  several  of  them,  who  married  Indian  women,  left 
descendants  of  mixed  blood.  Most  of  the  people  who  poured  in  when 
gold  was  found  were  native  whites  from  the  Midwest  and  East ;  those  who 
rushed  to  the  Butte  silver  and  copper  ledges  were  largely  German  and 
Irish.  Between  1880  and  1900  many  immigrants  helped  build  railroads, 
then  turned  to  farming  and  lumbering.  Thousands  of  Germans  and  Scan- 
dinavians settled  in  the  dry-land  sections  after  1900. 

Persons  of  foreign  birth  or  of  foreign  or  mixed  parentage  made  up 
45.2  per  cent  of  the  population  in  1930,  according  to  the  U.  S.  Bureau  of 
Census.  Since  Canadians,  who  numbered  31,585,  represent  no  single  pa- 
rent stock,  the  30,377  persons  of  German  extraction  formed  the  largest 
group.  They  were  closely  followed  by  the  Norwegians  (29,386).  Swedes 
numbering  16,226  and  Danes  numbering  8,109  brought  the  figure  for 
persons  claiming  Scandinavian  birth  or  parentage  to  53,721.  The  British 
Isles  were  represented  by  five  groups  totaling  52,819  (England,  19,815; 
Irish  Free  State,  17,940;  Scotland,  8,174;  North  Ireland,  4,628;  Wales, 
2,262).  Other  nationalities  represented  by  more  than  5,000  persons  were: 
Russian,  13,761;  Jugoslav,  9,278;  Italian,  6,325;  Finnish,  6,051;  and 
Czechoslovak,  5,078.  After  1920,  about  2,500  Mexicans  came  to  work  in 
the  sugar  beet  areas  (see  BILLINGS). 

Comparison  of  the  1930  census  figures  with  those  of  1920  show  that 
the  number  of  Indians  in  Montana  is  increasing  (from  10,956  in  1920  to 
14,798  in  1930),  while  those  of  Orientals  (1,631)  and  of  Negroes 
(1,256)  are  declining.  A  small  number  of  Negroes  had  drifted  as  far 
west  as  Montana  during  the  brief  excitement  of  Negro  migration  from 
the  South  after  the  Civil  War.  There  were  only  346  in  the  State  in  1880, 
but  by  1890  there  were  1,490.  Most  of  them  went  to  such  towns  as  Butte 
and  Helena,  and  found  employment  in  the  mines,  hotels,  saloons,  and 
gambling  rooms;  in  1903  a  Negro  owned  and  operated  a  hotel  on  Main 
Street  in  Helena,  at  which  white  and  Negro  guests  were  served.  Circulars 

57 


58  MONTANA:  THE  GENERAL  BACKGROUND 

had  been  distributed  telling  of  the  Government  and  railroad  lands  that 
could  be  obtained  cheaply,  and  a  few  settled  on  such  land  and  engaged  in 
agriculture.  Unlike  States  to  the  east,  Montana  was  not  affected  by  the 
Negro  migration  during  the  World  War.  The  peak  was  reached  in  1910, 
when  there  were  1,834  Negroes  in  the  State.  By  1920  the  number  had 
decreased  to  1,658.  Most  Montana  Negroes  live  in  Cascade,  Silver  Bow, 
Yellowstone,  and  Lewis  and  Clark  Counties,  where  several  operate  retail 
businesses  and  a  few  engage  in  the  professions.  They  have  their  own 
churches,  chiefly  of  the  African  Methodist  Episcopal  denomination. 

The  foreign-born  and  foreign-parentage  elements  are  found  chiefly  in 
local  groups.  The  industrial  cities  have  large  numbers  of  Irish,  English, 
Germans,  Jugoslavs,  Finns,  and  Italians;  the  northeastern  farming  region 
has  a  preponderance  of  Norwegians  and  Danes.  The  northwestern  region 
has  a  sprinkling  of  French  Canadians.  Some  of  the  groups  in  part  retain 
their  native  languages  or  dialects  and  a  few  old-country  customs. 

Among  Scandinavian  residents  no  Christmas  dinner  is  complete  without 
lutfisk  (Sw.) — a  dried  cod  reduced  to  extreme  tenderness  in  a  brine  of 
wood  ashes  or  lye,  then  cooked  and  served  hot.  A  vast  thin  griddlecake 
called  lefse  (Nor.),  made  of  flour  and  mashed  potatoes,  is  baked  on  a 
floured  stove  top,  and  served  folded  and  buttered.  Two  delightful  old  cus- 
toms are  slowly  passing:  julotta  (Sw.) — a  simple  service  held  in  the 
churches  before  dawn  of  Christmas  Day;  and  the  antics  of  julebokker 
(Nor.)  or  "Christmas  fools,"  who  go  about  the  countryside  in  fantastic 
disguises,  invading  houses  and  entertaining  their  occupants. 

Among  the  Jugoslavs  of  Butte,  Great  Falls,  and  Anaconda,  celebration 
of  Christmas  begins  on  the  evening  of  January  6  (Julian  calendar)  with 
the  preparation  of  the  badnyak,  a  fire  of  three  logs.  A  family's  first  visitor 
after  midnight  mass  is  known  as  the  Polaznik.  He  sprinkles  a  gloveful  of 
wheat  on  its  members,  saying  "Christ  is  born" ;  they  reply,  "Truly  He  is 
born,"  and  sprinkle  him  with  wheat.  He  kisses  one  of  the  logs  in  the  fire- 
place and  is  given  a  present.  If  he  is  a  close  friend  he  spends  the  day  with 
the  family. 

In  eastern  Montana  May  17  is  celebrated  as  Norwegian  Independence 
Day.  Swedish,  Danish,  and  Norwegian  inhabitants  also  observe  Midsum- 
mer Day  and  Martinmas,  usually  with  small  picnics  and  the  serving  of 
special  foods  in  their  homes. 

A  three-day  Balkan  pre-Lenten  celebration,  the  Mesopust  (leave  out 
meat),  ends  with  public  exercises  on  Shrove  Tuesday.  In  symbolic  expres- 
sion of  the  people's  desire  to  enter  Lent  spiritually  pure,  Slarko  Veljacict 


ETHNIC   GROUPS  59 

an  effigy  of  their  sins  and  misfortunes,  is  tried,  condemned,  dragged 
through  the  streets,  hanged  and  burned. 

Frenchtown,  a  small  scattered  settlement  composed  of  about  140  people 
of  French-Canadian  descent,  is  15  miles  northwest  of  Missoula.  It  is  of 
interest  for  its  traces  of  colonial  French  culture  and  patois,  though  its 
origin  is  fairly  recent  (1864).  Many  of  these  people  are  descended  from 
the  Brunswick  French  of  eastern  Canada,  some  of  whom  have  intermarried 
with  the  Indians,  and  others  are  of  the  Quebec  French.  A  few  of  the  older 
people  cannot  speak  or  understand  English,  and  many  of  them  speak  it 
brokenly.  Few  old  customs  have  survived.  New  Year's  Day,  however,  is 
the  "open  house"  holiday  of  the  year  and  on  St.  John's  Day  (June  24)  a 
festival  is  sponsored  by  the  St.  Jean  Baptiste  Society,  named  for  the  patron 
saint  of  the  parish. 

In  Scottish  settlements  Burns'  birthday  is  celebrated  with  bagpipe 
music,  dances,  and  the  rendition  of  his  songs  and  poems. 

Billings  beet  workers  celebrate  Mexican  independence  with  a  fiesta, 
September  15-16,  at  which  scenes  of  the  Revolution  of  1810  are  reenacted 
in  pantomime. 


<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<-&>>>>>>>»>>>>>>>>> 


Iture 


M' 


TICU 


"ONTANA,  traditionally  a  mining  and  stock  raising  State,  is  also- 
a  great  farming  region.  In  a  few  exceptional  years  its  wheat  crop 
alone  has  exceeded  the  entire  mineral  output  in  value.  Unusual  hardships 
and  constant  change  have  beset  the  development  of  agriculture,  and  pro- 
duction was  markedly  curtailed  in  the  1930'$  both  by  natural  conditions 
and  organized  crop  control  programs,  yet  the  average  wheat  crop  contin- 
ued to  exceed  35,000,000  bushels  yearly. 

The  first  small  crop  of  grain  and  vegetables  was  grown  in  the  Bitter- 
root  Valley  in  1842,  but  Montana  had  no  extensive  agriculture  until  the 
early  i86o's,  when  successive  gold  rushes  began  to  populate  the  western 
valleys.  At  first  the  incomes  of  those  who  broke  the  soil  fluctuated  with 
the  fortunes  of  those  who  followed  the  mining  camps.  Then  many  dis- 
appointed prospectors  found  that  they  could  acquire  more  gold  by  raising 
and  selling  foodstuffs  for  miners.  In  1865  the  land  claimed  for  agricul- 
tural uses  totaled  80,000  acres. 

Meanwhile  cattle  raising,  introduced  about  1832,  increased  more  slowly, 
but  was  less  affected  by  changes  in  other  fields.  In  1856  there  were  nearly 
2,000  beef  and  milch  cattle  in  the  region,  and  more  than  4,000  oxen.  Be- 
tween 1860  and  1880  cattle  were  trailed  to  market  at  Salt  Lake  City  and 
other  distant  places;  at  the  same  time  ranchers  drove  large  herds  from 
Texas  to  the  Montana  ranges,  where  both  horses  and  cattle  grew  fat  and 
sleek  on  buffalo  grass  and  other  rich  forage. 

The  i88o's  and  early  1890'$  were  the  heyday  of  the  stockman  and  cow- 
boy, who  shared  with  the  miner  the  task  of  founding  and  governing  the 
new  State.  In  1886-7  tne  industry  met  and  survived  a  major  disaster,  a 
hard  winter  when  thousands  of  cattle  died. 

After  1900  a  flood  of  homesteaders  poured  into  the  State.  Protesting 
stockmen  were  forced  out  of  localities  where  they  had  been  supreme; 
grain  raising  assumed  prime  importance.  For  some  years  the  ranchers  af- 
fected to  despise  the  "honyak,"  and  resisted  his  advance  by  cutting  fences 
and  pasturing  cattle  in  his  fields;  but  this  attitude  gave  way  to  a  realiza- 
tion that  the  new  settlements  offered  a  rapidly  growing  market  for  horses. 

60 


CATTLE 


From  1900  to  1916  large  crops  were  harvested.  Then  in  the  northeast 
the  wheat  was  damaged  by  rust;  and  in  1917  came  a  drought  that  was  to 
last  three  years  throughout  the  State  and  five  years  in  the  eastern  part. 
These  misfortunes  were  aggravated  by  an  economic  depression  and  harsh 
winters.  Farmers,  at  the  mercy  of  chance,  had  to  depend  on  Federal  loans 
for  seed  and  feed.  Adversity  made  them  cautious;  they  began  summer- 
fallowing  to  conserve  moisture.  Crops  improved  and  power  machinery  cut 
labor  and  production  costs.  A  new  period  of  prosperity  culminated  in  the 
late  1920*5,  and  was  again  succeeded  by  disaster — worse  this  time,  because 
farmers  had  invested  so  heavily  in  new  machines. 

Agriculture,  especially  dry  farming,  has  subsequently  undergone  read- 
justment. Strip  farming  is  to  some  extent  replacing  summer  fallow,  which 
loosens  the  soil  and  promotes  erosion.  Land  is  cultivated  with  the  one-way 
disk,  which  leaves  stubble  at  the  surface  to  hold  soil  in  summer  and  snow 
in  winter,  or  with  the  duck-foot  cultivator,  which  turns  up  large  clods. 

Rapidly  expanding  irrigation  tends  to  reduce  the  speculative  fever  for 


62  MONTANA:    THE    GENERAL   BACKGROUND 

extensive  dry-land  farming.  Individual  planning,  assisted  by  Federal  and 
State  conservation  programs,  takes  much  poor  land  out  of  cultivation.  But 
it  will  take  time  for  native  grasses  to  regain  foothold  on  such  land. 

From  1919  to  1923,  the  average  annual  value  of  farm  products  was 
roughly  $90,000,000.  This  value  was  taken  from  35,000,000  acres,  di- 
vided into  farms  of  a  little  more  than  600  acres  each.  In  1927  farm  prod- 
ucts reached  a  high  of  $161,700,000,  but  in  1935  they  dropped  back  to 
$100,411,000.  The  number  of  farms  decreased  from  57,677  in  1920  to 
47,495  in  1930;  at  the  same  time  the  average  size  of  the  remaining  farms 
rose  to  955  acres,  and  the  average  income  rose  from  $1,560  to  $2,030. 

The  effects  of  depression  years  upon  the  security  and  welfare  of  farmers 
in  Montana  is  traceable  in  the  statistics  of  the  National  Resources  Com- 
mittee on  tenancy,  published  in  1935.  The  report  lists  13,985  tenant  farm- 
ers, or  27.7  per  cent  of  the  total.  It  ranks  Montana  twenty- seventh  in  the 
Nation  and  third  among  the  western  States  in  the  proportion  of  farmers 
without  equity  in  the  land  they  occupy. 

Montana  has  great  variety  in  soils,  but  in  general  the  dark  and  very 
dark  grayish  brown  loams  of  the  central,  eastern,  and  northeastern  sections 
are  best  for  farming,  being  rich  in  organic  material  and  in  many  other 
elements  of  fertility.  They  are  especially  adapted  to  the  production  of 
hard  spring  wheat,  which  in  many  places  has  been  grown  exclusively, 
despite  a  tendency  toward  drought-resistant  crops  such  as  corn.  Because 
of  the  severe  climate  Montana's  hardiest  crops  have  always  been  her  best. 
In  the  southern  counties,  where  the  growing  season  is  longer  but  rainfall 
even  scantier,  more  land  is  reserved  for  grazing.  On  the  milder  and 
moister  western  slopes  much  fruit  is  grown.  The  rich  dark  loams  of  the 
Gallatin  and  other  sheltered  valleys  east  of  the  Divide  produce  the  State's 
finest  and  most  varied  crops  of  grain,  fruit,  and  vegetables. 

Crops:  Oats  and  hay,  in  great  demand  for  stage  lines  and  military  posts, 
were  for  a  time  the  leading  crops.  Wheat,  which  had  originally  occupied 
first  rank,  became  first  again  in  1914.  Although  it  declined  briefly  about 
1930,  because  of  low  grain  prices,  and  hay  far  exceeded  wheat  in  value 
for  that  particular  period,  the  acreage  planted  to  wheat  continued  the  larg- 
est and  increased  in  importance  in  the  northeastern  counties  and  the  Judith 
Basin.  Montana  wheat  ranges  up  to  16  percent  in  protein  content  and  is 
harder,  heavier,  and  of  finer  milling  quality  than  any  other  American 
wheat.  The  chief  variety  is  marquis,  although  durum  also  yields  well. 
High  prices  during  the  World  War  brought  huge  expansion  in  acreage, 
but  drought  prevented  an  increase  in  actual  production.  Hence  the  farmers 


had  to  bear  higher  costs  without  a  corresponding  rise  in  income.  In  1936 
the  yield  from  2,239,000  acres  was  13,626,000  bushels. 

Next  in  importance  are  corn  and  hay.  Corn  is  grown  chiefly  for  feed  in 
the  eastern  half  of  the  State.  Every  county  produces  hay:  alfalfa,  grain, 
hay,  clover,  timothy,  and  various  grasses;  it  is  the  leading  crop  in  the 
upper  Yellowstone  Valley.  Native  blue  joint  is  harvested  in  several  coun- 
ties. Alfalfa  and  clover  seed  are  valuable  incidental  crops.  Tame  hay  in 
1936  yielded  1,302,000  short  tons  on  1,329,000  harvested  acres;  wild  hay 
yielded  302,000  short  tons  on  464,000  acres. 

All  except  the  highly  mechanized  farms  raise  oats  and  barley  for  feed. 
Flax  is  popular  in  the  eastern  and  northern  counties  as  a  cash  crop;  Gla- 
cier County  claims  the  greatest  per  acre  production  in  the  world.  All  grain 
crops  are  relatively  free  of  weed  seeds,  and  dockage  is  low;  but  weeds 
such  as  the  Russian  thistle  have  complicated  cultivation  on  the  plains. 

The  quality  of  Montana  grains  has  received  wide  commercial  recogni- 
tion. Wheat,  in  particular,  often  sells  at  a  premium  that  in  large  part  com- 
pensates for  the  high  costs  of  shipping  to  distant  markets.  Wheat,  barley, 


HHK: 


WHEAT,  GRASS  VALLEY 


oats,  flax,  rye,  timothy  seed,  and  alfalfa  seed  all  have  won  prizes  at  impor- 
tant expositions. 

Excellent  potatoes  are  grown  everywhere  in  the  State.  The  Yellowstone 
Valley,  especially  the  irrigated  area  around  Billings,  produces  Great  North- 
ern beans.  Canners  contract  in  advance  for  green  peas  and  garden  produce, 
and  seed  peas  from  the  irrigated  valleys  are  in  great  demand  in  other 
States.  Sugar  beets  are  increasingly  grown  wherever  there  is  watered  land 
within  reach  of  refineries ;  they  have  attained  real  importance  around  Mis- 
soula,  Billings,  Sidney,  and  Chinook.  All  beets  are  grown  on  contract  with 
the  refiners,  with  the  price  and  acreage  fixed  in  advance.  Byproduct  beet 
pulp  and  molasses  make  rich  stock  feed ;  winter  fattening  of  cattle,  sheep, 
and  hogs  has  become  a  subsidiary  industry. 

In  the  milder  valleys  west  of  the  Continental  Divide  certain  fruits  do 
well.  Sweet  cherries  have  been  grown  in  the  Flathead  Lake  region  for 
many  years,  and  sour  varieties  in  the  Bitterroot  Valley,  but  extreme  bad 
weather  in  1935-36  killed  75  percent  of  the  trees  and  retarded  the  devel- 
opment of  cherry  growing.  Apples  produced  abundantly  in  the  western 
and  south  central  valleys  are  popular  in  eastern  markets.  Strawberries, 
raspberries,  gooseberries,  and  huckleberries  are  increasingly  grown. 


: 


SHEEP  GRAZING  ON  NATIONAL  FOREST  LAND 


Irrigation:  In  1890  farming  without  irrigation,  or  dry  farming,  was 
thought  impossible  in  Montana.  Settlers  established  themselves  along 
streams  and  worked  out  limited  but  inexpensive  diversion  systems.  Al- 
though dry  farming  later  succeeded  during  the  periods  of  adequate  rain- 
fall, the  irrigated  valleys  remained  the  only  areas  wholly  free  from  the 
danger  of  crop  failure.  Greatly  extended  since  1920,  irrigation  tends  to 
stabilize  agriculture  even  on  farms  that  merely  border  on  watered  lands. 

Small  systems  range  from  wind-driven  pumps  that  water  gardens  to 
fair-sized  coulee  reservoirs  capable  of  serving  whole  neighborhoods.  The 
largest  system  is  at  Valier  in  Pondera  County,  with  three-fourths  of  its 
80,000  irrigable  acres  developed.  Several  others  eventually  will  be  larger; 
altogether  perhaps  2,500,000  acres  will  be  irrigated  when  existing  projects 
are  completed. 

The  Huntley  project  in  Yellowstone  County,  the  first  part  of  which  was 
completed  in  1907  under  the  Reclamation  Act  of  1902,  has  in  large  meas- 
ure proved  the  value  of  big-scale  irrigation.  It  is  useful  for  24,000  acres, 
lifting  the  water  from  the  Yellowstone  River  by  power  generated  in  its 
own  plant. 

Livestock:  Livestock  raising  remains  a  major  industry,  especially  in  the 
southeast  and  on  the  mountain  slopes.  The  Blackfeet  Indian  Reservation 


66  MONTANA:  THE  GENERAL  BACKGROUND 

is  excellent  horse  country ;  Gallatin,  Fergus,  Richland,  and  Sheridan  Coun- 
ties lead  in  raising  purebred  stock.  Principal  markets  within  the  State  are 
at  Billings,  Great  Falls,  and  Butte,  but  much  livestock  is  sold  outside  the 
State. 

The  number  of  cattle  increased  until  1919,  when  there  were  1,610,000 
head.  Reductions  were  gradual  and  interspersed  with  slight  increases  until 
1934,  when  extreme  drought  caused  heavy  sales  both  in  the  regular  mar- 
kets and  through  the  Federal  Surplus  Relief  Corporation.  Complete  failure 
of  feed  crops  in  many  sections  during  1936-7  caused  further  decreases;  at 
the  beginning  of  1937  only  a  little  more  than  1,000,000  head  remained. 
Most  of  the  cattle,  principally  Hereford  or  Shorthorn,  are  owned  by  farm- 
ers who  cultivate  forage  crops.  Few  of  the  old,  vast  ranches  with  famous 
brands  remain. 

Dairying  is  increasing,  and  butter  production  exceeds  15,000,000 
pounds  yearly. 

In  the  early  days  sheepmen  came  into  conflict  with  cattle  growers,  but 
sheep  raising  nevertheless  expanded  rapidly  until,  in  1901,  there  were 
6,000,000  sheep  in  the  State.  The  inability  of  sheep  raising  to  adapt  itself 
to  a  limited  range  brought  a  decline  when  homesteading  began,  but  the 
abandonment  of  many  farms  during  the  drought  of  the  1930'$  again  made 
room  for  sheep.  In  1936  there  were  3,405,000  head,  and  Montana  ranked 
second  to  Texas  in  wool  production,  with  a  crop  of  30,343,000  pounds. 
Large  bands  (10,000  to  40,000)  are  kept  near  Billings,  Dillon,  and  Deer 
Lodge,  smaller  ones  in  nearly  every  county.  In  all,  3,000  herders  are  em- 
ployed. Of  the  wool  markets  in  the  State,  Dillon  is  the  largest  concentra- 
tion point. 

In  the  1890*5  and  early  1900*5  important  horse  ranches  were  operated 
in  the  Gallatin  and  Beaverhead  Valleys  and  in  the  breaks  of  Phillips  and 
Valley  Counties.  Marcus  Daly's  ranch  in  the  Bitterroot  drew  national  at- 
tention as  a  producer  of  blooded  horses  and  fine  livestock.  Montana  now 
has  only  half  as  many  horses  as  in  1919,  but  many  dry-land  farmers,  dis- 
appointed with  the  results  of  power  farming,  are  turning  back  to  them, 
and  prices  show  an  upward  trend.  In  1936  horses  and  mules  together 
totaled  316,000. 

Most  farms  have  at  least  a  small  flock  of  poultry.  Emphasis  is  on  egg 
production  in  the  western  counties  and  on  market  poultry  in  the  plains 
area.  In  1934  egg  production  exceeded  12,000,000  dozen.  Turkeys  have 
become  popular  in  the  northeastern  counties,  where  they  add  considerably 
to  the  autumn  and  winter  income  on  farms.  The  growers  ship  coopera- 
tively through  turkey  marketing  associations,  thereby  effecting  large  sav- 


AGRICULTURE  67 

ings  in  transportation.  In  1935  these  shipping  pools  sold  about  1,200,000 
pounds,  or  half  the  State's  turkey  crop. 

Reports  for  the  1935-6  marketing  season  showed  161  farmers'  selling, 
buying,  and  service  associations.  Their  membership  was  estimated  at  28,- 
980,  and  their  volume  of  business  at  $17,740,000. 


lEFORE  metal  mining  became  a  large  scale  enterprise  in  Montana,  the 
miner  was  his  own  boss.  He  staked  his  claim,  bought  or  built  his 
equipment,  panned  his  pay  dirt,  and  put  the  product  of  his  labor  into  his 
own  poke.  But  when  the  excitement  of  rich  placer  discoveries  began  to 
fade — when  silver,  and  then  copper,  engaged  the  attention  of  capital — 
the  position  of  the  individual  worker  changed.  He  lacked  capital  and 
equipment  to  compete  with  promoters.  The  primitive  tools  that  had  served 
well  enough  for  recovering  gold  were  not  adequate  for  separating  copper 
and  silver  from  the  earth.  While  men  of  greater  means  built  or  financed 
the  machinery  of  production,  and  thus  controlled  this  vast  natural  store  of 
wealth,  the  worker  took  wages  instead  of  metal  for  his  labors. 

From  its  small  beginnings  in  the  late  sixties,  silver  mining  grew  to 
large  proportions  after  1875,  employing  mill  and  furnace  workers  as  well 
as  miners.  By  the  time  copper  production  on  a  modest  scale  began,  Mon- 
tana labor  had  become  conscious  of  its  organized  strength  and  its  part  in 
the  life  of  the  commonwealth.  The  Knights  of  Labor  were  represented  in 
the  Territory  before  1878  by  a  few  scattered  assemblies.  An  organization 
in  modern  trade  union  form  began  its  existence  on  June  13,  1878,  when 
less  than  a  hundred  miners,  many  of  whom  had  followed  Marcus  Daly  to 
Butte  from  the  silver  mines  of  Nevada,  joined  forces  to  prevent  a  threat- 
ened wage  reduction.  In  1881  the  organization  became  known  as  the 
Butte  Miners'  Union.  Though  born  during  the  silver  era,  it  grew  up  with 
the  copper  industry,  and  soon  became  the  largest  and  strongest  association 
of  metal  miners  in  the  West,  with  a  membership  that  exceeded  8,000  in 
its  best  years  (1900—06).  A  base  wage  of  $3.50  a  day  for  all  under- 
ground mine  workers  became  the  union's  unyielding  minimum  standard. 
In  1895  the  Butte  Trades  and  Labor  Council  was  formed. 

The  foothold  gained  by  Montana  miners  encouraged  other  western 
labor  groups.  In  Idaho's  Coeur  d'Alene  district  in  1892  a  bitter  strike  had 
been  suppressed  by  the  State  militia,  and  its  leaders  thrown  into  bull  pens. 
Twelve  of  them,  while  serving  additional  jail  sentences,  planned  a  new 
organization.  Forty  delegates  from  the  metal  mining  regions  of  Colorado, 

68 


LABOR  69 

South  Dakota,  Idaho,  and  Montana,  including  some  of  the  Idaho  strike 
leaders,  met  in  Butte  to  organize  mill  and  smelter  workers  and  engineers. 
On  May  15,  1893,  they  founded  the  Western  Federation  of  Miners.  A 
month  later  the  Federation  issued  its  first  charter  to  the  Butte  Miners' 
Union.  Federation  objectives  were  establishment  of  a  scale  of  wages  in 
just  proportion  to  the  risks  of  mine  employment,  passage  of  safety  laws, 
prohibition  of  child  labor,  and  removal  of  private  guards  from  the  mines. 
Arbitration  and  conciliation  rather  than  strikes  were  emphasized  in  Fed- 
eration tactics.  One  of  the  first  important  victories  gained  by  the  Federa- 
tion was  in  support  of  the  eight-hour  day.  In  1897  a  bill  embodying  the 
idea  was  urged  in  the  legislature  and  in  1901,  with  the  backing  of  the 
Western  Federation  of  Miners,  the  United  Mine  Workers,  and  other  labor 
organizations,  it  became  law. 

After  1894  the  Western  Federation  grew  steadily  in  membership  and 
influence.  It  affiliated  in  1896  with  the  American  Federation  of  Labor, 
but  withdrew  the  following  year,  disappointed  by  the  A.  F.  of  L.'s  failure 
to  send  material  support  to  a  Leadville,  Colorado,  mine  strike,  and  by  its 
seeming  indifference  to  the  problems  of  labor  in  the  mountain  States.  Ed 
Boyce,  president  of  the  Western  Federation,  was  determined  to  organize 
the  large  numbers  of  unskilled  and  ill-paid  workers  in  the  whole  region 
lying  west  of  the  Mississippi,  and  to  that  end  he  launched  the  Western 
Labor  Union  in  1898,  known  shortly  thereafter  as  the  American  Labor 
Union. 

Meanwhile,  in  Butte,  the  Miners'  Union  took  advantage  of  a  divided 
enemy.  Employers,  badly  in  need  of  labor's  help  in  their  wars  with  one 
another,  encouraged  the  unions  and  openly  courted  union  leaders.  When 
the  union  asked  W.  A.  Clark,  one  of  the  three  copper  magnates  who 
dominated  Butte,  to  accept  the  eight-hour  day,  with  no  reduction  of  wages, 
Clark  at  first  protested  that  he  could  not  operate  his  mines  on  such  a 
schedule.  He  changed  his  mind  when  Dan  McDonald  of  the  union  con- 
vinced him  that  this  was  his  chance  to  become  the  most  popular  man  in 
Butte,  and  that,  if  he  failed  to  grasp  it,  his  rival  F.  Augustus  Heinze, 
would  take  the  advantage.  Clark  and  Heinze  not  only  yielded  to  the  de- 
mand, but  hastened  to  compliment  the  miners  upon  their  progressive 
spirit,  thus  stealing  a  march  on  Marcus  Daly,  who  shared  the  third  con- 
trolling interest  with  the  Standard  Oil  Company. 

In  his  Comical  History  of  Montana  (1912),  Jerre  C.  Murphy,  editor  of 
the  Butte  Inter-Mountain,  declared  that  Butte  was  for  a  time  "the  strong- 
est union  town  on  earth,"  a  place  in  which  no  employment  was  possible 
for  a  man  who  did  not  belong  to  one  or  another  of  the  recognized  work- 


70  MONTANA:  THE  GENERAL  BACKGROUND 

ers'  groups.  Everything  was  organized;  there  was  even  a  chimney  sweeps' 
union  composed  of  two  chimney  sweeps.  Unclassified  wage  earners  made 
up  the  membership  of  a  general  "Workingman's  Union,"  which  once  con- 
sidered the  advisability  of  declaring  a  boycott  against  the  cemetery  be- 
cause the  gravedigger  was  unable  to  obtain  certain  concessions.  Union 
terminology  became  the  common  language.  When  a  visiting  salesman 
contradicted  some  statement  made  by  a  local  political  spellbinder,  the 
speaker  demanded,  "Who's  paying  you  for  talking?"  "Nobody,"  said  the 
salesman,  highly  offended.  "Then  you're  scabbing  the  job!"  cried  the 
speaker. 

At  the  1904  convention  of  the  Western  Federation  of  Miners,  the  dele- 
gates, believing  in  unity  for  militant  industrial  organizations,  proposed  a 
merger  of  the  American  Labor  Union  and  the  American  Federation  of 
Labor,  but  neither  side  responded  favorably.  The  following  year  the 
Western  Federation  of  Miners  met  in  Chicago  with  several  independent 
groups  and  individuals,  including  the  Socialist  Trade  and  Labor  Alliance, 
and  formed  the  Industrial  Workers  of  the  World.  The  I.  W.  W.  imme- 
diately declared  itself  the  implacable  enemy  of  the  entire  capitalistic  sys- 
tem, and  at  the  same  time  came  out  strongly  for  the  industrial  idea  in 
union  organization,  as  opposed  to  the  craft-union  structure  of  the  A.  F. 
of  L.  Although  the  Western  Federation  of  Miners  endorsed  this  industrial 
policy,  it  soon  became  dissatisfied  with  the  I.  W.  W.  The  published  aims 
of  the  I.  W.  W.,  its  program  of  direct  action,  and  its  determination  to 
make  converts  of  all  other  labor  organizations  precipitated  many  con- 
flicts. In  1907  the  kidnapping  and  trial  of  Charles  H.  Moyer,  Bill  Hay- 
wood,  and  George  Pettibone,  Federation  officers,  on  charges  of  murdering 
ex-Governor  Steunenberg,  of  Idaho,  widened  the  breach  between  the  Fed- 
eration and  I.  W.  W.  Although  the  men  were  acquitted,  partly  through 
the  strong  defense  efforts  of  the  latter,  the  Federation  nevertheless  re- 
sented its  association  in  the  public  mind  with  the  left-wing  group. 

In  1906  F.  A.  Heinze  sold  out  his  Butte  interests  to  the  Amalgamated 
Copper  Company,  and  the  Amalgamated  alone  assumed  command  of  em- 
ployer strategy  in  the  copper  city.  Under  a  5 -year  contract  signed  with  the 
Butte  Miners'  Union,  wages  were  at  that  time  computed  according  to  the 
price  of  copper  for  the  calendar  month.  When  the  price  exceeded  18 
cents,  the  pay  of  underground  men  was  $4  a  day;  at  less  than  18  cents,  it 
dropped  to  $3.50.  The  8-hour  day  remained  effective.  Although  the  West- 
ern Federation  of  Miners  opposed  time  contracts,  and  declared  this  one 
void,  the  Butte  local  held  fast.  The  employers  disregarded  the  contract. 
Thousands  of  men  were  thrown  out  of  work  when  the  late  1907  slump 


LABOR  71 

hit  the  copper  industry.  When  activity  was  resumed,  the  wage  rate  per 
day  was  not  reduced,  but  the  plan  of  part-time  work  adopted  by  the  cop- 
per interests  lowered  monthly  income  as  much  as  40  percent  in  some 
cases.  At  the  time  union  officials  charged  that  low-price,  unskilled  labor 
was  brought  in  to  take  the  places  of  experienced  miners. 

In  industries  other  than  metal  mining  and  smelting  1907  was  a  year  of 
widespread  strikes.  Telephone,  telegraph,  and  street  railway  employees, 
janitors,  meat  cutters,  teamsters,  waiters,  drug  clerks,  and  machinists  went 
out  early  in  the  year,  and  a  strike  of  Butte  and  Anaconda  printers,  press- 
men, and  stereotypers  left  both  cities  without  newspapers  for  six  weeks. 
The  chief  demand  of  the  strikers  was  for  higher  wages. 

Recognizing  that  a  profound  change  had  come  about  in  the  labor  situ- 
ation in  Butte,  the  more  radical  elements  in  the  Miners'  Union  expressed 
their  dissatisfaction  in  the  union  elections  of  1907  and  1909,  and  new 
officials  were  put  in  charge  of  the  organization.  A  brother  union,  Local  83, 
made  up  of  mining  engineers,  then  tried  to  withdraw  from  the  W.  F. 
of  M.  To  prevent  their  desertion,  the  Miners'  Union  instructed  the  engi- 
neers to  present  paid-up  membership  cards  in  Local  83  when  they  came  to 
work  in  the  Butte  mines.  Enforcement  of  this  rule  by  the  Miners'  Union 
stopped  mining  operations  for  three  days. 

In  the  winter  of  1909—10,  switchmen  on  the  Great  Northern  Railway 
went  out  on  strike,  and  it  became  impossible  to  move  supplies  in  the 
Great  Falls  area.  The  railroad  and  copper  interests,  acting  together,  at- 
tempted to  have  miners  and  smeltermen  act  as  switchmen,  but  the  Butte 
Miners'  Union,  after  consideration,  adopted  resolutions  of  sympathy  with 
the  strikers.  Thereupon  John  D.  Ryan,  acting  for  the  employers,  threatened 
a  shut-down  in  Butte,  to  begin  January  i  and  continue  for  six  months, 
unless  the  miners  consented  to  aid  the  railroad.  The  angry  miners  met, 
5,000  strong,  and  voted  to  stand  firm.  The  shut-down  order  was  rescinded. 

In  1911  the  Western  Federation  of  Miners  reaffiliated  with  the  Amer- 
ican Federation  of  Labor.  The  following  year,  the  Miners'  Union,  once 
more  under  conservative  leadership,  signed  a  new  contract  with  the 
copper  company.  Wages  again  were  fixed  by  the  price  of  copper,  being 
$4.25  a  day  when  the  price  reached  18  cents  and  $3.50  when  it  fell  below 
15  cents.  The  mines  adopted  the  "rustling  card"  system  under  which 
company-owned  employment  offices  issued  cards  granting  permission  to 
"rustle"  (ask  for  work)  at  the  mines.  Before  a  card  could  be  issued,  the 
applicant  was  required  to  give  his  personal  history.  Upon  taking  a  job  he 
had  to  surrender  his  card. 

In  the  union  elections  of  1912,  a  Central  Committee  for  Industrial 


72  MONTANA:    THE    GENERAL    BACKGROUND 

Union  Organization  nominated  a  ticket  in  opposition  to  the  conservative 
leaders  headed  by  Charles  H.  Moyer,  president,  and  charged  the  conserva- 
tives with  election  frauds ;  willingness  to  make  a  deal  on  company  terms ; 
official  inaction  when  several  hundred  Socialist  miners  were  discharged; 
and  refusal  to  fight  the  "rustling  card"  system  after  the  miners  had  con- 
demned it.  The  charges  were  voiced  by  Thomas  Campbell  at  the  1912  con- 
vention, but  the  convention  rejected  them  and  expelled  Campbell  from 
the  Federation. 

Bitterness  intensified  in  1914,  to  some  extent  because  of  the  unsatisfac- 
tory ending  of  the  Calumet  strike  in  Michigan  the  year  before.  It  found 
expression  in  a  referendum  vote  of  Butte  miners  that  overwhelmingly  re- 
pudiated the  Moyer  group  and  its  policies.  The  majority  withdrew  from 
the  Butte  Miners'  Union  and  formed  an  independent  organization  of 
4,000  members  called  the  Butte  Mine  Workers'  Union.  Hostilities  with 
the  older  union  culminated  in  rioting,  gunfire,  and  death.  The  acting 
mayor  and  several  policemen  were  injured.  Moyer  appealed  to  the  Gov- 
ernor for  protection  from  violence,  and  his  appeal,  taken  by  the  opposi- 
tion as  a  call  for  troops,  enraged  them  more.  Governor  Stewart  offered  to 
mediate  between  the  two  factions,  but  the  new  union  refused. 

A  demand  that  all  miners  carry  its  membership  cards  was  the  first  step 
of  the  new  union  to  gain  control  of  employment  in  the  Butte  district. 
Unknown  persons  dynamited  Union  Hall  on  June  23,  and  Moyer  and 
other  officials  of  the  old  union  fled  from  Butte.  A  miners'  court  met  on  the 
flat  at  the  southern  limits  of  Butte,  tried  several  prominent  figures  of  the 
Western  Federation  of  Miners  on  the  charge  of  having  acted  as  employers' 
agents  and  warned  them  to  leave  town.  During  this  time,  a  mine  employ- 
ment office  was  blown  up.  Following  this  incident,  the  mine  operators 
asked  for  martial  law.  They  closed  the  mines  for  two  days,  stopped  all 
negotiations  with  organized  labor,  and  under  the  protection  of  martial  law 
established  the  open  shop.  Mucky  McDonald  and  Joe  Bradley,  the  president 
and  vice  president  of  the  Mine  Workers'  Union,  were  sentenced  to  prison 
for  3  to  5  years.  On  charges  preferred  by  members  of  the  older  union,  the 
mayor  and  sheriff  were  removed  from  office  for  allegedly  failing  to  perform 
their  duties.  An  effort  to  amalgamate  the  unions  came  to  nothing,  and  the 
open  shop  prevailed  in  Butte  copper  mines  and  plants  from  1914  to  1934. 

Some  years  before  the  beginning  of  the  1912-14  troubles  in  Butte  the 
I.  W.  W.  had  turned  to  organizing  miners  and  migratory  workers  in  lum- 
ber and  construction  camps  and  in  the  agricultural  regions.  Their  plan 
called  for  unions  of  unskilled  and  skilled  workers  of  every  category.  The 
local  unions  were  to  be  united  in  national  industrial  unions,  controlled  by 


fci 


"RUSTLERS 


annual  conventions  and  an  executive  board.  As  the  I.  W.  W.  grew,  it  be- 
came the  outstanding  expression  of  labor's  dissatisfaction  with  a  leader- 
ship that  seemed  to  many  workers  as  unintelligent  and  untrustworthy — 
the  most  formidable  rank-and-file  revolt  of  the  prewar  and  World  War 
periods.  It  demanded  immediate  working-class  victories,  and  its  tactics 
included  the  deliberate  slowing  down  of  production  and  the  quick  or  sur- 
prise strike — methods  that  terrified  employers,  politicians,  and  conserva- 
tive union  leaders  alike. 

In  June  1917  fire  broke  out  on  the  2,400  foot  level  of  the  Speculator 
Mine  in  Butte  and  killed  164  men  by  suffocation.  The  electricians  em- 
ployed in  the  mines  immediately  struck,  and  when  the  work  of  the  elec- 
tricians was  undertaken  by  others,  the  metal  trades  workers  also  went  out. 
A  joint  strike  committee  was  formed,  which  demanded  the  dismissal  of 
the  State  mine  inspector,  observance  of  the  mining  laws,  abolition  of 
"rustling  cards,"  and  the  increase  of  wages  from  $4.75  to  $6  a  day.  Promi- 
nent in  the  councils  of  the  strikers  were  members  of  the  I.  W.  W.  and 


74  MONTANA:  THE  GENERAL  BACKGROUND 

former  members  of  the  defunct  Western  Federation  of  Miners,  whose 
remnants  were  held  together  in  the  International  Union  of  Mine,  Mill, 
and  Smelter  Workers. 

Again  Butte  was  placed  under  martial  law,  and  Federal  troops  patrolled 
the  streets  leading  to  the  mines.  Vigilante  organizations  attacked  the  min- 
ers and  their  allies;  newspapers  whipped  public  excitement  into  hysteria; 
W.  A.  Clark  declared  that  he  would  rather  flood  his  mines  than  recognize 
the  union.  The  war  with  Germany  was  in  progress,  and  there  was  wild 
talk  of  anarchists  and  pro-Germans.  A  mass  meeting  of  strikers  petitioned 
the  Government  to  take  over  the  mines,  "so  that  the  miners  may  give 
prompt  and  practical  evidence  of  their  patriotism,"  and  Congresswoman 
Jeannette  Rankin,  in  a  speech  to  the  strikers,  said  that  if  the  owners  could 
not  operate  the  mines  the  Government  could. 

In  the  early  morning  of  August  i,  1917,  a  crowd  of  gunmen  broke  into 
the  room  of  Frank  Little,  bedridden  I.  W.  W.  organizer,  who  had  de- 
nounced the  troops  in  Butte  as  "scabs  in  uniform."  They  forced  him  to  the 
street,  fastened  him  with  rope  behind  an  automobile,  and  dragged  him 
through  the  city.  His  body  was  left  hanging  from  a  railroad  trestle.  Pinned 
to  his  clothing  was  a  card  bearing  the  vigilante  sign  "3-7-77"  (the  dimen- 
sions of  a  burial  pit)  and  the  initials  "LDSM." 

On  July  25  the  operators  had  announced  a  new  sliding  scale  of  wages 
which  would  have  raised  miners'  pay  on  that  date  to  $5.25;  but  they  re- 
fused to  give  up  "rustling  cards,"  and  the  settlement  was  rejected.  On 
August  24  the  smeltermen  at  Anaconda  struck,  and  an  almost  complete 
shut-down  of  Butte  mines  and  of  the  Great  Falls  reduction  works  fol- 
lowed immediately.  Two  weeks  later  the  smeltermen  and  about  half  the 
Butte  miners  accepted  a  5o-cent  wage  increase  and  some  concessions  on 
working  conditions,  and  returned  to  work.  The  strike  ended  officially  in 
December  1917.  Martial  law,  however,  remained  in  force  for  more  than 
a  year  longer. 

The  first  revok  of  lumber  workers  organized  by  the  I.  W.  W.  took  place 
in  1917  at  Eureka,  in  northwestern  Montana.  The  men  demanded  wages 
of  $60  per  month,  an  8-hour  day,  Sunday  and  holiday  freedom,  sanitary 
kitchens  and  sleeping  quarters,  and  other  concessions.  Some  of  these  con- 
cessions, including  the  8-hour  day,  later  became  law.  During  the  same 
period  and  for  several  years  to  follow,  the  "wobblies"  were  prominent 
among  migratory  agricultural  workers  in  the  central  and  eastern  parts  of 
the  State,  where,  during  the  rush  season  of  harvesting  and  threshing,  a 
working  day  of  15  hours  or  more  had  not  been  unusual.  Partly  as  a  result 
of  their  activities  the  lo-hour  day  became  standard  in  most  Montana  farm 


LABOR  75 

areas,  while  wages  were  considerably  increased.  In  Butte,  however,  the 
influence  of  the  I.  W.  W.  declined  with  the  failure  of  a  strike  in  February 
1919,  which  was  broken  by  troops  and  special  deputies  after  only  u  days. 
The  strike  had  been  called  to  protest  a  wage  reduction  of  $i  a  day  in  the 
Anaconda  and  Great  Falls  reduction  plants  following  the  postwar  collapse 
of  the  copper  market.  Another  strike  followed  in  1920,  and  on  August  21 
of  that  year  two  men  were  killed  and  nineteen  wounded  when  gunmen 
fired  into  a  picket  line  on  the  Anaconda  road  near  the  Butte  city  limits. 

The  suppressive  measures  taken  by  authorities  in  Butte  were  similar  to 
those  used  against  the  I.  W.  W.  elsewhere  in  the  United  States.  War- 
time prosecutors  accused  the  I.  W.  W.  of  taking  pay  and  instructions  from 
German  agents,  and  of  disrupting  necessary  industrial  operations.  I.  W.  W. 
records  were  confiscated  and  destroyed,  and  members  were  jailed,  threat- 
ened with  lynching,  and  driven  into  hiding.  In  Forsyth,  Judge  Crum  of 
the  District  Court  was  impeached  by  the  State  senate,  partly  for  insisting 
on  fair  and  humane  treatment  for  members  of  the  I.  W.  W.  jailed  in  his 
district.  The  1918  laws  against  criminal  syndicalism  helped  to  complete 
the  overthrow  of  the  organization.  After  1924,  little  more  than  the  name 
and  a  hangover  of  public  alarm  remained. 

During  the  20-year  period  that  ended  in  1934,  all  the  crafts  in  Butte 
maintained  their  organizations,  but  the  miners'  union  was  denied  recog- 
nition. To  its  record  of  working-class  defeats,  this  open-shop  period  added 
a  long  death  toll  from  accidents  and  industrial  diseases.  The  maintenance 
of  safety  and  health  had  always  presented  grave  problems  in  Butte.  Wil- 
liam D.  (Big  Bill)  Haywood,  the  militant  I.  W.  W.  leader,  wrote  of 
Butte  as  it  was  about  1900:  "There  was  no  verdure  of  any  kind;  it  had  all 
been  killed  by  the  fumes  and  smoke  of  the  burning  ore.  The  noxious 
gases  came  from  the  sulphur  that  was  allowed  to  burn  out  of  the  ore  be- 
fore it  was  sent  to  the  smelter.  It  was  so  poisonous  that  it  not  only  killed 
trees,  shrubs,  grass,  and  flowers,  but  cats  and  dogs  could  not  live  in  the 
city  of  Butte.  Housewives  complained  that  the  fumes  settling  on  the 
clothes  rotted  the  fiber  .  .  .  The  city  of  the  dead,  mostly  young  miners, 
was  almost  as  large  as  the  living  population  ..." 

Figures  on  mortality  in  the  copper  district  led  the  Bureau  of  Mines  and 
the  Public  Health  Service,  both  Federal  agencies,  to  begin  an  investiga- 
tion in  1916  of  working  conditions  there.  The  findings,  published  in 
1921,  represented  four  years  of  study  on  the  relation  of  underground  em- 
ployment to  pneumonia,  tuberculosis,  and  silicosis  (also  called  miners' 
consumption),  and  pointed  out  certain  hazards  to  which  miners  were  ex- 
posed. Shortly  after  the  Bureau  of  Mines  report  was  issued,  the  mining  com- 


76  MONTANA:  THE  GENERAL  BACKGROUND 

panics  announced  an  expenditure  of  several  million  dollars  for  the  in- 
stallation of  protective  devices.  A  later  report,  submitted  by  other  in- 
vestigators and  published  by  the  Bureau  in  1925,  stated: 

"Although  .  .  .  much  .  .  .  remains  to  be  done  .  .  .  attention  is  again 
called  to  the  advances  already  made — good  systems  of  mechanical  ventila- 
tion, wet  drilling,  fireproofing  at  shafts  and  stations  and  around  under- 
ground electrical  installations,  training  of  many  men  in  first  aid  and  use 
of  oxygen  breathing  apparatus,  and  the  building  of  an  organization  to  see 
that  improvements  are  properly  maintained." 

As  a  result  of  legislative  action  in  1937,  a  commission  was  established 
to  study  occupational  disease  in  Montana.  In  a  report  transmitted  to  Gov- 
ernor Ayers  in  January  1939,  the  commission  stated  that,  due  to  the  many 
improvements  resulting  from  the  recommendations  of  the  Bureau  of  Mines 
and  the  willingness  of  industrialists  to  install  the  recommended  improve- 
ments, much  of  the  danger  of  occupational  disease  had  been  eliminated; 
and  that  there  was  no  pressing  need  at  this  time  to  enact  further  workers' 
compensation  laws.  The  commission  recommended  the  establishment  of  an 
industrial  hygiene  division  within  the  State  department  of  health.  Such  a 
division  was  created  by  a  bill  passed  by  the  1939  legislature  and  enacted 
into  law  by  the  approval  of  Governor  Ayers. 

Many  improvements  followed  the  establishment  of  the  National  Recov- 
ery Administration  in  1933.  As  in  the  rest  of  the  Nation,  there  were  wage 
increases,  shortened  hours,  fuller  observance  of  safety  and  sanitary  regula- 
tions, and  a  new  freedom  for  workers  to  organize  without  fear  of  dis- 
crimination or  discharge.  Leaders  and  members  of  Montana  unions  im- 
mediately strengthened  their  organizations  and  prepared  to  turn  these 
favorable  conditions  to  good  account. 

In  May  1934  the  reorganized  International  Union  of  Mine,  Mill  and 
Smelter  Workers  in  Butte,  Anaconda,  and  Great  Falls  struck  and  restored 
the  closed  shop  in  the  Butte  mines.  The  strike,  which  lasted  until  Sep- 
tember, involved  all  the  crafts.  For  the  first  time  in  Butte's  history  the 
engineers  and  pump  men,  almost  indispensable  because  of  the  constant 
influx  of  water  in  the  mines  (see  BUTTE),  were  called  out.  In  addition 
to  the  closed  shop,  the  miners  won  a  basic  wage  of  $4.75  a  day,  with  a 
sliding  scale  of  increases  based  on  the  copper  price.  The  work  week  was 
fixed  at  40  hours,  and  weekly  paydays  were  adopted.  Later  in  the  year  the 
printers  at  Helena  won  wage  increases  after  striking  for  wages  equal  to 
those  paid  by  the  Great  Falls  papers. 

During  the  mine  strike  an  attempt  was  made  to  split  the  craft  unions 
away  from  the  industrial  unions  such  as  the  International  Union  of  Mine, 


LABOR  77 

Mill  and  Smelter  Workers.  In  a  New  York  conference  with  represent- 
atives of  the  copper  interests,  John  P.  Frey,  president  of  the  Metal  Trades 
Department  of  the  A.  F.  of  L.,  signed  an  agreement  for  some  of  the 
unions  without  consulting  the  membership.  The  agreement  was  rejected; 
the  discussions  that  followed  were  national  in  scope,  and  played  a  large 
part  in  laying  the  foundation  of  the  Committee  for  Industrial  Organiza- 
tion. 

The  victory  of  the  miners  at  Butte  and  of  the  printers  at  Helena  stim- 
ulated organization  throughout  the  State.  As  in  the  early  days,  Butte  was 
again  a  union  stronghold,  almost  100  percent  organized,  and  unions  in 
Great  Falls,  Anaconda,  Missoula,  Helena,  and  Kalispell  also  attained  a 
greater  effectiveness.  In  the  grazing  regions,  the  International  Sheep 
Shearers'  Union  strengthened  its  position.  The  passage  of  the  National 
Labor  Relations  Act  in  1935  and  the  establishment  under  it  of  the  Na- 
tional Labor  Relations  Board  stiffened  Government  support  of  organized 
labor  and  brought  legal  dignity  and  a  measure  of  justice  to  the  settlement 
of  labor-employer  differences.  With  the  rapid  growth  to  power  of  the 
Committee  for  Industrial  Organization  in  1937,  the  Mine,  Mill  and  Smel- 
ter Workers,  one  of  the  ten  original  member  unions,  took  steps  to  estab- 
lish a  State  C.  I.  O.  council.  The  organization  was  set  up  at  East  Helena 
on  August  22,  1937,  with  Archie  McLeod  of  the  Great  Falls  smeltermen 
as  president  and  Sylvester  Graham  of  the  Butte  Miners'  Union  as  secretary. 
The  change  from  A.  F.  of  L.  to  C.'  I.  O.  affiliation  among  the  industrially 
minded  Montana  unions  came  without  the  bitterness  that  attended  such 
changes  in  the  eastern  States.  C.  I.  O.  and  A.  F.  of  L.  unions  today  co- 
operate in  matters  affecting  the  general  welfare  of  Montana  labor. 

Unions  affiliated  with  the  American  Federation  of  Labor  are  strong 
throughout  Montana  in  the  service  crafts,  including  in  their  membership 
barbers,  retail  clerks,  and  restaurant  workers.  Other  affiliates  represent  the 
railway  shopmen,  building  trades  workers,  sheep  shearers,  and,  among 
the  white-collar  workers,  school  teachers. 

Organization  in  all  unions  has,  of  course,  been  carried  farthest  in 
Butte,  Great  Falls,  and  western  Montana  generally.  In  the  eastern  part  of 
the  State  there  has  been  little  organizing  except  in  the  building  trades 
and  among  the  sheep  shearers.  The  United  Cannery,  Agricultural,  Packing, 
and  Allied  Workers  (C.  I.  O.)  were  able  in  1937  to  organize  the  field 
workers.  The  sugar  refinery  workers,  organized  in  the  A.  F.  of  L.,  signed 
an  agreement  in  1938  with  the  Great  Western  Sugar  Company. 

In  many  small  towns  where  the  number  of  workers  is  limited  a  general 
union,  somewhat  like  the  old  "Workingman's  Union"  of  Butte,  includes 


j8  MONTANA:  THE  GENERAL  BACKGROUND 

all  the  trades.  In  Basin,  for  example,  clerks,  waiters,  and  even  teachers  are 
organized  in  the  International  Union  of  Mine,  Mill  and  Smelter  Workers. 
Beneath  this  phenomenon,  and  woven  into  the  intellectual  fabric  of  the 
whole  State,  is  a  consciousness  of  the  community  of  interests  of  all  types 
of  workers. 


>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 


Industry  and  Commerce 


says  that  Lewis  and  Clark  found  gold  in  the  Bitterroot 
JL  River  in  1805 ;  that  some  unnamed  person  found  traces  of  it  in  Mill 
Creek  near  Corvallis  in  1852,  the  year  of  the  real  discovery  by  Francois 
Finlay;  that  priests,  including  Father  De  Smet,  knew  of  the  existence  of 
the  metal  but  were  silent,  fearing  the  effects  of  a  gold  rush  upon  their 
charges,  the  Indians.  In  any  case,  nothing  was  done  about  it. 

From  the  time  of  Lewis  and  Clark  to  that  of  Francois  Finlay,  commer- 
cial enterprise  in  Montana  was  limited  to  the  fur  trade,  which  enriched 
the  traders,  helped  pave  the  way  for  settlement,  and  provided  much  of  the 
color  of  early  Montana  history,  but  also  robbed  the  future  State  of  much 
)f  its  wealth  of  wildlife.  By  1852  when  Finlay,  himself  a  trapper,  discov- 
ered gold  on  Gold  Creek,  west  of  Garrison,  the  fur  trade  was  nearly  fin- 
ished. When  Finlay's  discovery  was  confirmed  by  James  and  Granville 

lart  in  1859  an<^  followed  by  more  important  discoveries  at  Bannack 
(1862),  Virginia  City  (1863),  and  Last  Chance  (1864),  furs  were  for- 

tten  in  the  tumult  of  a  hundred  new  activities,  of  which  mining  at 
)nce  became  the  chief.  Trade  in  tools  and  supplies  became  highly  profit- 
ible  and  encouraged  trail  and  river  transportation.  Manufacturing  began 
is  crude  gristmills  and  ore  reduction  plants  were  devised.  One  of  the 
irliest  factories  was  the  arrastra,  or  primitive  gold  concentrator  of  the 
Spanish,  a  pit  in  which  dragging  boulders  ground  small  quantities  of  ore 
to  a  slime  that  was  later  treated  with  quicksilver. 

Placer  mining  was  soon  succeeded  by  lode  mining.  Famous  locations  of 
the  early  period  are  scattered  throughout  the  central  and  southern  moun- 
tains (see  Tours  1,  lA,  6,  8,  15,  16,  and  18).  After  1919  gold  production 
fell  to  about  70,000  ounces  a  year,  but  the  later  rise  in  the  price  of  gold 
revived  prospecting.  Many  old  mines  were  reopened,  and  the  operations 
of  regular  producers  were  enlarged.  Among  the  latter  are  the  Spring  Hill 
mine  in  Grizzly  Gulch  near  Helena,  the  Golden  Messenger  at  York,  and 
the  Ruby  Gulch  and  Little  Ben  mines  near  Zortman,  where  a  3oo-ton 
cyanide  mill  is  operated.  Small  lode  mines  were  developed  in  Madison  and 
Beaverhead  Counties.  During  the  middle  1930'$  dredging  yielded  good 

79 


8o  MONTANA:  THE  GENERAL  BACKGROUND 

returns  on  several  old  creek  bottoms,  including  Last  Chance  Gulch,  where 
a  machine  capable  of  handling  5,000  cubic  yards  of  gravel  a  day  was  put 
into  operation.  Montana's  1936  gold  production  was  $6,265,000.  Total 
production  between  1862  and  1938  was  something  like  $350,000,000. 

The  first  important  silver  mine  was  discovered  at  Butte  in  1865  by 
William  Farlin  (see  BUTTE).  After  1875,  when  William  A.  Clark  built 
a  ten-stamp  mill  and  a  furnace  at  Butte,  silver  was  the  leading  Montana 
metal  for  about  ten  years.  The  Butte  district  remained  the  largest  pro- 
ducer, but  rich  deposits  were  also  found  at  Philipsburg,  and  in  Powell, 
Cascade,  Jefferson,  Flathead,  Madison,  and  Beaverhead  Counties.  Silver 
mining  was  revived  by  high  prices  after  1933;  even  old  tailings  were 
worked  over  profitably  by  modern  methods.  The  1936  production  was 
$8,650,950;  altogether  Montana  has  produced  about  half  a  billion  dollars' 
worth  of  silver. 

In  1880  Marcus  Daly  began  mining  copper  at  Butte,  and  the  boss  in- 
dustry of  Montana  was  founded.  Copper  was  at  first  a  bitter  disappoint- 
ment to  the  miners,  yet  in  less  than  five  years  it  became  the  Territory's 
most  important  product,  and  made  Butte  the  center  around  which  its  in- 
dustrial life  revolved.  At  first  the  ore  was  shipped  to  Swansea,  Wales,  for 
smelting,  and  high  transportation  costs  forbade  handling  of  any  but  the 
richest  ores.  In  1884  a  plant  was  built  in  Butte  that  converted  500  tons  a 
day  into  a  rich  copper  concentrate  called  matte.  This  made  it  possible  to 
recover  lower  grade  ores  profitably,  but  the  matte  was  still  shipped  to 
Wales  for  further  refining.  The  first  fully  equipped  reduction  plant  was 
built  at  Anaconda  in  1892,  to  be  succeeded  ten  years  later  by  the  great 
Washoe  Smelter  (see  Tour  18) ;  at  the  same  time  (1892)  an  electrolytic 
copper  refinery  was  built  at  Great  Falls.  None  but  refined  copper  has 
since  been  shipped  out  of  the  State. 

With  the  building  of  the  wire  and  cable  mill  at  Great  Falls  in  1918 
(see  Tour  14)  the  Montana  copper  industry  was  rounded  out;  its  opera- 
tions thereafter  included  every  step  from  the  extraction  of  ore  to  the 
sale  of  finished  products. 

In  the  deep  Butte  mines  air-driven  drills  stutter  like  machine  guns  as 
they  bore  into  the  rock  half  a  mile  or  more  below  surface.  The  men  who 
operate  the  drills,  set  the  explosive  charges,  and  muck  (shovel)  the  ore 
into  chutes,  work  strenuously  and  often  under  trying  conditions.  Engi- 
neering specifications  provide  for  a  system  of  compressors  that  force  fresh 
air  through  pipe  lines  into  the  mines,  and  of  exhaust  fans  that  remove 
foul  air.  Because  of  oxidation  in  the  ore,  and  because  of  the  heat  of  the 


OLD-FASHIONED  PLACER  MINING 


water  that  seeps  into  the  mines,  temperatures  sometimes  reach  125°  F. 
Large  sums  of  money  are  spent  by  employers  and  union  authorities  in  help- 
ing the  men  learn  safe  working  methods  and  to  acquaint  them  with  first 
aid  practices.  Much  progress  has  been  made  in  improving  working  condi- 
tions. Many  methods  and  devices  for  the  protection  of  life  and  health 
among  the  7,000  miners  have  been  introduced.  Improvements  in  practice 
include  wet  drilling,  wetting  of  "muck  piles"  before  shoveling,  and  under- 
ground spraying.  Masks  have  also  been  tried.  Blasting  fills  the  workings 
with  fumes  that  remain  for  hours ;  therefore,  most  of  the  blasting  is  done 
between  shifts.  Electric  signal  systems  are  used  in  all  the  deep  mines. 

Butte  ore  is  delivered  to  the  Washoe  Smelter  at  the  rate  of  1,000  tons 
an  hour.  Here  3,500  men  guide  it  on  its  progress  through  great  ranks  of 
machines  and  furnaces  that  extract  the  metals  from  the  rock  with  scientific 
thoroughness  and  economy.  Sent  on  to  Great  Falls,  it  is  electrically  puri- 
fied (see  Tour  14).  Much  of  it  is  then  passed  through  dies  and  stranding 


82  MONTANA:    THE    GENERAL    BACKGROUND 

machines,  to  emerge  as  wire  and  cable  ready  for  the  market.  The  Great 
Falls  plants  employ  2,000  men. 

Between  1880  and  1938  fully  eleven  billion  pounds  of  Montana  copper 
were  produced.  Most  of  it  came  from  an  area  of  about  six  square  miles 
within  a  larger  area  which  also  produces  zinc,  silver,  manganese,  lead,  and 
gold;  but  there  are  recoverable  quantities  in  twenty-one  counties.  In  all, 
Silver  Bow  County,  in  which  are  the  Butte  mines,  has  produced  metals 
valued  at  more  than  $2,000,000,000.  The  1936  copper  production  was 
$20,112,850. 

Zinc,  like  copper,  comes  mostly  from  the  Butte  district.  Until  1916, 
zinc  in  combination  with  other  metals  was  a  nuisance.  Smelters  penalized 
such  ores  heavily;  when  the  quantity  of  zinc  was  more  than  6  percent  of 
metallic  content,  the  penalties  became  so  high  as  to  prohibit  refining.  It 
was  impossible  to  separate  cleanly  either  lead  and  zinc  or  zinc  and  copper 
in  commercial  volume,  as  their  specific  gravities  are  nearly  the  same.  Zinc 
in  lead  ore  tended  to  "freeze"  lead  furnaces  and  cause  large  quantities  of 
both  metals  to  be  lost  as  slag;  lead  in  zinc  had  the  same  effect  on  zinc 
furnaces.  Discovery  of  the  flotation  process  for  separately  concentrating 
these  refractory  ores,  and  development  of  the  electrolytic  method  of  re- 
fining, revolutionized  the  industry  by  making  it  profitable  to  mine  zinc 
ores  formerly  thought  worthless.  Annual  production  now  exceeds  a  hun- 
dred million  pounds. 

The  lead  concentrate  obtained  in  zinc  reduction  is  sent  to  the  smelter 
at  East  Helena.  The  zinc  is  roasted  at  the  Anaconda  or  Great  Falls  zinc 
plant,  then  dissolved  in  dilute  sulphuric  acid.  After  treatment  with  zinc 
dust,  to  precipitate  its  copper  and  cadmium,  the  solution  is  sent  to  elec- 
trolytic cells,  and  the  zinc  plated  out,  99.9  percent  pure. 

About  a  billion  pounds  of  lead  have  been  mined  in  Montana.  Cascade 
County  has  produced  up  to  three  million  pounds  in  a  single  year  (1928), 
Broadwater  half  as  much.  Mines  in  several  other  counties  yield  heavily. 
The  1936  production  was  37,332,000  pounds. 

The  smelter  at  East  Helena  refines  lead,  gold,  and  silver  ores  and  con- 
centrates and  zinc  plant  residues.  The  material  received  is  given  blast 
furnace  treatment ;  the  lead  is  sent  to  Omaha  for  removal  of  its  silver  and 
gold,  the  zinc  to  Great  Falls  for  electrolysis.  In  the  East  Helena  plant 
smoke  is  passed  through  3,000  woolen  bags,  which  filter  out  and  recover 
the  lead  fumes.  A  slag-fuming  plant  near  the  smelter  produces  from  zinc- 
bearing  slag  an  impure  zinc  oxide  for  electrolytic  treatment  at  Great  Falls. 

There  are  several  byproducts  of  smelting.  Arsenic  is  recovered  by  pass- 
ing furnace  gases  through  electric  dust  precipitators  and  settling  chambers 


'mmw- 


ORE  FROM  BUTTE  MINES 


on  their  way  to  the  smokestack.  Another  product  of  dust  treatment  is 
wood  preservative.  Sulphuric  acid  is  made  by  treating  sulphur  dust  from 
roasted  copper  concentrates  with  nitric  acid  and  then  spraying  it  with 
water.  Phosphate  rock  treated  with  sulphuric  acid  produces  liquid  phos- 
phoric acid  which,  mixed  with  more  phosphate  rock,  becomes  excellent 
fertilizer. 

A  foundry  at  Anaconda  makes  18,000,000  pounds  of  iron  castings  and 
200,000  pounds  of  brass  castings  yearly.  Brick  factories  are  operated  at 
Anaconda  and  Great  Falls. 

Montana  mines  produce  43  percent  of  the  Nation's  manganese,  most  of 
it  from  high-grade  ores  at  Butte  and  Philipsburg.  Since  manganese  is 
used  chiefly  in  the  making  of  steel  alloys,  most  of  the  ore  (25,000  tons 
annually)  is  shipped  to  markets  outside  the  State,  and  does  not  exert 
much  influence  on  local  manufactures;  a  separation  mill  is,  however,  op- 
erated intermittently  at  Philipsburg.  Considerable  quantities  of  the  pure 
Philipsburg  metal  are  used  in  making  batteries. 


84  MONTANA:  THE  GENERAL  BACKGROUND 

Nonmetals:  Factories  at  Hanover  in  Fergus  County  and  Trident  in 
Gallatin  County  make  500,000  barrels  of  cement  and  plaster  yearly  from 
outcrops  of  Carboniferous  and  Devonian  limestone  and  shale.  Gypsum, 
used  in  making  cement,  is  produced  in  several  central  counties;  lime  at 
Elliston,  Red  Lodge,  and  other  places;  phosphate  near  Garrison.  The 
annual  output  of  sand  and  gravel  used  in  construction  is  valued  at  some- 
thing like  $2,500,000. 

Granite  is  quarried  in  Lewis  and  Clark,  Silver  Bow,  Ravalli,  and  other 
mountain  counties;  sandstone,  at  Dillon,  Columbus,  and  Billings.  A 
black  dolomite  marked  with  golden  brown,  found  at  Townsend,  is  sold 
as  "black-and-gold  marble."  Travertine,  a  limy  hot  springs  deposit  at 
Gardiner  and  elsewhere,  was  placed  on  the  market  in  1932.  Madison 
County  produces  a  banded  siliceous  rock  used  in  interior  decoration. 

Vermiculite,  mined  at  Libby,  is  a  silicate  similar  to  black  mica  which, 
when  heated,  expands  tenfold  and  looks  worm-eaten  (hence  the  name). 
It  is  sold  as  "zonolite,"  an  insulating  material.  Calcite,  graphite,  asbestos, 
and  bentonite  are  produced  in  a  small  way. 

Gems:  Montana  produces  more  gem  sapphires  than  any  other  State. 
The  important  deposits  are  in  Rock  Creek,  Granite  County;  Yogo  Gulch, 
Judith  Basin  County;  and  Cottonwood  Creek,  Powell  County.  The  blue 
sapphires  from  Yogo  Gulch  are  often  large  and  of  great  brilliance  and 
depth  of  color.  A  few  green,  yellow,  red,  and  aquamarine  stones  have 
been  found.  Of  88,000  ounces  annually  recovered,  about  86,000  are  used 
in  watch  and  meter  bearings  and  for  other  mechanical  purposes. 

Rubies  occur  rarely  in  Cottonwood  and  upper  Rock  Creeks.  Garnets  are 
recovered  from  placer  gravels  in  the  Tobacco  Root  and  Ruby  Mountains. 
A  semi-precious  gem,  the  moss  agate,  is  made  handsome  by  dendritic 
growths  of  manganese  and  iron  oxide  that  form  effects  resembling  wooded 
landscapes  within  the  translucent  rock.  Found  in  the  gravels  of  Yellow- 
stone River  from  Livingston  to  Glendive,  it  is  cut  and  polished  at  Billings 
and  Miles  City. 

Mineral  Fuels:  The  vast  reserves  of  coal  in  the  plains  region  have 
hardly  been  touched,  though  2,500,000  tons  or  more  are  mined  every  year. 
Most  of  the  mines  are  small  developments  for  family  or  community  use; 
they  often  consist  of  only  one  narrow  tunnel  with  shallow  work  chambers 
on  both  sides,  and  are  quite  commonly  abandoned  for  newer  workings 
as  soon  as  caving  begins.  Larger  mines  range  from  relatively  lasting  shaft 
and  tunnel  developments  to  such  spectacular  operations  as  those  at  Col- 
strip  (see  Tour  1,  Sec.  a).  At  Roundup  and  Red  Lodge  bituminous  and 


INDUSTRY   AND   COMMERCE  85 

sub-bituminous  coal  is  taken  from  workings  that  tap  4  and  n  seams  re- 
spectively. Coal  of  greater  hardness  is  mined  at  Red  Lodge,  Bozeman,  and 
Great  Falls.  Comparatively  little  Montana  coal  is  used  for  industrial  pur- 
poses, partly  because  of  its  low  heating  power  and  high  ash  content  and 
partly  because  gas  is  more  convenient. 

Natural  gas  was  discovered  south  of  Glendive  in  1913,  and  oil  at  Elk 
Basin,  near  Red  Lodge,  two  years  later.  Since  then  15  fields  have  been 
found.  The  first  gas  field  remains  the  most  important,  producing  600,- 
000,000  cubic  feet  daily,  but  the  first  oil  field  has  long  been  surpassed 
in  production.  The  best  fields  are  in  the  Sweetgrass  Arch. 

The  Cut  Bank  field,  the  largest  producer,  runs  about  250,000  barrels  a 
month.  When  new,  the  Kevin-Sunburst  field  produced  more  than  560,000 
barrels  in  one  month,  but  its  wells  declined  four-fifths  within  a  year. 
Acid-treatment  later  increased  the  yield  of  some  wells  and  caused  several 
dry  holes  to  produce. 

In  the  Cut  Bank  field  wells  are  comparatively  deep,  averaging  2,900 
feet  as  against  the  1,500  feet  of  Kevin-Sunburst  wells.  The  oil,  easily  and 
cheaply  refined,  yields  36  percent  or  more  of  gasoline.  Both  fields  produce 
a  nearly  pure  methane  gas. 

The  Elk  Basin  and  Dry  Creek  fields  in  Carbon  County,  from  wells  more 
than  5,000  feet  deep,  produce  oil  of  such  quality  (60°  A.P.I.)  that  it 
can  be  used  in  internal  combustion  engines  without  refining.  The  Cat 
Creek  field  in  Petroleum  County  produces  from  relatively  shallow  wells 
(1,200  feet),  but  here,  too,  the  oil  is  of  high  quality  (50°  A.P.I.).  The 
initial  production  of  the  best  wells  was  more  than  3,000  barrels  a  day. 

The  chief  oil  refineries  are  the  skimming  and  topping  plants  at  or  near 
producing  fields;  the  absorption  plant,  for  converting  casing-head  gas,  at 
Cut  Bank ;  and  the  cracking  plants  at  Kevin,  Sunburst,  and  Great  Falls.  In 
the  first  the  gasoline  and  kerosene  are  simply  run  off;  what  remains  is 
fuel  oil.  More  gasoline  is  recovered  by  the  cracking  plants,  which  break 
down  the  molecules  of  oil  by  distillation  under  heat  and  pressure.  No 
lubricating  oil  is  refined  in  Montana. 

Farm  Product  Processing  and  Storing:  Sugar  refining,  the  largest  manu- 
facturing process  consequent  on  agriculture,  is  carried  on  at  Sidney, 
Billings,  Missoula,  and  Chinook.  The  large  Billings  factory  produces 
nearly  100  million  pounds  of  sugar  a  year,  from  320,000  tons  of  beets 
(see  BILLINGS). 

A  cannery  at  Billings  packs  garden  vegetables  and  pork  and  beans; 
others  in  the  agricultural  valleys  specialize  in  peas,  but  handle  minor 


86  MONTANA:    THE    GENERAL    BACKGROUND 

quantities  of  other  vegetables  and  fruits.  About  half  a  million  cases  are 
packed  yearly. 

Of  the  many  creameries  and  flour  mills  the  largest  are  at  Great  Falls, 
Billings,  and  Missoula.  The  products  of  flour  milling,  which  is  perhaps 
the  State's  oldest  manufacturing  enterprise,  are  worth  about  $17,000,000 
annually.  Factories  that  make  cheese,  ice  cream,  and  beverages  are  well 
distributed.  There  are  several  meat-packing  plants;  the  one  at  Great  Falls 
is  rated  the  largest  between  Minneapolis  and  Spokane. 

Every  village  in  the  wheat-growing  areas  has  grain  elevators.  Numerous 
warehouses  store  beans,  peas,  potatoes,  garden  vegetables,  and  wool. 

Lumber  and  Power:  As  an  employer,  the  lumber  industry  is  important, 
providing  6,000  jobs  in  normal  times.  Its  annual  output  varies  greatly; 
before  the  depression  of  the  1930*5  the  average  was  about  342,000,000 
board  feet  of  lumber  and  138,000,000  feet  of  mine  timbers,  ties,  poles, 
posts,  and  fuel  valued  at  more  than  $10,000,000  altogether.  In  1933  the 
lumber  cut  had  dropped  to  125,000,000  feet.  Two-fifths  of  the  State's 
lumber  comes  from  Flathead  County,  which  also  has  the  basis  of  a  large 
pulpwood  industry.  The  largest  sawmills  are  at  Bonner  and  Libby  (see 
Tours  2  and  8).  The  Bonner  mill's  annual  capacity  is  150,000,000  board 
feet.  In  some  of  the  larger  cities  are  factories  that  make  furniture  and  other 
finished  products. 

Power  plants  on  Montana's  rivers  generate  half  a  million  horsepower 
of  electric  energy,  less  than  one-fifth  of  the  potential  horsepower.  The 
largest  development  is  on  the  Missouri,  especially  at  Great  Falls  (see  Tour 
14)  and  at  Helena,  where  dams  have  formed  three  artificial  lakes;  but 
there  are  also  plants  on  the  Yellowstone,  Clark  Fork  of  the  Columbia,  and 
other  streams.  About  half  the  power  generated  is  used  by  the  metal  indus- 
try at  Butte,  Anaconda,  Great  Falls,  and  East  Helena.  Much  is  used  by 
coal  mines  and  railroads. 

Altogether,  Montana  manufacturers  in  1935  employed  9,539  wage  earn- 
ers, and  paid  them  $11,742,178.  The  total  value  of  the  products  made 
was  $124,778,215.  Much  of  this  total  was  contributed  by  enterprises  of 
modest  size  and  merely  local  importance;  most  of  them  were  concerned 
with  processing  of  farm  or  forest  products.  Minor  manufactured  products 
ranged  from  saddles  and  cigars  to  livestock  feed  and  lamp  posts. 

Fur  farms  in  western  and  southern  Montana  specialize  in  foxes,  musk- 
rats,  and  Chinchilla  rabbits.  A  farm  near  Kalispell,  besides  raising  its  own 
silver  foxes,  "finishes  off"  pups  for  Alaskan  fox  breeders.  All  native  fur 
bearers  are  bred  to  some  extent;  more  than  100,000  pelts  are  marketed 


if? 


JP 


ii  II 


BONNER  SAWMILL 


88  MONTANA:  THE  GENERAL  BACKGROUND 

each  year.  Montana  fur  farms,  it  is  believed,  eventually  will  supply  one- 
tenth  of  the  Nation's  demand. 

There  are  nurseries  and  greenhouses  in  all  the  important  centers.  Inr 
Lincoln  County  about  400,000  young  Douglas  firs  are  cut  annually  for; 
Christmas  trees. 


«<<<<«•«<<<<•<<<<<•&>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 


T  ransDor  ta  tion 


A. 


DURING  the  half  century  between  the  Lewis  and  Clark  expedition 
and  the  first  large  immigration,  Montana  was  an  almost  endless 
wilderness  inhabited  by  Indians  and  a  few  trappers  and  voyageurs,  who 
traveled  or  transported  in  canoes,  bullboats,  and  keelboats,  or  with  horses. 
The  Indians  were  accustomed  to  the  horse-  or  dog-drawn  travois,  two 
trailing  poles  bearing  a  sort  of  platform  of  hide  or  basketwork  for  goods. 
White  men  also  used  it  occasionally. 

Steamboats  appeared  on  the  Missouri  as  early  as  1832,  but  not  until 
1859  were  they  built  with  sufficiently  shallow  draft  to  reach  Fort  Benton. 
Navigation  was  very  difficult  on  the  Missouri:  the  tortuous  channel  was 
full  of  snags  and  sand  bars ;  and  the  waterstage,  influenced  by  storms  far 
up  in  the  mountains,  changed  rapidly.  A  steamboat  tied  up  for  the  night 
in  plenty  of  water  might  bump  bottom  by  morning.  With  navigation 
established  and  immigration  made  possible,  Fort  Benton  became  the  hub 
from  which  spread  stage  lines,  freight  roads,  and  pack  trails,  but  the  com- 
ing of  the  railroads  effaced  Fort  Benton  from  the  picture. 

Freight  also  entered  the  Territory  from  Corinne,  Utah,  by  bull  team, 
a  team  usually  consisting  of  five  yokes.  The  rate  was  8  cents  a  pound,  the 
speed  of  travel  with  well-shod  oxen  12  to  15  miles  a  day.  Delays  were 
frequent,  for  bulls  dropped  shoes,  and  the  stopping  of  one  team  halted 
the  train.  Many  a  stop  became  an  occasion  for  sampling  the  shipment  of 
whiskey,  invariably  a  part  of  the  load.  The  usual  method  was  to  start  a 
hoop  and  bore  a  hole,  draw  the  sample  and  replace  it  with  water,  then 
plug  the  hole  and  drive  back  the  hoop  to  conceal  the  evidence. 

The  tradition  of  the  "Great  American  Desert"  was  slow  to  die.  It  was 
gravely  suggested  that  camel  caravan  routes  into  Idaho  and  Montana  be 
established;  in  1856  Congress  actually  appropriated  $30,000  for  the 
purchase  of  camels  for  military  use  in  the  West.  Some  of  them  were 
brought  into  Montana  from  Nevada,  where  they  had  been  used  on  the 
California  trail.  But  pack  train  men  objected  that  a  camel's  back  was  no 
place  for  a  diamond  hitch  and  Montana  trails  no  place  for  a  camel's  feet. 
One  camel  was  mistaken  for  a  deformed  moose  by  a  white  hunter ;  others 

89 


90  MONTANA:  THE  GENERAL  BACKGROUND 

were  killed  by  Indians.  Those  remaining  stampeded  a  train  of  mules 
loaded  with  whiskey  for  the  gold  camps  of  Last  Chance  Gulch,  and  the 
whiskey  was  spilled.  Such  an  accident  was  more  than  enough  to  discredit 
camels  in  the  Montana  of  that  day. 

For  a  time  the  stagecoach  was  the  frontier's  best  answer  to  the  problem 
of  swifter  travel.  The  first  coaches  were  small  and  uncomfortable  four- 
horse  affairs  that  carried  mail,  express,  and  usually  a  bandit-bait  "treasure 
box"  to  which  only  station-masters  had  a  key.  The  driver's  duty  was  to 
the  goods  he  carried,  and  the  human  freight  could  take  care  of  itself. 
Trails  were  hazardous.  At  fords  the  water  often  rose  so  high  in  an  hour 
as  to  make  passage  impossible.  Concord  coaches  replaced  the  early  vehicles, 
to  be  replaced  in  turn  by  the  "jerky,"  an  unpleasant  contrivance  without 
springs  or  thoroughbraces. 

The  idea  of  a  trancontinental  railroad  had  received  considerable  atten- 
tion since  the  Oregon  migration,  the  Mormon  exodus,  and  the  California 
gold  rush,  but  not  until  1853  was  a  survey  made  of  a  northern  route  to 
the  coast.  From  Fort  Union  to  Helena  this  route  partly  coincides  with 
that  of  the  Great  Northern  Railway;  from  Helena  to  the  Idaho  boundary 
it  becomes  almost  exactly  the  road  of  the  Northern  Pacific. 

Aided  by  large  land  grants,  which  gave  to  the  company  twenty  alternate 
sections  per  mile  of  non-mineral  public  land  on  each  side  of  the  right-of- 
way  through  the  Territories,  the  Northern  Pacific  Railway  started  in 
1870  to  build  east  from  Puget  Sound  and  west  from  Duluth.  Before  con- 
struction reached  Montana,  the  panic  of  1873  bankrupted  the  company. 
The  Territorial  legislature  attempted  to  pass  a  bill  authorizing  counties 
along  the  route  to  borrow  construction  funds  for  the  Northern  Pacific.  It 
was  argued  that  Montana  was  already  paying  at  least  $1,500,000  a  year 
for  freighting  by  wagon  and  steamboat,  and  that  a  railroad  would  save 
half.  Submitted  to  the  people,  the  proposal  was  defeated  by  248  votes. 

Overland  travel  from  the  Union  Pacific  in  Utah  had  already  reduced  the 
long  Montana  trail  when,  in  1877,  tne  Utah  &  Northern  Railroad  Com- 
pany was  organized.  The  Utah  &  Northern  began  work  on  a  narrow  gauge 
line  from  Ogden.  Again  bills  were  introduced  to  provide  financial  aid 
and  were  defeated,  but  the  work  went  on.  In  a  race  with  the  reorganized 
Northern  Pacific,  the  Utah  &  Northern  won,  reaching  the  site  of  Dillon 
in  1880  and  Silver  Bow  in  1881.  Rebuilt  as  a  standard  gauge  line,  it  later 
became  the  Oregon  Short  Line,  now  a  part  of  the  Union  Pacific  system. 

The  Northern  Pacific  track-laying  gangs  crossed  the  eastern  boundary 
and  reached  Glendive  July  5,  1881.  Winter  halted  construction  at  Miles 
City,  but  the  following  summer  it  proceeded  rapidly  up  the  Yellowstone 


STAGECOACH 


n 


Valley  to  meet  the  crews  working  eastward.  The  last  3OO-mile  section  lay 
in  the  mountains,  and  the  work  included  construction  of  tunnels  under 
the  long  Bozeman  Pass  (3,654  feet)  and  Mullan  Pass  (3,875  feet),  at  an 
elevation  exceeding  5,500  feet.  In  a  faulted  section  of  the  Mullan  tunnel 
extraordinary  pressure  necessitated  constant  attention  to  timbering;  ex- 
perienced mining  men  from  Butte  had  to  finish  the  job.  At  Weeksville, 
northwest  of  Missoula,  a  shoulder  of  the  Cabinet  Mountains  jutted  across 
the  way  and  was  removed  only  by  extensive  blasting,  at  a  cost  of  life  to 
many  Chinese  coolies  on  the  job.  A  tent  city  near  the  scene  of  operations 
passed  into  the  control  of  toughs  who  terrorized  the  place  until  three  of 
their  leaders  (Dick  the  Diver,  Ohio  Dan,  and  the  Barber)  were  hanged. 
The  Barber,  a  cripple,  was  buried  where  he  died ;  his  crutches,  like  crosses, 
were  set  up  to  mark  his  grave. 

The  last  spike  was  driven  by  Henry  Villard,  Northern  Pacific  president, 
September  8,  1883,  near  Gold  Creek,  seven  miles  west  of  Garrison.  Dis- 
tinguished visitors  were  present,  and  the  hammer  strokes  were  recorded 
telegraph  in  New  York. 


92  MONTANA:  THE  GENERAL  BACKGROUND 

An  exciting  chapter  in  railroad  history  is  the  story  of  the  Great  North- 
ern, formed  of  the  combined  railroad  properties  acquired  by  James  J.  Hill 
and  his  associates,  with  additional  public  timber  and  mineral  domains  in 
Idaho,  Montana,  and  Washington,  obtained  through  an  Act  of  Congress 
in  1891.  Hill  bought  the  bankrupt  St.  Paul  &  Pacific  Railroad  in  1872 
and  reorganized  it  as  the  St.  Paul,  Minneapolis  &  Manitoba.  In  1886  he 
began  building  roadbed  and  bridges  from  Minot,  Dakota  Territory,  to 
Helena.  Missouri  River  steamboats  brought  up  the  equipment. 

Then  he  met  legal  obstacles.  He  could  not  build  through  the  great 
Indian  reservations  without  permission  from  Congress;  and  the  Northern 
Pacific  fought  bitterly  the  granting  of  such  permission.  Like  other  pro- 
moters of  his  time,  Hill  took  a  practical  view  of  political  matters.  By 
spring  of  1887  he  had  completed  one  of  the  numerous  campaigns  that 
made  him  "the  Jay  Gould  of  the  Northwest."  Meanwhile  he  had  stored 
great  quantities  of  material  at  Minot  and  was  ready  to  proceed.  His  track 
layers  entered  Montana  on  June  13  and  raced  up  the  Missouri  and  Milk 
River  Valleys,  laying  a  record  four  miles  of  track  a  day.  Reaching  Havre 
on  September  6,  they  turned  toward  Great  Falls  and  Helena  over  grades 
prepared  by  the  Montana  Central  Railroad,  also  controlled  by  Hill.  At 
Helena  a  forcible  attempt  was  made  to  prevent  their  building  across  the 
Northern  Pacific  right  of  way,  but  a  court  order  blocked  it. 

The  Montana  Central  was  extended  to  Butte  in  1889,  and  merged  with 
the  St.  Paul,  Minneapolis  &  Manitoba  to  form  the  Great  Northern.  Since 
the  long  swing  southward  was  not  suitable  for  a  transcontinental  line, 
John  F.  Stevens,  chief  engineer,  undertook  to  find  a  more  direct  way.  In 
December  1889  ^e  found  Marias  Pass,  the  lowest  (5,213  feet)  of  the 
passes  across  the  Continental  Divide.  The  result  was  a  main  route  almost 
unequalled  in  scenic  interest,  surmounting  the  Divide  along  the  south 
edge  of  what  became  Glacier  National  Park  and  winding  west  through 
some  of  the  greatest  mountains  and  forests  in  the  country. 

The  Chicago,  Milwaukee,  St.  Paul  &  Pacific  Railroad  began  construc- 
tion in  1906,  entering  Montana  near  Baker.  It  followed  a  route  through 
the  Musselshell  Valley,  reaching  Harlowton  in  1908.  From  Harlowton  to 
Lombard  and  to  Lewistown  it  used  the  tracks  of  the  old  Central  Montana 
Railroad,  known  as  the  "Jawbone  Line." 

The  history  of  this  now  important  part  of  the  system  is  diverting.  Not 
only  was  it  promoted  by  the  generous  use  of  "jawbone"  (promises  or 
talk),  but  its  builders  seemed  to  have  little  basis  for  their  hopes,  and  the 
public  enthusiasm  that  greeted  railroads  elsewhere  was  lacking.  Soon  after 
its  completion,  the  Northern  Pacific  requested  a  timetable  of  the  new  road 


FIRST  TRAIN  AND  LAST  SPIKE 


to  incorporate  in  its  own.  "There  were  no  towns  on  the  line,"  said  Richard 
Harlow,  president  of  the  Jawbone,  "nor  .  .  .  any  provocation  for  towns, 
but  ...  I  drew  up  a  schedule  and  located  .  .  .  plenty  of  them.  Two  young 
ladies  [Fan  and  Lulu]  were  visiting  at  my  house.  On  the  timetable  you 
will  find  .  .  .  Fanalulu  just  below  .  .  .  Ringling." 

The  Milwaukee  crossed  the  Continental  Divide  through  a  2,290-foot 
tunnel  under  Pipestone  Pass,  and  the  Bitterroot  Range  into  Idaho  through 
St.  Paul  Pass  Tunnel,  8,771  feet  long.  At  the  Montana  end  of  the  tunnel, 
construction  gangs  built  Taft  camp,  which  became,  like  Weeksville  on 
the  Northern  Pacific,  a  wild  and  lawless  place ;  a  thaw  once  disclosed  fif- 
teen corpses  scattered  along  the  trail  to  the  tunnel's  mouth.  A  fire  in  the 
winter  of  1909-10  reduced  the  camp  to  only  three  small  frame  structures. 

The  Milwaukee,  built  across  Montana  by  a  difficult  route,  was  the  first 
great  railroad  to  use  electric  power  extensively.  Its  entire  438-mile  Rocky 
Mountain  section  (Harlowton  to  Avery,  Idaho)  is  electrically  operated. 

In  1894  the  Chicago,  Burlington  &  Quincy  Railroad,  also  reaching  to- 
ward the  Pacific,  built  a  line  from  the  Wyoming  boundary  to  Huntley, 
east  of  Billings.  But  in  1901  the  Northern  Pacific  and  Great  Northern 
jointly  bought  control  of  it,  to  prevent  construction  of  a  fourth  line 


EAST  SIDE  TUNNEL,  GOING-TO-THE-SUN 


through  the  State.  A  branch  from  Frannie,  Wyoming,  to  Fromberg,  built 
in  1911,  links  both  railroads  with  the  Burlington's  Denver  line.  In  1935 
Montana  had  5,194  miles  of  railroad,  a  mileage  greater  than  that  of  any 
other  Rocky  Mountain  State. 

Because  its  topography  is  difficult,  its  distances  vast,  and  its  population 
small,  Montana  was  slow  to  build  a  modern  highway  system.  Up  to  1919, 
before  the  first  grant  of  Federal  aid,  Montana  roads  were  crude  trails, 
amazingly  smooth  when  well-worn,  but  winding  and  unsuited  to  speed 
and  hea\jy  hauling.  The  first  highway  (1923)  consisted  of  26  miles  of 
concrete  pavement  between  Butte  and  Anaconda. 

The  State  today  is  crisscrossed  with  a  network  of  roads  reaching  every 
habitable  place.  Eleven  highways  (5,012  miles)  are  included  in  the  Fed- 
eral trunk  road  system.  Most  are  surfaced  with  oil,  the  remainder  with 
crushed  rock  or  gravel.  Thousands  of  miles  of  State  highways  supplement 
these.  Extraordinary  scenic  beauty  distinguishes  Montana  32  (Red  Lodge- 
Cooke)  and  the  spectacular  Going-to-the-Sun  Highway  across  Glacier 
National  Park.  The  former  rises  to  about  11,000  feet,  the  latter  to  6,700; 
and  when  it  is  remembered  that  road  construction  anywhere  in  Montana 
entails  heroic  labor,  the  building  of  these  two  seems  almost  miraculous. 
Both  were  planned  to  take  full  advantage  of  sightseeing  opportunities. 

Of  the  many  thousand  miles  of  unmarked  roads  and  trails,  6,500  miles 


TRANSPORTATION  95 

in  recent  years  have  been  built,  improved,  or  surfaced  by  the  Works 
Progress  Administration,  and  2,600  by  the  Civil  Works  and  the  Federal 
Emergency  Relief  Administrations.  The  young  men  of  the  Civilian  Con- 
servation Corps  have  built  many  fire  trails  in  national  forests. 

Growth  of  motor  freight  and  passenger  bus  lines  has  accompanied  high- 
way development.  Such  lines  now  have  a  large  part  in  local  and  inter- 
state passenger  business,  and  handle  the  bulk  of  local  small  freight.  Lower 
fares  and  frequent  service  have  greatly  increased  passenger  traffic.  Two  of 
the  railroads  have  replaced  short  branch  lines  with  bus  lines  of  their  own. 

The  first  mail,  passenger,  and  express  air  line  in  Montana  was  that  of 
National  Parks  Airways,  which  began  operations  August  i,  1928,  between 
Great  Falls  and  Salt  Lake  City.  In  1937  three  air  lines  served  the  State, 
each  having  connections  with  transcontinental  lines. 

One  line  serves  Great  Falls,  Helena,  Butte,  and,  in  summer,  Yellow- 
stone National  Park;  another  crosses  the  State  from  Glendive  to  Missoula 
on  the  Chicago-Seattle  flight;  the  third  connects  Billings  with  Denver 
and  Pueblo. 


<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<  & >>>>)>>>>>>>>>>>>> 


Education,  Religion,  and 


WHEN  two  messengers  of  the  Flathead  Indians  returned  to  their 
people  in  1840,  bringing  Father  Pierre  Jean  de  Smet  from  St. 
Louis,  they  introduced  the  learning  and  faith  of  an  accomplished  Jesuit 
missionary.  Father  de  Smet  called  two  priests  into  service  with  him.  In 
1841  they  founded  St.  Mary's  Mission  in  the  Bitterroot  Valley,  one  of  the 
first  efforts  of  the  "Black  Robes"  toward  establishing  an  instructed  and 
pious  society  in  Montana. 

Education 

Schools  were  started  at  Bannack  and  Nevada  City  in  1863;  it  is  un- 
certain which  was  first.  Lucia  Darling,  a  niece  of  Sidney  Edgerton,  first 
Governor  of  the  Territory,  taught  at  Bannack  and  Kate  Dunlap  at  Nevada 
City. 

"Bannack,"  wrote  Miss  Darling,  "was  tumultuous  and  rough,  the  head- 
quarters of  ...  highwaymen,  and  lawlessness  and  misrule  seemed  the  pre- 
vailing spirit  .  .  .  But  .  .  .  many  worthy  people  .  .  .  were  anxious  to  have 
their  children  in  school.  I  was  requested  to  take  charge.  .  .  ." 

Miss  Darling  opened  the  school  in  October  in  a  room  of  her  own 
home,  the  pupils  using  any  books  they  owned  or  could  borrow  from 
neighbors.  Twenty  children  attended  until  late  fall,  when  sessions  were 
suspended  because  of  cold.  They  were  resumed  in  the  spring,  and  the 
following  summer  Bannack  built  a  log  schoolhouse,  which  still  stands. 

Thomas  J.  Dimsdale,  an  Oxford  graduate  who  had  come  to  the  moun- 
tains seeking  a  cure  for  consumption,  taught  school  at  Virginia  City  in 
the  winter  of  1863-4.  Dimsdale,  author  of  The  Vigilantes  of  Montana, 
was  a  scholar  and  his  school  a  good  one,  according  to  the  diary  of  Gran- 
ville  Stuart.  All  the  town  children  attended,  paying  tuition  of  $2  a  week. 

An  Indian  boarding  school,  the  first  of  its  kind  in  the  Northwest, 


EDUCATION,    RELIGION,    AND   SOCIAL   WELFARE  97 

opened  in  1864  at  St.  Ignatius,  where  a  Jesuit  mission  had  been  organized 
ten  years  earlier.  Sisters  of  Providence  from  Montreal  traveled  by  way  of 
New  York,  the  Isthmus  of  Panama,  San  Francisco,  and  Vancouver  to  be- 
come its  teachers,  crossing  from  Walla  Walla  to  St.  Ignatius  on  horseback. 

Between  1865  and  1875,  numerous  Catholic  and  other  private  elemen- 
tary schools  were  opened  for  both  white  and  Indian  children.  Subscription 
wholly  or  partly  supported  many  early  schools,  including  those  at  Helena 
(January  1865)  and  at  Bozeman  (1865—66).  The  Bozeman  school  was 
housed  in  the  back  room  of  a  log  cabin;  the  earth  made  a  convenient 
floor  for  the  half-dozen  marble-playing  pupils,  who  could  scratch  rings 
in  it  with  a  stick. 

By  an  act  of  the  First  Legislative  Assembly,  in  1865,  a  school  system 
was  established  for  the  Territory.  Virginia  City,  the  first  community  to  or- 
ganize a  school  district  under  the  law,  opened  a  public  school  in  March 
1866  in  the  Union  Church,  a  log  building.  Other  towns  followed  its 
example.  The  first  formal  report  of  the  Territorial  school  commissioner 
(1868)  showed  2,000  pupils,  25  organized  districts,  and  15  schoolhouses. 

Judge  Cornelius  Hedges,  a  lawyer  who  came  to  Montana  from  Massa- 
chusetts in  1864,  is  credited  with  organizing  the  Territorial  school  system. 
For  five  years  after  his  appointment  as  Superintendent  of  Public  Instruc- 
tion in  1873,  he  traveled  by  stagecoach  and  horseback  over  an  area 
eighteen  times  as  large  as  his  native  State,  visiting  and  establishing  ele- 
mentary schools  of  high  standard. 

In  1893  the  State  legislature  created  a  State  board  of  education.  The 
State  College  at  Bozeman  began  its  work  in  the  same  year,  and  the  State 
University  at  Missoula  opened  two  years  later.  These  two,  together  with 
the  State  Normal  College  at  Dillon  (1897)  and  the  Montana  School  of 
Mines  at  Butte  (1900)  were  combined  to  form  the  University  of  Montana 
in  1916.  The  Eastern  State  Normal  School  at  Billings  and  the  Northern 
Montana  College  at  Havre  later  opened  as  units  of  the  university. 

Free  county  high  schools,  which  were  not  provided  for  in  the  original 
school  system,  were  established  in  1897  in  response  to  public  demand  for 
adequate  and  widespread  educational  facilities. 

Numerous  secondary  and  college  institutions  were  privately  sponsored, 
particularly  before  the  full  development  of  the  public  school  system. 
Montana  Collegiate  Institute  at  Deer  Lodge,  which  offered  a  course  of 
study  extending  from  primary  grades  through  college,  was  founded  by 
subscription  in  1878.  Four  years  later  it  was  taken  over  by  the  Presby- 
terian Church.  The  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  established  Montana 
Wesleyan  at  Helena  in  1888.  In  1923  the  two  institutions  merged  to  form 


98  MONTANA:    THE    GENERAL   BACKGROUND 

Intermountain  Union  College.  The  Billings  Polytechnic  Institute,  em- 
phasizing practical  vocational  training,  was  founded  by  Lewis  T.  Eaton 
and  his  brother  Dr.  Ernest  T.  Eaton  in  1907.  The  institute  is  supported 
by  an  endowment  fund,  and  employment  of  students  in  the  school  shops 
and  on  the  school  farm  is  part  of  its  program  (see  BILLINGS).  Inter- 
mountain  Union  College  moved  to  the  Billings  Institute  campus  when  the 
earthquake  of  1935  damaged  its  buildings  so  seriously  that  they  had  to  be 
abandoned.  The  two  institutions,  however,  maintain  their  separate  identities. 

Carroll  College  at  Helena  was  established  as  Mount  St.  Charles  College 
by  the  Catholic  Church  in  1909,  and  renamed  in  1931  in  honor  of  the 
late  Bishop  John  P.  Carroll.  A  college  for  women,  St.  Mary's  Institute  at 
Great  Falls,  and  parochial  grade  and  high  schools  in  the  principal  cities 
are  also  maintained  by  the  Catholic  Church. 

Professional  enthusiasm  among  teachers  was  evident  as  early  as  1882 
when  the  Territorial  Teachers'  Association  was  organized  at  Helena.  This 
organization  was  the  forerunner  of  the  Montana  Education  Association 
which  today  brings  school  problems  before  the  public  and  takes  an  active 
part  in  shaping  educational  policy. 

A  war  orphans'  educational  fund  was  established  by  law  in  1937,  to 
provide  educational  opportunities  for  children  of  sailors,  soldiers,  and 
marines  who  were  killed  in  the  World  War  or  who  died  from  other 
causes  between  April  1917  and  July  1921. 

According  to  data  issued  by  the  U.  S.  Office  of  Education,  Montana  has 
3,250  public  elementary  schools  and  215  public  high  schools  (1933-34). 
Approximately  2,000  of  its  schools  are  the  one-room  rural  type,  but 
there  is  a  gradual  trend  toward  consolidated  schools  and  transportation  of 
pupils  at  public  expense.  Attendance  figures  show  76,500  public  school 
pupils ;  8,000  private  and  parochial  school  pupils. 

Adult  education  is  gaining  momentum  and  several  high  schools  have 
night  school  terms  of  six  weeks  during  the  winter  months.  Courses  in 
practical  and  cultural  subjects  are  given;  Diesel  engineering  is  partic- 
ularly popular,  as  are  also  courses  in  business,  home  economics,  and  home 
nursing.  The  rehabilitation  division  of  the  State  department  of  public  in- 
struction is  in  charge  of  work  in  adult  education,  special  schools,  and  agri- 
cultural and  vocational  education.  In  1938  the  adult  education  program 
of  the  Works  Progress  Administration  got  under  way  in  Montana,  with 
classes  in  Butte,  Missoula,  and  other  cities. 


Religion 


For  years  the  only  ministers  in  Montana  were  the  dozen  or  so  Jesuit 
priests  connected  with  the  missions  at  St.  Mary's  and  St.  Ignatius  among 
the  Flathead,  and  at  St.  Peter's  among  the  Blackfeet.  Protestant  mis- 
sionaries, lacking  the  black  robes  and  other  habiliments  that  impressed 
the  Indians,  were  rejected,  and  went  on  to  Washington  and  Oregon. 

But  with  the  gold  seekers,  Protestant  "sky  pilots"  came  to  stay.  Meth- 
odist, Baptist,  and  Presbyterian  ministers  established  churches  at  Bannack 
and  Virginia  City  in  1864.  This  followed  a  period  of  preaching  in  saloons, 
dance  halls,  and  gambling  houses,  where  roulette  wheels,  card  tables,  and 
other  paraphernalia  were  pushed  aside  to  let  the  "brimstone  busters"  hold 
forth.  Bishop  Daniel  S.  Tuttle,  Episcopalian,  was  eminent  among  the 
clergy  of  this  period.  He  worked  from  1867  to  1880  in  the  rapidly  spread- 
ing mining  camps,  and  displayed  great  organizing  ability. 

At  the  same  time  the  Catholic  fathers  set  up  white  missions  at  the  min- 
ing camps,  expanding  their  districts  as  the  need  arose.  The  group  of 
Catholic  missionaries  of  this  period  included  Father  Mengarini,  who  mas- 
tered the  difficult  Flathead  language  and  compiled  an  Indian-English  dic- 
tionary; Father  Point,  co-founder  of  St.  Mary's,  who  pleased  the  Indians 
by  painting  their  portraits;  Father  Giorda,  superior  of  the  Montana  mis- 
sions during  the  difficult  gold  rush  days;  Father  Kuppens,  who  founded 
the  church  at  Helena;  Father  Palladino,  historian  of  the  Church  in  Mon- 
tana; Father  Ravalli,  and  Father  de  Smet,  the  most  distinguished  of  them 
all.  The  first  secular  priest  was  Father  de  Ryckere,  who  founded  a  mission 
at  Deer  Lodge  and  traveled  on  horseback  from  mining  camp  to  mining 
camp  over  a  large  district. 

In  all  the  early  chronicles  respectful  mention  is  made  of  the  physical 
vigor  of  the  pastors.  Many  eastern  candidates  for  missionary  service  pre- 
:  ferred  East  Africa  or  China  to  frontier  Montana,  which  may  explain  why 
the  pioneers  admired  the  few  who  chose  to  live  with  them.  These  clergy- 
men were  always  ready  to  ride  a  hundred  miles  in  any  weather  to  help 
those  in  distress,  and  equally  ready  to  bury  an  executed  desperado.  They 
married  and  buried,  built  log  churches  with  their  own  hands,  and  assumed 
full  responsibility  for  the  relief  of  suffering.  Frontiersmen  who  professed 
no  creed  responded  willingly  when  such  men  asked  for  money  or  other 
aid.  Many  early  accounts  of  the  deaths  of  ministers  say  merely,  "he  sick- 
ened and  died,"  and  make  but  scant  mention  of  the  hardships  that  con- 
tributed to  their  sickening. 


ioo  MONTANA:  THE  GENERAL  BACKGROUND 

Churches  spread  with  the  spreading  white  population.  More  than  a 
dozen  denominations  sent  in  valiant  workers.  The  Reverend  W.  W.  Van 
Orsdel  in  1872  debarked  at  Fort  Benton  in  a  rainstorm,  preached  his  first 
sermon  in  an  adobe  house  with  muddy  water  trickling  on  him  through 
the  roof,  and  overcame  scores  of  such  hardships  in  his  notable  career.  In 
addition  to  being  a  brilliant  preacher,  he  helped  found  several  schools 
and  hospitals. 

Religious  activities  of  some  kind  entered  into  the  early  life  of  almost 
every  community  and  served  to  offset  the  influence  of  saloons  and  brothels. 
These  activities — suppers,  bazaars,  lectures,  and  amateur  theatricals — often 
provided  the  principal,  and  sometimes  the  only  available,  opportunities 
for  a  wholesome  social  life. 

The  Roman  Catholics,  the  Methodists,  and  the  Lutherans  are  now  the 
leading  denominations,  the  first  equaling  all  others  in  number.  Total 
church  membership  in  1930  was  152,000,  or  a  little  more  than  one  in  five 
of  the  State's  population.  The  Roman  Catholics  number  approximately 
74,000,  and  the  Methodists  and  Lutherans  15,000  each.  These  are  fol- 
lowed in  the  order  named  by  the  Episcopalians,  Presbyterians,  Congrega- 
tionalists,  Baptists,  Disciples  of  Christ,  Latter-Day  Saints,  and  smaller 
groups. 

Social  Welfare 

Montana  has  played  a  pioneer  role  in  social  legislation.  It  was  one  of 
the  first  States  to  experiment  with  workmen's  compensation,  and  (simul- 
taneously with  Nevada)  the  first  to  make  provisions  for  old  age  pensions 
(1923).  The  compensation  act  of  1910  for  the  maintenance  of  a  State 
cooperative  insurance  fund  for  miners  and  laborers  in  and  about  mines 
was  declared  unconstitutional,  but  the  first  compulsory  compensation  act 
was  passed  in  1915.  Twice  revised  in  the  face  of  violent  opposition,  the 
law  sets  up  a  graduated  scale  of  compensation  benefits.  It  provides  a  max- 
imum allowance  of  $21  per  week  for  500  weeks  of  total  disability,  and 
maximum  compensations  of  $8,400  for  a  widow  and  $10,500  for  a  to- 
tally and  permanently  disabled  workman.  Protective  legislation  for  women 
and  children  has  also  been  progressive. 

This  background  enabled  the  State  to  function  under  the  Federal  So- 
cial Security  Act  with  speed  and  efficiency.  With  the  enactment  of  social 
security  legislation  and  its  approval  by  the  Federal  board,  public  agencies 
for  social  welfare  were  set  up  or  enlarged  to  take  care  of  increased 
activity. 

The  Montana  State  Planning  Board,  created  in  1935,  in  its  staff  report 


EDUCATION,    RELIGION,    AND   SOCIAL    WELFARE  IOI 

for  the  year  ending  December  1936,  estimates  that  there  are  7,000  fam- 
ilies who  cannot  be  self-supporting  under  present  conditions,  and  that 
from  5,000  to  12,000  farm  families  have  needed  some  relief  from  Federal, 
State,  or  private  agencies  during  the  past  twenty  years. 

It  is  these  families  that  have  been  the  concern  of  private  agencies — 
women's  clubs,  church  and  fraternal  organizations,  and  family  welfare 
services  in  the  larger  cities.  No  State-wide  or  uniform  plan  of  social  wel- 
fare existed  up  to  a  few  years  ago,  nor  was  it  needed  in  normal  times. 
Local  assistance — impulsive  yet  matter-of-fact,  and  given  in  the  spirit  of 
pioneer  mutual  help — had  been  enough.  But  it  proved  far  from  equal  to 
the  task  of  meeting  widespread  distress;  such  popular  slogans  as  "Butte 
will  take  care  of  its  own"  have  become  more  well-meaning  than  true. 

The  picture  today  is  one  of  steady  development  and  growing  coordina- 
tion. Old  age  assistance,  aid  for  the  blind  and  for  dependent  children,  and 
unemployment  compensation  are  administered  under  the  Federal  Social 
:urity  Act  by  the  State  department  of  public  welfare,  organized  in  1937, 
id  by  the  State  board  of  health.  Special  institutions  care  for  the  insane 
id  feebleminded,  the  delinquent,  the  deaf,  the  blind,  and  the  tuber- 
ilar.   The  State  board  of  health,   in  addition  to  administering  social 
irity  services,  carries  on  the  usual  activities  in  sanitation,  communicable 
lisease,  food  and  drugs,  and  vital  statistics.  Serum  developed  by  the  U.  S. 
iblic  Health  Service  is  administered  free  each  spring  to  combat  spotted 
fever  in  the  western  part  of  the  State.  The  major  cities  have  general  hos- 
pitals, and  there  are  a  few  specialized  institutions,  such  as  the  orthopedic 
St.  Vincent  Hospital-School  (see  BILLINGS). 

The  State  planning  board  is  carrying  on  surveys  and  studies  to  de- 
termine State  policies  for  public  school  education  and  social  welfare.  Its 
welfare  section  has  undertaken  a  social  study  of  four  Montana  counties 
that  will  include  data  on  causes  of  unemployment,  agencies  caring  for 
needy  families,  physical  and  mental  ill-health  and  disabilities,  housing, 
and  children's  problems. 


The  Arts 

Literature 

MONTANA,  like  most  communities  close  to  pioneer  conditions,  has 
produced  only  a  small  body  of  literature  expressive  of  its  life  and 
spirit.  Many  of  its  writers  have  gone  outside  the  State  for  their  material. 
Of  those  who  have  delved  fairly  deeply  into  local  lore  and  history,  several 
have  limited  themselves  to  some  particular  phase,  such  as  Indian  life.  The 
literature  that  has  developed,  while  somewhat  narrow  in  scope,  is  com- 
paratively free  both  from  false  sophistication  and  from  cow-country  ex- 
travagances. When  the  Frontier  (later  Frontier  and  Midland),  originally 
a  student  publication,  began  in  the  1920'$  to  take  a  more  prominent 
place  in  Northwest  literature,  there  was  a  notable  trend  toward  careful 
evaluation  and  utilization  of  regional  material. 

The  first  inhabitants  have  received  much  attention  from  Montana  au- 
thors; but  the  old  Indian  life  is  rapidly  disappearing,  and  its  interpreters 
have  to  depend  increasingly  on  secondary  material.  Of  the  literature  deal- 
ing with  the  life  of  the  region  since  white  settlement  began,  the  first  ex- 
ample is  a  contemporary  account  of  the  activities  of  road  agents  and 
vigilantes,  written  by  Thomas  Dimsdale,  a  Virginia  City  schoolmaster. 
Vigilantes  of  Montana,  or  Popular  Justice  in  the  Rocky  Mountains  was 
first  published  as  a  serial  in  the  Montana  Post  beginning  August  26,  1865, 
and  later  appeared  in  book  form.  A  framed  poster  bearing  the  original 
announcement  hangs  in  the  lobby  of  Hotel  Leggat  in  Butte.  From  this 
book  and  from  Judge  Lew  Callaway,  an  authority  on  early  days  in  Mon- 
tana, Hoffman  Birney  obtained  the  material  for  Vigilantes,  which  ran 
serially  in  the  Saturday  Evening  Post  in  February  and  March  1929. 

A  Trip  to  the  States,  by  John  Allen  Hosmer  (1850-1907),  was  printed 
in  Virginia  City  in  1867,  when  the  author,  the  son  of  Montana's  first  chief 
justice,  was  sixteen  years  old.  This,  the  second  book  published  in  Mon- 
tana, describes  an  adventurous  trip  by  stage,  pirogue,  and  river  steamer 
from  Virginia  City  to  the  railroad  at  Boonesboro,  Iowa.  The  young  author 
not  only  wrote  an  entertaining  account,  but  printed  it  himself  on  a  hand 
press.  "My  readers  will  notice,"  he  apologizes,  "that  in  a  great  many 


THE    ARTS  103 

places  where  there  ought  to  be  full  stops,  nothing  appears  but  commas, 
my  reason  for  that  is,  I  had  but  one  small  font  of  type,  and  scarcely  any 
capitals.  One  large  'W  was  all  of  that  letter  I  had." 

Much  of  the  best  writing  done  later  in  Montana  is  historical:  accounts 
of  exploration,  including  the  journals  of  the  Canadian  David  Thompson 
(1770-1857)  and  of  Henry  Edgar  (1836-1910),  one  of  the  party  that 
discovered  Alder  Gulch;  Vigilante  Days  and  Ways  (1893),  by  Nathaniel 
P.  Langford  (1832-1911);  Then  and  Now,  or  Thirty -six  Years  in  the 
Rockies  (1900),  by  Robert  Vaughn  (1836-1918);  Forty  Years  on  the 
Frontier  (1925),  by  Granville  Stuart  (1834-1918).  State  histories  have 
been  written  by  Tom  Stout,  Helen  F.  Sanders,  and  Robert  G.  Raymer. 

The  journals  of  David  Thompson,  the  great  geographer,  have  been 
freely  used  in  subsequent  accounts  of  Northwest  exploration,  but  it  was 
not  until  the  twentieth  century  that  his  work  gained  full  recognition. 
E.  C.  Coues  drew  upon  the  journals  in  preparing  his  three- volume  work, 
New  Light  on  the  Early  History  of  the  Greater  Northwest  (1897).  J.  B. 
Tyrrell  in  1916  edited  Thompson's  Narratives,  which  are  accounts,  taken 
from  the  journals,  of  the  latter's  explorations.  Many  other  writers  have 
depended  on  Thompson's  maps  and  descriptions  for  information  about 
the  Northwest  region.  A  biography  of  Thompson  by  C.  N.  Cochrane  was 
published  in  1924. 

Reputedly  the  earliest  fiction  produced  in  Montana  is  the  novel,  Claire 
Lincoln,  by  Decius  M.  Wade  (1835-1905).  It  was  published  in  1875. 
Writers  from  various  parts  of  America  have  frequently  used  the  North- 
western country  for  background,  notably  Owen  Wister  in  The  Virginian; 
but  Montana  writers  did  not  claim  popular  attention  until  after  1900. 

In  1902  The  Story  of  Mary  MacLane,  a  forerunner  of  the  modern  auto- 
biographical novel,  created  a  sensation.  Discussion  of  its  frank  revelations 
swept  from  end  to  end  of  the  country  and  made  Mary  MacLane  (1881- 
1929)  famous.  H.  L.  Mencken  devoted  a  chapter  in  Prejudices:  First 
Series  to  this  "Butte  Bashkirtseff,"  in  which  he  expressed  the  opinion  that 
Butte  was  a  Puritan  town — a  suggestion  no  doubt  startling  to  the  citizens. 

Among  contemporary  writers  Frank  Bird  Linderman  (1868-1938), 
Will  James,  Myron  Brinig,  and  Grace  Stone  Coates  are  nationally  recog- 
nized. Linderman  was  an  adopted  member  of  the  Chippewa  and  Cree  tribes 
and  devoted  his  talents  to  portraying  Indian  life  and  character.  As  trap- 
per, guide,  and  prospector  he  had  known  the  Indians  in  their  own  free 
environment,  and  his  books  are  inspired  by  friendly  understanding  and 
sympathy.  His  most  significant  volume  is  American:  Life  Story  of  a  Great 
Indian  (1930),  the  biography  of  Chief  Plenty  Coups  of  the  Crow.  A 


104  MONTANA:  THE  GENERAL  BACKGROUND 

novel,  Morning  Light  (1930),  is  a  stirring  tale  of  white  contact  with 
Indians.  Indian  Why  Stories  (1915),  How  It  Came  About  Stories 
(1921),  and  various  other  collections  contain  fine  interpretations  of  In- 
dian myth  and  folklore.  Mr.  Linderman  served  his  State  in  public  office 
as  well  as  in  his  work  as  a  writer. 

Since  the  appearance  of  Cowboys  North  and  South  (1924),  Will 
James  has  enjoyed  wide  popularity,  particularly  among  juvenile  readers. 
The  books  that  have  been  most  favorably  received  are  Smoky  (1926),  the 
story  of  a  cow  pony,  and  the  autobiographical  Lone  Cowboy  (1930).  A 
protege  of  the  cowboy  artist  Charlie  Russell,  James  illustrates  his  own 
books  with  line  drawings.  He  lives  and  works  at  his  4,ooo-acre  ranch  on 
the  Crow  Reservation  south  of  Billings. 

Myron  Brinig,  who  was  born  in  Minneapolis,  Minnesota,  may  be 
claimed  as  one  of  Montana's  most  distinguished  novelists,  not  primarily 
because  he  spent  much  of  his  early  life  in  that  State,  but  because  he  was  a 
pioneer  in  the  use  of  the  life  in  Butte  and  other  mining  towns  as  material 
for  realistic  fiction.  His  Singermann  (1929),  Wide  Open  Town  (1931), 
Sons  of  Singermann  (1934),  and  several  other  novels  present  an  uncom- 
promisingly honest  picture,  in  colorful  vibrant  prose,  of  an  era  of  quick 
fortunes,  lusty  adventure,  and  lawlessness.  Brinig  in  his  later  work  intro- 
duces western  scenes  but  covers  a  wider  field,  as  in  The  Sisters  (1937), 
with  Saratoga  of  the  nineties  as  a  high  point,  and  in  his  latest  book  May 
Flavin  (1938).  The  Montana  stories,  however,  are  generally  considered 
his  real  contribution  to  literature. 

Grace  Stone  Coates  is  an  active  force  among  present-day  Montana 
writers,  both  as  novelist  and  poet  and  in  her  association  with  Frontier  and 
Midland.  Her  novel  Black  Cherries  (1931)  is  an  extremely  delicate  and 
beautiful  recollection  of  childhood  on  a  Kansas  farm.  (Mrs.  Coates  was 
born  in  Kansas.)  The  father  "who  launched  yachts  on  the  Mediterranean 
in  the  face  of  blistering  prairie  winds,  and  hail,  and  mortgages" ;  the 
mother,  a  second  wife,  who  liked  the  black  cherry  tree  and  all  trees,  and 
the  discouragement  and  sorrow  of  both  parents,  are  revealed  through  the 
daily  reactions  of  a  hypersensitive  child.  Two  volumes  of  verse — Mead 
and  Mangel-wurzel  (1932),  and  Portulacas  in  the  Wheat  (1933) — show 
the  same  fine  choice  of  image  and  detail  as  the  novel,  but  on  the  whole 
lack  its  power.  Mrs.  Coates  has  published  many  short  stories  (included  in 
several  anthologies)  and,  with  Patrick  T.  Tucker,  the  narrative  Riding  the 
High  Country  (1933). 

One  of  the  best  known  writers  working  with  Indian  material  is  James 
Willard  Schultz,  author  of  Blackfeet  Tales  of  Glacier  National  Park 


F 


THE   ARTS  105 

(1916),  My  Life  as  an  Indian  (1933),  and  with  Jessie  Donaldson  as  co- 
author, Sun  God's  Children  (1930).  Schultz  married  a  Blackfoot  woman, 
and  has  lived  with  the  tribe  most  of  his  life.  Harriet  Laverne  Fitzgerald 
of  Great  Falls,  author  of  Black  Feather  (1933),  and  Glendolin  Damon 
Wagner  of  Billings,  co-author  with  Dr.  W.  A.  Allen  of  Blankets  and 
Moccasins  (1933),  have  used  Indian  material.  In  his  novel,  The  Surrounded 
(1936),  D'Arcy  McNickle  has  told  the  grim  story  of  the  Salish  in  their 
unequal  struggle  against  the  whites.  McNickle  was  born  and  grew  up  on 
the  Flathead  Reservation.  Crow  Indians  (1933),  by  Robert  H.  Lowie,  is 
an  authoritative  account  of  Absaroka  tribal  life.  Memoirs  of  a  White  Crow 
(1928)  and  A  Warrior  Who  Fought  with  Custer  (1931),  by  Dr.  Thomas 
B.  Marquis  (1869-1935),  also  deal  with  the  Absaroka  people. 
VButte,  one  of  the  world's  most  colorful  mining  camps,  has  fascinated 
a  number  of  writers.  Much  of  its  literary  material,  like  its  ore,  has  still 
to  be  mined,  although  Myron  Brinig  has  accomplished  much  in  this  di- 
rection. In  The  War  of  the  Copper  Kings  (1935),  C  B.  Glasscock  pre- 
sented Butte's  turbulent  political  and  mining  history,  and  Gertrude  Ather- 
ton,  in  Perch  of  the  Devil  (1914),  wrote  of  the  same  events  with  more 
asperity  than  understanding.  The  Sheriff  of  Silver  Bow  (1921),  by  Berton 
Braley,  shows  some  comprehension  of  the  city's  spirit,  but  the  tone  of  the 
book  is  that  of  the  popular  "western." 

Life  in  the  smaller  towns  and  on  the  wheat  ranches  and  beet  farms  has 
provided  material  for  several  novels.  Dale  Eunson,  who  lived  at  Lewis- 
town,  presented  realistic  rural  scenes  in  Homestead  (1935)  ;  Agnes  Getty 
of  Whitefish  used  the  experiences  of  a  village  school  teacher  in  the 
romantic  novel  Blue  Gold  (1934)  ;  Small  Town  Stuff  (1932),  by  Albert 
Blumenthal,  is  an  uncompromising  study  of  life  in  Philipsburg,  the  au- 
thor's former  home. 

Taylor  Gordon,  a  Negro  singer  born  in  White  Sulphur  Springs,  pub- 
lished his  autobiography  in  1929.  The  work,  entitled  Born  to  Be,  deals 
with  his  boyhood  in  Montana.  Max  Miller,  author  of  /  Cover  the  Water- 
front (1932)  and  Mexico  Around  Me  (1937),  spent  his  childhood  on  a 
homestead  near  Conrad,  and  he  also  tells  of  his  early  years  in  The  Begin- 
ning of  a  Mortal  (1932).  B.  M.  Bower  (Bertha  Muzzy  Sinclair),  for- 
merly of  Big  Sandy,  has  written  several  novels  dealing  with  the  ranch 
country  of  north-central  Montana.  Her  first  one,  Chip  of  the  Flying  U,  is 
typical  of  her  work.  The  Yankee  Bodleys  (1936)  is  an  unusually  success- 
ful first  novel  by  Naomi  Lane  Babson  of  Bozeman.  Mildred  Walker  (Mrs. 
'.  R.  Schemm)  of  Great  Falls  wrote  Fireweed  (1934),  and  Light  from 
returns  (1935),  neither  of  which  deals  with  Montana  life. 


106  MONTANA:  THE  GENERAL  BACKGROUND 

An  old-timer's  biography,  Yellowstone  Kelly  (1926),  contains  the 
memoirs  and  colorful  anecdotes  of  Luther  S.  Kelly's  scouting  days.  Rid- 
ing the  High  Country  (1933),  by  Patrick  T.  Tucker  and  Grace  Stone 
Coates,  tells  of  Tucker's  adventures  in  company  with  the  artist  Charlie 
Russell.  Ubet  (1934),  by  John  Barrows,  is  a  well-written  account  of  life 
in  the  early  i88o's  at  a  stagecoach  station  in  the  Judith  Gap  country. 

Contemporary  Montana  poets  include,  besides  Mrs.  Coates,  Jason 
Bolles,  Mary  Brennan  Clapp,  Grace  Baldwin,  Gwendolen  Haste,  Elliott 
C.  Lincoln,  and  Norman  MacLeod.  Northwest  Verse  (1931),  compiled  by 
H.  G.  Merriam,  Chairman  of  the  Department  of  English  at  Montana 
State  University,  and  Western  Prose  and  Poetry  (1932),  edited  by  Rufus 
A.  Coleman,  contain  poems  of  both  regional  and  universal  significance. 

Missoula  is  the  home  of  Frontier  and  Midland,  a  nationally  circulated 
quarterly  edited  and  published  by  H.  G.  Merriam.  It  began  in  1919  as  the 
Montanan,  a  student  publication  which  soon  became  the  Frontier.  In  1927 
it  was  taken  out  of  the  hands  of  the  students  and  widened  in  scope,  be- 
coming a  regional  magazine  of  the  Northwest.  The  Midland,  literary 
magazine  of  the  Middle  West,  was  merged  with  it  in  1933.  Emphasizing 
regional  material,  the  Frontier  and  Midland  publishes  fiction  and  poetry 
of  high  quality,  often  presenting  writers  who,  because  of  the  experimental 
nature  of  their  work,  could  not  get  space  in  popular  magazines.  Outstand- 
ing stories  have  been  republished  in  the  leading  annual  anthologies. 

Handicrafts 

Montana  Indians  knew  many  handicrafts.  The  things  they  made  were 
not  merely  material  necessities;  often  they  represented  the  tribesman's  ex- 
pression of  his  love  of  form  and  color,  and  of  the  sentiments  which 
civilized  man  voices  in  more  sophisticated  art  forms.  Symbolic  designs  and 
traditional  patterns  possessed  a  religious  and  tribal  significance. 

Earth — yellow,  red,  green,  blue,  and  black — provided  the  basis  of  the 
paints  and  dyes  with  which  they  decorated  their  lodges  and  their  persons. 
They  created  also  colorful  designs  in  feathers  and  quills.  All  tribes  made 
clothing  of  decorated  skins,  and  tools  of  wood,  bone,  or  stone.  They  did 
little  carving,  but  some  of  their  stonework  shows  amazing  skill.  They 
made  pipes  of  clay,  baskets  of  skin,  bark,  or  woven  willow  (see  Tours 
1,  2,  1,  7,  14). 

White  men  brought  handicrafts  of  their  own.  Among  the  most  neces- 
sary and  characteristic  were  gunsmithing  and  saddle-making,  and  such 
domestic  crafts  as  spinning,  knitting,  and  weaving.  With  the  advance  of 


YELLOWSTONE  KELLY 


io8  MONTANA:  THE  GENERAL  BACKGROUND 

civilization  most  of  these  fell  into  disuse,  but  saddle-making  has  survived 
and  even  grown  into  a  minor  industry.  There  are  saddlers  in  Miles  City, 
Butte,  Livingston,  and  Billings  who,  besides  making  saddles  of  outstand- 
ing workmanship — some  inlaid  with  gold  and  silver — produce  belts, 
purses,  holsters,  traveling  bags,  and  other  leather  products. 

Mary  Atwater  of  Basin  started  a  revival  of  the  ancient  handicraft  of 
weaving,  which  in  this  region  had  been  practiced  chiefly  by  Swedes  trained 
in  their  native  land.  Many  Montanans  now  produce  linens,  tweeds,  and 
dress  fabrics  of  good  quality. 

Fine  hooked  rugs  are  made  in  Bole;  baskets  woven  from  native  reeds 
in  Josephine;  sculptured  jewelry  and  carved  wood  in  Billings.  The  fre- 
quently exhibited  wood  carvings  of  John  Clarke,  a  full-blooded  Blackfoot 
Indian  of  Glacier  National  Park,  have  gained  wide  recognition. 


Painting 


Father  Ravalli  was  Montana's  first  white  artist.  Pictures  and  wooden 
figures  executed  by  him  almost  a  hundred  years  ago  are  preserved  at  St. 
Mary's  Mission,  Stevensville,  and  at  the  State  historical  museum,  at 
Helena.  Since  his  time,  Montana  has  produced  a  number  of  artists  who 
left  to  make  their  careers  elsewhere,  and  several  who  remained  in  the  State 
and  devoted  their  talents  to  the  portrayal  of  its  colorful  life  and  history. 

The  greatest  of  them,  a  noteworthy  painter  and  sculptor,  was  Charles 
M.  Russell  (1864-1926),  the  "cowboy  artist"  of  Great  Falls,  whose 
log  cabin  studio,  purchased  at  his  death  by  his  native  city,  is  the  State's 
only  important  art  museum.  Opened  to  the  public  in  1930  as  the  Charles 
M.  Russell  Memorial  Museum,  it  contains  320  catalogued  items,  covering 
every  period  of  his  career.  Many  of  the  pictures  and  relics  remain  as  he 
left  them,  and  in  his  studio  is  perpetuated  something  of  the  spirit  of  his 
life,  of  his  long  years  as  a  cowboy,  his  great  and  enduring  friendship  with 
the  Indians,  and  his  unique  and  dramatic  interpretation  of  the  making 
of  the  West. 

Russell  came  west  from  St.  Louis  as  a  boy,  in  the  days  of  the  great  cat- 
tle ranches.  His  first  sketches  were  made  for  the  entertainment  of  fellow 
workers  in  the  cow  camps.  His  work  first  aroused  attention  outside  the 
State  for  its  treatment  of  a  subject  suggested  by  the  terrible  winter  of 
1886-87,  during  which  a  neighboring  cattle  outfit  lost  almost  its  entire 
herd.  The  artist's  report  of  this  event  to  the  owner  was  the  expressive 
Last  of  Five  Thousand,  which  depicts  a  starving  cow  standing  in  the 
snow  while  a  coyote  waits  hungrily  near  by.  After  1914,  when  an  exhibi- 


THE    ARTS  109 

tion  of  his  work  was  held  in  the  Dore  Galleries  in  London,  Russell's 
paintings  brought  rapidly  increasing  prices;  his  last  work,  unfinished, 
sold  for  $30,000. 

An  extensive  collection  of  his  work  is  on  exhibit  in  the  Mint  at  Great 
Falls,  and  a  few  examples  are  in  the  State  capitol  at  Helena.  A  few  of  his 
earlier  sketches,  oils,  and  water  colors,  portraying  the  Indian  in  native 
surroundings  and  depicting  cowboy  life  in  the  days  when  buffalo  and 
longhorn  cattle  shared  the  range,  are  held  privately.  Hundreds  of  letters, 
illustrated  with  sketches,  are  treasured  by  his  friends. 

Critics  agree  that  Russell  was  a  skilful  draftsman  and  colorist,  and  that 
lis  faithful  portrayal  of  life  in  the  Montana  of  his  time  is  a  significant 

mtribution  to  American  art.  He  was  the  author  of  Trails  Plowed  Under 
'1923)  and  Good  Medicine  (1929),  containing  his  illustrations. 

Edgar  S.  Paxson   (1852—1919),  while  not  Russell's  equal  in  artistic 

lent,  did  much  to  memorialize  the  West  he  knew  as  soldier  and  frontiers- 
lan.  Like  Russell  he  lived  and  painted  in  several  Montana  cities,  finally 

lilding  a  rustic  studio  in  Missoula.  Examples  of  his  work  are  found  in 
the  State  capitol,  the  Billings  Public  Library,  and  the  Missoula  County 
Courthouse  (murals).  In  the  Natural  Science  Building  of  the  University 
of  Montana  is  Custer's  Last  Stand,  the  large  canvas  Paxson  regarded  as 
his  masterpiece.  He  worked  on  it  intermittently  for  21  years,  putting  into 
it  the  figures  of  more  than  200  soldiers  and  Indians,  some  of  whom  he 
had  known  in  life. 

Ralph  De  Camp  (1858—1936),  the  third  of  Montana's  noted  frontier 
painters,  is  remembered  for  his  landscapes.  Born  in  New  York,  he  studied 
in  Milwaukee,  Duluth,  and  Philadelphia.  Working  on  a  Red  River  boat, 
he  attracted  the  attention  of  Charles  Fee  of  the  Northern  Pacific  Railway, 
who  brought  him  to  Yellowstone  Park.  From  1896  to  1924  he  lived  in 
Helena,  and  several  of  his  paintings  hang  in  the  State  capitol  there.  The 
best  known  is  a  representation  of  the  Gates  of  the  Mountains  (see  Tour 
6),  but  his  own  favorite  is  one  that  depicts  the  grief  of  his  son  Renan  at 
having  killed  a  bird  with  his  air  gun. 

Photographs  of  artistic  and  historic  value  were  made  by  Richard  Thros- 
sel  and  L.  A.  Huffman,  mostly  in  the  period  between  1870  and  1900. 
Throssel,  who  was  part  Crow,  made  some  outstanding  prints  of  Indian 
life:  Game  of  Arrows,  Salute  to  the  Sun  God,  and  others. 

Leader  of  Montana's  contemporary  artists  is  Will  James,  cowboy 
author-illustrator  of  Pryor.  Born  in  1892  in  a  covered  wagon  amid  rough 
surroundings,  he  wrangled  horses  at  an  age  when  most  boys  are  in  school, 
riding  the  range  from  Canada  to  Mexico.  His  refreshing  and  original  pen 


110  MONTANA:    THE    GENERAL    BACKGROUND 

drawings,  packed  with  the  action  of  everyday  life  on  the  range,  are 
among  the  most  authentic  interpretations  of  cowboy  life  today.  Many  of 
his  oils  of  Montana  subjects  are  widely  popular. 

Good  work  has  been  done  by  Hart  Merriam  Schultz  (Lone  Wolf),  a 
son  of  James  Willard  Schultz;  Branson  Stevenson,  a  Great  Falls  etcher; 
Irvin  Shope,  Missoula  mural  painter  employed  by  the  State  highway  com- 
mission; and  Weinold  Reiss,  a  German-born  painter  who  spends  part  of 
each  year  among  the  Blackfeet,  and  directs  a  summer  art  school  in  Glacier 
Park.  His  style  is  of  more  recent  derivation  than  that  of  the  native  Mon- 
tanans,  most  of  whom  have  followed  in  the  path  of  Russell.  The  Black- 
feet  Indians  (1935)  contains  some  of  his  portraits.  Many  younger  artists 
are  emerging,  some  of  them  with  the  aid  of  the  Federal  Art  Projects  of 
the  Works  Progress  Administration. 

On  April  7,  1938,  the  Butte  Ait  Center  was  opened  to  the  public  with 
a  circulating  exhibition  supplied  by  the  Federal  Art  Project  and  many 
works  by  Montana  artists.  Sponsored  by  the  project  and  by  the  Butte  Art 
Association,  the  center  has  been  planned  to  provide  wide  opportunity  to 
study,  appreciate,  and  enjoy  the  visual  arts.  Its  program  includes  exhibi- 
tions, free  art  instruction,  an  extension  program  of  educational  services, 
and  a  library,  research,  and  reproductions  division. 

Music 

Musical  activities  in  Montana  are  confined  largely  to  schools  and  col: 
leges,  although  several  cities  and  towns  have  creditable  bands,  and  the 
Servian  Orthodox  Church  in  Butte  has  an  outstanding  choral  group.  The 
highly  regarded  bands  of  Montana  State  College  and  the  University  of 
Montana  make  annual  tours  of  the  State,  giving  concerts  in  the  principal 
cities.  The  Butte  Mines  Band,  under  the  leadership  of  Samuel  Treloar, 
who  founded  it  in  1887,  has  won  national  competitions  at  Salt  Lake  City, 
Denver,  and  Los  Angeles,  and  has  played  for  five  Presidents.  Its  excel- 
lence may  or  may  not,  as  one  writer  suggested,  be  due  to  the  fact  that 
"their  occupation  is  such  as  to  develop  their  lung  capacities  and  thereby 
give  greater  zest  and  tone,"  but  it  is  certainly  notable  among  bands  whose 
members  earn  a  livelihood  in  occupations  other  than  music. 

Butte  and  Great  Falls  have  amateur  symphony  orchestras.  In  Butte, 
Irish  orchestras  specialize  in  jigs  and  reels;  Jugoslavs  dance  to  the  tradi- 
tional music  of  the  Kolo;  and  a  German  Lieder  club  regularly  rehearses 
the  airs  of  the  fatherland.  All  national  groups  in  the  industrial  centers 


THE   ARTS  III 

have  transplanted  in  some  measure  their  native  folk  music.  Cowboy  songs 
are  popular  everywhere  in  the  State. 

Two  singers  have  achieved  prominence.  Marie  Montana  (Ruth  Waite) 
of  Helena,  operatic  and  concert  soprano,  has  appeared  in  both  Europe  and 
America.  Taylor  Gordon  of  White  Sulphur  Springs  has  made  concert 
tours  in  America  and  has  achieved  notable  success  in  London  and  Paris 
as  a  singer  of  Negro  spirituals. 

Musical  composition  in  Montana  never  developed  beyond  a  modest  be- 
ginning, although  at  least  one  composer,  Lowndes  Maury,  Jr.,  has  at- 
tempted symphonic  music  besides  writing  for  the  piano,  string  quartet, 
and  various  solo  instruments. 

The  Theater 

In  the  great  days  of  the  road  Montana  saw  the  best  shows.  Katie  Put- 
lam,  Nellie  Boyd,  Emma  Juch,  Ferris  Hartman,  and  the  Tivoli  Opera 
ipany  came  in  their  own  stagecoaches,  and  were  followed  by  Lotta 
Crabtree,  Bernhardt,  Modjeska,  Clara  Morris,  Fanny  Davenport,  Agnes 
Huntington,  Stuart  Robson,  the  Barrymores,  Robert  B.  Mantell,  Blanche 
Bates,  Minnie  Maddern  Fiske,  Henrietta  Grossman,  Mrs.  Leslie  Carter, 
Mrs.  Pat  Campbell,  Lillian  Russell,  Grace  George,  William  Faversham. 

Today  moving  pictures,  occasionally  supplemented  with  vaudeville  of 
the  touring  type,  supply  Montana's  dramatic  entertainment.  Though  its 
residents  supposedly  see  cowboy  life  at  first  hand,  the  State  prefers 
"western"  films,  especially  in  the  smaller  cities. 

The  drama  is  kept  alive  by  scattered  groups  of  amateur  players,  among 
whom  the  Montana  Masquers,  a  university  group,  has  taken  the  lead.  Ex- 
periments in  writing  and  presenting  original  plays  are  carried  on  at  the 
State  college,  the  university,  and  Billings  Polytechnic  Institute.  Little 
theaters  have  been  organized,  but  with  slight  success.  In  Billings  a  civic 
group  under  the  sponsorship  of  service  clubs,  organized  in  1936,  has  had 
a  good  start. 

Architecture 

When  white  men  came,  Montana  Indians  were  living  in  lodges  made 
of  skins,  sticks,  and  mud,  usually  in  the  conical  tepee  form.  The  first  build- 
ings of  the  invaders  were  crude  log  cabins,  chinked  with  clay.  Most  of 
these  have  fallen  into  decay,  but  a  few  examples  dating  from  the  i86o's 
are  well  preserved.  On  the  plains  the  only  building  material  available  to 
the  pioneers  was  the  turf  that  stretched  from  horizon  to  horizon.  Furrows 


ii2  MONTANA:  THE  GENERAL  BACKGROUND 

were  carefully  plowed  to  obtain  sodblocks  of  uniform  size.  These  were 
laid  in  tiers  to  form  the  four  walls.  A  pole  framework  covered  with  sod 
formed  the  roof.  The  door  and  its  frame  were  of  wood;  holes  left  for 
windows  were  sometimes  curtained  with  burlap  or  canvas,  but  often  left 
uncovered.  A  sod  house  was  rarely  larger  than  ten  feet  square,  and  two 
or  three  days'  labor  completed  it.  It  was  excellent  for  shutting  out  the 
harsh  prairie  winters,  but  dusty  and  rude.  A  few  examples  still  stand  in 
the  northeast  (see  Tour  2),  the  section  last  settled.  With  the  coming  of 
sawmills  and  railroads,  homes  became  plain  box-type  buildings  of  clap- 
boards or  red  brick,  purely  utilitarian;  the  false-front  (a  facade  that  ex- 
tended some  distance  above  the  actual  building,  to  suggest  an  additional 
story)  for  business  houses  became  standard. 

Building  boomed  in  the  i88o's  and  1 890*5.  Copper  kings  and  gold 
barons  vied  with  one  another  in  building  ornate,  costly  residences.  It  was 
the  period  of  "gingerbread"  decoration  and  architectural  absurdities;  but 
here  and  there  appeared  simple  and  handsome  houses.  Remaining  ex- 
amples include  the  Worden  house  (1875)  in  Missoula,  a  frame  dwelling 
built  in  the  style  of  early  New  England  farm  houses;  the  Morgan  Evans 
house  (1883)  on  Warm  Springs  Creek  (see  Tour  18),  a  brick  building 
of  modified  Colonial  design;  and  the  Marcus  Daly  house  (1885)  in 
Anaconda,  another  adaptation  of  Colonial  style. 

Buildings  of  the  past  century,  such  as  the  red-brick  box  dwelling  intro- 
duced from  the  Mormon  communities  of  Utah,  predominate  on  many 
streets  in  the  older  cities,  but  on  the  whole  the  cities  show  a  diversity  of 
treatment  in  the  modern  manner.  The  most  common  residential  style  is 
the  Georgian  Colonial;  architects  estimate  that  half  of  the  new  homes 
follow  this  tradition,  having  white  columns,  shuttered  windows,  hipped 
roofs,  and  slightly  projecting  cornices.  Somewhat  less  common  are  the 
English  and  Mediterranean  types,  of  which  the  latter  is  certainly  incon- 
gruous in  Montana. 

Most  business  buildings  are  conservative  in  treatment,  with  little  orna- 
mentation. Schools  have  improved  vastly;  many  excellent  ones  have  been 
built  with  PWA  funds.  The  Great  Falls  high  school  and  the  groups  at  the 
State  college  and  the  university  are  designed  in  a  somewhat  modified 
Renaissance  idiom  that  suits  the  Montana  landscape,  a  style  introduced  by 
George  H.  Carsley,  Helena  architect,  and  Cass  Gilbert,  designer  of  the 
Woolworth  Building  in  New  York.  The  older  public  buildings  tend  to- 
ward the  neoclassic  design,  best  exemplified  in  the  State  capitol  at 
Helena.  The  newer  ones  are  almost  invariably  in  modern  style. 

Church  buildings  are  usually  unpretentious  and  utilitarian,  sturdy  in 


ST.  HELENA  CATHEDRAL 


\ 


PROSPECTOR'S  HOME 


construction  rather  than  distinctive  in  style.  However,  St.  Helena  Cathe- 
dral in  Helena  and  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  Great  Falls  are  good 
examples  of  Gothic  design.  The  design  of  the  cathedral  is  based  upon 
that  of  the  Cathedral  of  Cologne  in  Germany,  the  only  decided  change 
being  the  trefoil  or  cloverleaf  window  over  the  arch  of  the  middle  front 
doorway.  Von  Herbulis,  European  architect  who  helped  design  the  Votive 
Church  in  Vienna,  drew  the  plans. 

Ranch  buildings  and  summer  homes  in  the  mountains  are  usually  of 
logs  hewed,  in  most  instances,  on  the  interior  surface  only.  The  logs 
extend  beyond  the  corners,  where  they  are  notched  together,  and  are 
either  sawed  off  uniformly  or,  if  the  ends  are  chopped,  allowed  to  pro- 
trude at  random.  Outside  chinking  is  usually  of  clay  and  gypsum;  inside, 
of  cedar  strips.  Old-style  roofs  are  of  cedar  shakes  nailed  to  poles  placed 
lengthwise,  but  in  recent  construction  rafters,  board  ceilings,  and  com- 
position shingles  are  favored.  There  are  examples  of  fine  log  work  near 
Red  Lodge,  at  Swan  and  Flathead  Lakes,  and  around  Lake  McDonald  (see 
Glacier  National  Park).  The  slightly  modified  Swiss  chalets  of  Glacier 
Park  have  a  rightness  in  relation  to  their  setting  that  nothing  in  the 
State,  unless  it  be  the  old-fashioned  prairie  sod  house,  has  ever  equaled. 


The  Press 


E  first  news  sheet  published  in  Montana  (name  unknown)  was 
printed  in  Virginia  City  in  January  1864,  on  a  small  press  brought 
by  ox  team  from  Denver.  Wilbur  F.  Sanders  was  the  editor;  John  A. 
Creighton,  who  later  founded  Creighton  University  at  Omaha,  was 
printer's  devil. 

The  News  Letter,  a  small  paper  printed  by  Francis  M.  Thompson,  ap- 
peared in  Bannack  two  or  three  months  later.  The  press  was  hand- 
operated  and  used  mostly  for  business  purposes;  no  copy  of  the  short- 
lived News  Letter  is  extant. 

The  first  newspaper  of  consequence  was  the  Montana  Post,  published 
by  John  Buchanan  and  M.  M.  Manner.  Arriving  in  Virginia  City  in  1864 
— after  an  adventurous  trip  on  the  steamer  Yellowstone  from  St.  Louis  to 
Fort  Benton — they  set  up  their  equipment  in  a  cabin  cellar.  The  events 
of  the  trip  were  the  chief  matter  of  the  first  two  issues,  but  the  pub- 
lishers planned  wide  news  service.  An  introductory  editorial  said:  "We 
have  correspondents  in  the  various  mining  camps,  who  will  keep  our 
readers  well  posted  on  what  is  going  on  in  ...  our  young  and  rapidly 
growing  territory."  The  first  issue  appeared  August  27,  1864;  the  960 
copies  sold  quickly  at  50^  each,  usually  in  gold  dust.  Before  the  third 
issue,  Buchanan  and  Manner  sold  out  for  $3,000. 

The  Republican  Montana  Post  was  followed  in  1865  by  another  Vir- 
ginia City  weekly,  the  Montana  Democrat.  The  publisher  freighted  all 
his  supplies  from  Salt  Lake  City. 

The  Lewiston  Radiator  (1865)  was  Helena's  first  newspaper.  Press  and 
supplies  were  brought  across  the  snowy  passes  by  mule  train  from  Idaho's 
Snake  River  country.  At  first  independent,  it  became  a  Republican  or- 
gan, the  Helena  Herald. 

Other  gold  camp  weeklies  were  the  Rocky  Mountain  Gazette  (Helena, 
1866),  the  Independent  (Deer  Lodge,  1867),  the  New  Northwest  (Deer 
Lodge,  1868),  and  the  Missoula  and  Cedar  Creek  Pioneer  (Missoula, 
1870),  which  later  became  the  Daily  Missoulian.  The  Independent  be- 

115 


Il6  MONTANA:    THE   GENERAL   BACKGROUND 

came  one  of  the  strongest  advocates  of  Helena  in  the  impending  capital 
location  fight. 

These  early  newspapers,  filled  with  zestful  matter  pertaining  to  gold 
strikes,  Indian  raids,  hold-ups,  and  range  affairs,  held  up  a  faithful  mirror 
to  frontier  life,  but  they  softened  the  reflection  a  little  in  dealing  with 
politics.  They  were  eagerly  received,  for  printed  matter  was  scarce.  News 
from  the  East  came  most  quickly  through  Salt  Lake  City,  whose  news- 
papers, brought  in  by  stage,  were  much  clipped  by  Montana  editors. 

Railroad  building  brought  a  boom  in  newspaper  publication,  as  towns 
sprang  up  along  the  routes;  but  it  did  not  last  long,  and  several  papers 
reversed  the  usual  order  of  newspaper  evolution  by  becoming  weeklies 
after  having  been  dailies.  The  Livingston  Enterprise  started  as  a  daily 
when  the  construction  crews  approached  in  1883,  became  a  weekly  when 
the  boom  collapsed  the  following  year,  and  did  not  return  to  daily  pub- 
lication until  1912. 

In  the  turbulent  1890*5,  W.  A.  Clark  and  Marcus  Daly  fought  for 
control  of  public  opinion,  and  acquired  ownership  or  control  of  most  of 
the  influential  publications.  Copper-knuckled  editorials  followed.  In 
Billings,  whose  first  newspaper  had  adopted  the  hard-boiled  slogan,  "We 
did  not  come  to  Montana  for  our  health,"  Shelby  E.  Dillard  was  editor 
of  the  Vociferator  and  a  sharp  critic  of  public  affairs. 

Animosities  among  the  powerful  papers  subsided  as  their  economic 
interests  began  to  grow  identical.  Lesser  journals  continued  in  the  pugna- 
cious tradition  of  the  earlier  press,  but  their  alignment  changed  from  one 
of  owning  faction  against  owning  faction  to  one  of  public  interest  against 
corporate  interests.  After  1917  Bill  Dunne  issued  more  or  less  regularly 
the  small  and  sometimes  violent  but  always  vital  Butte  Daily  Bulletin. 

"It  is  doubtful,"  wrote  Oswald  Garrison  Villard  in  the  Nation,  July  9, 
1930,  "if  in  any  other  State  the  press  is  ...  so  deeply  involved  in  the 
great  economic  struggle  ...  at  the  bottom  of  our  political  life."  He  de- 
clared that  the  same  corporation  "generously  runs  both  Republican  and 
Democratic  dailies,"  and  that  in  Missoula  a  single  versatile  editor  wrote 
at  one  time  the  arguments  for  both  sides.  In  1928  W.  A.  Clark,  Jr., 
launched  the  Montana  Free  Press,  at  first  a  very  promising  effort  to 
achieve  journalistic  independence  on  an  effective  scale;  but  the  ex- 
penses of  the  paper  were  ruinous,  and  he  gave  it  up  within  a  year. 

Butte  has  a  morning  paper,  and  an  evening  paper  without  Sunday  edi- 
tion. This  pattern  is  repeated  in  Great  Falls,  Missoula,  and  Helena.  Of 
120  newspapers  published,  20  are  dailies. 


<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<  <#>  >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 


HISTORICALLY,  and  by  popular  preference,  recreation  in  Mon- 
tana is  associated  with  camping,  hunting,  and  fishing.  The  favorite 
recreation  (except  "going  to  town")  of  the  old-time  cowboy  was  to 
throw  a  diamond  hitch  around  a  pack  of  grub  and  bedding,  and  start 
for  the  mountains  to  bring  in  a  lion,  bighorn  sheep,  grizzly  bear,  moun- 
tain goat,  deer,  antelope,  or  elk.  The  pattern  was  fixed  before  white  men 
came,  having  been  the  Indian  way  of  life  for  uncounted  generations. 
Since  the  time  of  Sir  St.  George  Gore,  the  first  "dude,"  the  State  has 
attracted  famous  sportsmen,  some  of  whom  have  come  with  elaborate 
equipment  to  hunt  big  game  and  try  the  mountain  streams  for  trout. 

Present  emphasis  is  on  fishing  rather  than  hunting,  but  either  is  readily 
available;  even  the  larger  cities  are  near  forest  reserves  and  primitive 
areas.  Many  tourists  find  the  opportunity  for  camping  out  under  ideal 
conditions  the  State's  greatest  attraction. 

Few  regions  offer  finer  inducements  to  the  tourist  with  a  camera.  Roads 
twisting  along  water  courses  through  hills  and  mountains  reveal  striking 
views  at  almost  every  turn,  often  with  a  lone  horseman,  a  herd  of  sheep 
or  cattle,  or  an  abandoned  cabin  adding  a  human  touch  to  nature's  display. 
Because  much  of  the  scenery  is  above  any  plane  of  vision  possible 
through  a  window,  a  good  horse  or  an  open  car  with  the  top  down  is  the 
best  conveyance.  A  lens  filter  is  essential;  besides  capturing  the  spectacu- 
lar cloud  effects  common  over  the  mountains,  it  guards  against  over- 
exposure  in  the  clear  air. 

Camping:  In  organizing  an  outing,  dude  ranches  are  undoubtedly  the 
best  resource  for  the  uninitiated.  They  arrange  for  "roughing  it"  near 
the  main  lodge  or  for  extensive  pack  trips,  according  to  the  taste  and 
aptitude  of  the  guest.  They  are  not  summer  resorts  in  the  usual  sense; 
their  hospitality  is  more  personal.  Under  the  supervision  of  a  dude  wran- 
gler, guests  participate  in  riding  the  range,  roping,  branding,  and  other 
ranch  and  roundup  activities;  in  shooting,  fishing,  canoeing,  swimming, 
campfire  entertainments,  pack  trips,  mountain  climbing — even  placer 
mining. 

117 


n8  MONTANA:  THE  GENERAL  BACKGROUND 

Most  people,  however,  bring  their  own  outfits  in  trailer  or  car,  pick  a 
spot  that  affords  opportunity  for  their  favorite  sport,  and  pitch  camp. 
Wood  is  free,  fish  and  berries  help  out  the  larder;  the  expense  is  often 
less  than  that  of  staying  at  home.  Secluded  campgrounds  within  a  few 
miles  of  stores  and  gas  stations  are  often  equipped  with  fireplaces  and 
tables,  piped  water,  and  other  conveniences.  Many  people  lease  summer 
home  sites  "near  forest  lakes  or  running  streams. 

Except  during  periods  of  extreme  fire  hazard,  the  forests  are  open  for 
all  forms  of  recreation  not  detrimental  to  them.  Prospecting  and  mining 
are  permitted  as  on  other  public  lands,  and  not  a  few  people  spend  their 
vacations  with  pick,  shovel,  and  sluice  box,  obtaining  gold  dust  in  the 
manner  of  earlier  days. 

The  camper  who  enjoys  solitude  will  of  course  find  it  most  readily 
in  the  less  advertised  localities.  Ten  great  primitive  areas,  uncommer- 
cialized  and  without  roads  or  habitations  other  than  an  occasional  ranger 
station  or  lookout  tower,  are  available  to  those  who  really  wish  to  rough 
it.  The  areas  are: 

Absaroka,  in  the  Absaroka  Forest  near  Yellowstone  Park,  a  64,ooo-acre 
tract  of  high  wooded  mountains.  It  has  a  large  count  of  deer,  elk,  and 
bear,  and  good  trout  fishing. 

Beartooth,  in  the  Custer  Forest,  230,000  acres  of  bare,  lofty  peaks  (includ- 
ing Granite),  glaciers  (including  Grasshopper),  and  lakes  (see  Tour 
13 A).  It  offers  superb  scenery  and  opportunities  for  climbing. 

Mission  Mountains,  67,000  acres  of  spectacular  scenery  in  the  Flathead 
Forest  on  the  east  slope  of  the  Mission  Range.  Grizzly  bear  and  moun- 
tain goat  abound.  Among  its  peaks  and  precipices  are  glaciers,  lakes,  and 
a  profusion  of  alpine  flowers. 

South  Fork  of  the  Flathead,  Sun  River,  and  Pentagon  are  contiguous 
primitive  areas,  South  Fork  and  Pentagon  in  the  Flathead,  Sun  River  in 
the  Lewis  and  Clark  Forest.  The  625,ooo-acre  South  Fork  area,  accessible 
by  pack  horse  from  dude  ranches  in  the  Swan  River  and  Blackfoot  coun- 
try, is  wild  and  rugged  but  with  excellent  camp  sites.  It  is  richly  stocked 
with  fish  and  game.  The  Pentagon,  95,000  acres,  is  one  of  the  wildest  of 
all  primitive  areas;  few  white  men  have  passed  through  it.  Three-fourths 
of  the  Sun  River  area,  240,000  acres,  is  a  game  preserve,  used  by  part  of 
the  Nation's  second  largest  herd  of  elk.  Its  stupendous  limestone  peaks 
compare  with  those  of  Glacier  Park.  Indians  still  hunt  there. 

Spanish  Peaks,  50,000  acres  of  rugged  crests  and  cliffs  rising  from  the 
valleys  of  the  Gallatin  Forest;  it  contains  20  alpine  lakes. 

Cabinet,  90,000  acres  in  the  Cabinet  Forest,  a  region  of  heavy  snows 
among  high  summits  rising  between  deep  river  valleys. 


TROUT  STREAM 


Sehvay-Bitterroot,  1,870,000  acres  mostly  in  Idaho  but  partly  in  the 
Bitterroot  and  Lolo  Forests,  Montana.  The  scenery  is  imposing  and  the 
hunting  excellent  on  both  sides  of  the  State  line. 

Anaconda-Pmtlar,  145,000  acres  in  the  Deer  Lodge,  Beaverhead,  and 
Bitterroot  Forests.  It  lies  on  the  high  summits  of  the  Continental  Divide, 
with  heavy  forest  sloping  away  on  either  hand.  There  are  moose,  elk, 
deer,  and  bear. 

The  best  season  for  a  camping  trip  is  after  June  15.  Before  that,  snow 
is  excessive  at  the  higher  altitudes,  the  ground  muddy,  mosquitoes  and 
ticks  are  active,  and  the  streams  too  full  for  fishing.  Floral  displays  on  the 
mountain  meadows  are  best  in  early  July. 

Fishing:  In  the  mountain  lakes  and  streams,  bass,  grayling,  whitefish, 
most  varieties  of  trout,  and  other  game  fish  may  be  taken  even  by  the 
tyro.  The  Madison  River  and  its  tributaries  are  renowned  for  large,  fight- 
ing rainbow.  Native  blackspot  trout  ("flats")  and  Dolly  Varden  ("bulls") 
abound  in  the  northwestern  lakes  and  larger  streams.  Both  are  taken  by 
trolling  or  casting  (fly  or  spinner  according  to  season).  Almost  every 


120  MONTANA:  THE  GENERAL  BACKGROUND 

mountain  stream  teems  with  6-  to  lo-inch  trout  which  rise  readily  to  the 
fly  and  are  perhaps  the  best  of  all  fish  to  "smell  up  a  pan."  There  is 
excellent  fishing  in  superb  surroundings  in  the  Kootenai  River  region  near 
Libby;  on  the  North  and  South  Forks  of  the  Flathead  River;  on  the 
headwaters  of  the  Swan  and  Clearwater  Rivers  and  in  the  Clearwater 
Lakes  east  of  the  Mission  Range;  in  the  tributaries  of  Clark  Fork  of  the 
Columbia  west  of  Thompson  Falls;  in  Rock  Creek  east  of  Missoula,  and 
Hebgen  and  Red  Rock  Lakes  west  of  Yellowstone  Park;  in  Big  Hole, 
Beaverhead,  Madison,  Boulder,  Stillwater,  and  Gallatin  Rivers;  in  Clark 
Fork  of  the  Yellowstone;  in  the  Beartooth  Lakes;  and  in  many  other 
localities. 

Best  fishing  in  the  lakes  is  between  June  1 5  and  July  15;  in  the 
streams,  after  July  15.  During  the  hot,  lazy  days  of  September  there  is 
usually  a  lull,  although  the  expert  fly-fisher  on  good  waters  will  catch  a 
few.  Large  land-locked  salmon  are  taken  from  Flathead  Lake  by  trolling 
or  snagging  in  late  September  and  October. 

Hunting:  Elk,  deer,  and  bear  are  the  most  numerous  big  game.  Rocky 
Mountain  goats  are  hunted  only  in  limited  areas.  Nearly  all  counties  east 
of  the  Rockies  are  closed  to  elk  hunting,  many  to  deer  hunting.  Closed 
areas  in  any  part  of  the  State  are  changed  from  year  to  year,  however;  it 
is  best,  before  planning  a  hunt,  to  get  latest  information  from  the  Fish 
and  Game  Commission,  Helena. 

Chinese  pheasant,  Hungarian  partridge,  and  various  kinds  of  grouse 
are  plentiful  in  all  parts  of  the  State.  The  many  lakes  out  of  Kalispell  and 
Missoula,  the  Missouri  River  and  the  artificial  lakes  along  it,  and  the 
lakes,  reservoirs,  and  sloughs  in  northern  and  eastern  Montana  are  very 
good  places  for  duck  hunting.  (For  fish  and  game  laws,  see  General 
Information.) 

Mountain  Climbing:  The  State  has  25  peaks  12,000  feet  or  more  in 
height,  any  of  which  challenges  the  skill  of  an  expert  climber.  Innumer- 
able summits — only  slightly  lower — present  equal  difficulties.  The  best 
climbing  is  in  the  Beartooth  and  Absaroka  Mountains  and  Glacier  Park 
(guides  available)  ;  here  the  typical  ascent  begins  over  forest  trails  that 
extend  to  the  timber  line,  then  up  loose  talus  slopes  to  precipitous  cliffs; 
beyond  these  are  difficult  rock  seams  and  buttresses,  leading  to  easier 
inclines  near  the  summit.  In  August  and  later,  snow  can  be  avoided  on 
most  mountains,  and  only  a  few  retain  patches  of  ice  that  the  climber 
must  cross.  Although  many  mountains  can  be  climbed  by  experienced 
mountaineers  without  special  equipment,  it  is  wise  to  carry  at  least  a  rope 


DUDE  RANCH 


and  ax,  for  there  is  usually  some  ticklish  bit  that  should  be  attempted 
only  with  an  anchor  to  windward.  Most  climbs  require  only  one  day  for 
the  trip  to  the  summit  and  back,  provided  there  is  a  trail  to  timber  line. 
Without  a  trail  to  follow,  the  dense  forest,  full  of  windfalls,  is  likely  to 
be  tedious. 

Riding:  Nearly  all  dude  ranches  furnish  horses  without  extra  cost, 
riding  being  as  much  a  part  of  the  fare  as  the  food.  At  low-priced  lodges, 
hot  springs  resorts,  and  national  parks,  there  is  an  extra  charge.  Small 
outfitters  in  mountain  towns  specialize  in  saddle  trips  into  the  back 
country.  The  rate  for  guides,  horses,  equipment,  and  food  averages  about 
$8  a  day  per  person  in  parties  of  three  or  more.  Large  parties  usually  get 
a  lower  rate;  persons  traveling  alone  must  pay  slightly  more. 

Good  horsemen  willing  to  look  after  their  riding  stock  and  to  do  with- 
out guides  can  usually  rent  ranch  horses  inexpensively  and  conveniently. 
An  experienced  camper  provided  with  proper  maps  has  no  real  need  for 
a  guide.  The  main  difficulty  in  looking  after  rented  horses  is  to  keep 
them  near.  Horses  sometimes  take  a  notion  to  travel  homeward  over- 
night, and  even  when  hobbled  can  cover  several  miles  in  a  few  hours.  As 


122  MONTANA:  THE  GENERAL  BACKGROUND 

they  seldom  separate,  it  is  usually  best  to  picket  one  or  two  securely  on  the 

best  grass  and  hobble  the  others  near  by. 

Hiking:  Glacier  National  Park  offers  the  best  hiking,  with  900  miles  of 
safe,  well-kept  trails  through  some  of  the  most  beautiful  scenery  in  the 
Rockies.  In  less  developed  areas  an  extensive  hike  entails  carrying  a  bed 
roll  and  food,  as  supply  points  are  infrequent.  The  best  plan  is  to  select  a 
supply  base  and  make  several  i-  or  2 -day  excursions  from  it,  then  catch  a 
ride  to  another  base. 

Hikers  in  the  Rockies  should  carry  a  topographic  map  of  the  chosen 
area.  Although  most  of  the  main  trails  are  marked  at  intersections,  some 
are  not ;  and  a  wrong  choice  of  trail  late  in  the  day  may  be  a  serious  in- 
convenience. To  hike  alone  except  on  familiar  trails  is  unwise;  an  injured 
hiker  might  wait  a  long  time  for  help.  To  hike  without  any  trail  at  all  is 
dangerous  even  for  groups.  Any  safe  route  would  likely  have  at  least  a 
game  trail,  since  animals  have  been  making  such  trails  for  thousands  of 
years.  Game  trails,  however,  may  not  lead  anywhere  in  particular.  Both 
the  Park  Service  and  the  Forest  Service  urge  hikers  to  discuss  their  plans 
with  a  ranger  before  setting  out  into  new  country. 

Swimming:  A  swim  in  a  clear  mountain  lake  or  river  rewards  the  hiker 
or  horseman  at  the  end  of  many  Montana  trails.  In  some  places  the  water 
is  not  long  on  its  way  from  a  melting  glacier,  but  after  the  first  gasp  it  not 
only  isn't  bad,  it's  perfect.  The  swimmer  unaccustomed  to  such  water 
should  not  stay  in  too  long  or  swim  too  far  unaccompanied  by  a  boat,  for 
it  is  colder  than  he  may  realize. 

Most  of  the  cities  have  public  pools  with  tempered  water,  and  a  score- 
of  hot  springs  resorts  offer  water  as  hot  as  can  be  borne  comfortably.. 
Besides  plunges,  the  resorts  usually  have  saddle  horses,  tennis  courts,  and 
other  accommodations.  Many  tourists  prefer  hot  springs  to  tourist  camps,, 
for  the  sake  of  a  warm  plunge  at  the  end  of  the  day. 

Fossil  Hunting:  All  Montana  is  a  promising  field  for  fossil  hunters,  but 
the  best  areas  are  south  of  the  Missouri,  where  the  stream  courses  are 
deeply  eroded.  Caves,  rock  shelters,  and  gravel  slides  in  the  breaks  along 
the  major  rivers  are  good  places  to  search.  If  a  fossil  or  artifact  is  dis- 
covered, it  is  important  to  dig  around  it  only  enough  to  establish  that  it 
is  a  real  find,  and  then  report  it  to  the  School  of  Mines  at  Butte.  A  geol- 
ogist will  be  sent  to  identify  the  stratum  in  which  it  is  imbedded  and  to 
authenticate  the  discovery. 

Prospecting:  Not  all  the  pay   dirt  in   Montana   has   yet   been   found;; 


RECREATION  123 

there  remain  many  gulches  that  have  been  but  lightly  prospected.  Most 
prospectors  get  only  50^  to  $2  out  of  a  day's  work,  but  the  possibility 
that  the  gold  panner  who  finds  a  little  in  a  creek  may  find  more  in  a  lode 
nearby  is  alluring. 

Prospecting  requires  only  a  long-handled  shovel  and  a  pan.  For  actual 
placer  mining  a  ditch  is  dug,  and  a  few  boards  and  nails  made  into  a 
sluice  box  about  6  feet  long,  a  foot  wide,  and  a  few  inches  deep.  A  strip  of 
carpet  is  laid  on  the  bottom;  over  it  are  placed  several  pieces  of  wire 
screen  for  riffles.  The  box  is  set  at  a  slight  angle  to  allow  coarse  material 
to  run  out;  water  from  the  stream  is  led  into  it.  The  gold  caught  in  the 
riffles  settles  in  the  carpet,  which  is  washed  at  the  end  of  the  day  to  re- 
cover the  embedded  metal.  The  foot  of  gravel  next  to  bedrock  is  richest. 

Rodeos:  The  modern  outgrowth  of  the  old-time  roundup  is  a  more  pop- 
ular spectacle  at  Montana  fairs  than  horse  racing,  though  races  are  used 
as  part  of  the  rodeo.  Rodeo  events  also  include  bronco  riding,  bulldogging 
(see  Glossary),  calf  roping,  steer  riding  (without  saddle),  and  milking 
of  wild  cows. 

Some  of  the  riders  are  young  fellows  in  from  the  range,  eager  to  dis- 
play their  ability  and  perhaps  win  a  purse.  Others,  including  a  few  women, 
are  professionals  traveling  from  rodeo  to  rodeo,  usually  "grubstaked"  by  the 
people  who  organize  the  show,  furnish  the  buckers  and  other  stock,  andi 
manage  the  brisk  run-off  of  events.  The  most  spirited  buckers,  often  as 
famous  as  their  riders,  learn  to  make  the  10  seconds  allowed  for  a  ride 
all  too  long  for  any  but  the  most  expert  "busters."  (For  principal  rodeos, 
see  CALENDAR  OF  EVENTS.) 

Winter  Sports:  Montana  has  every  advantage  for  winter  sports — plenty 
of  snow  and  clear,  cold  weather;  an  open,  hilly  terrain;  and  people  with 
a  tradition  for  skiing  and  kindred  activities.  Organization  was  begun  in 
1934  when  Casper  Oimoen,  captain  of  America's  1932  and  1936  Olympic 
ski  teams,  came  to  Anaconda  to  supervise  construction  of  a  ski  jump.  It 
turned  out  to  be  one  of  the  fastest  jumps  in  the  country;  tournaments  held 
there  attracted  the  foremost  performers  and  helped  popularize  all  winter 
sports.  The  annual  winter  carnival  now  features  ski  jumping,  cross  coun- 
try ski  running,  hockey,  dog  sledding,  speed  and  figure  skating,  and  bob- 
sledding. 

Following  the  example  of  Anaconda,  other  cities  are  organizing  their 
inter  sports  activities,  collaborating  with  the  recreational  program  of  the 
orks  Progress  Administration. 


wu 

* 


124  MONTANA:  THE  GENERAL  BACKGROUND 

Mo  tor  boat  Racing:  Although  the  sport  is  in  its  infancy  in  Montana,  some 
exciting  races  have  been  held  on  Flathead  Lake  and  at  Anaconda  and 
Thompson  Falls.  Most  of  the  motors  used  are  of  the  outboard  type.  Regat- 
tas are  held  at  Whitefish  and  at  Hauser  Lake,  12  miles  north  of  Helena. 
The  lake  created  by  Fort  Peck  Dam  will  provide  further  opportunities 
for  speedboat  enthusiasts. 

Golf:  Not  many  years  ago  the  rough  was  so  well  named  and  so  exten- 
sive that  a  few  players  invented  "Montana  golf,"  using  no  ball  between 
greens,  but  simply  basing  the  result  of  a  stroke  on  the  perfection  of  form 
in  making  it.  The  game  had  a  certain  Scotch  merit.  There  are  now  some 
good  well-kept  golf  courses.  A  few  boast  grass  greens,  but  others  use  only 
an  oily  composition  based  on  granulated  smelter  slag,  which  makes  the 
greens  black.  Fairways  have  scant  grass;  the  lie  of  the  ball  is  likely  to 
satisfy  anyone's  craving  for  variety.  The  average  greens  fee  is  50  cents. 
Most  clubs,  while  private,  welcome  visitors  belonging  to  other  clubs.  A 
few  dude  ranches  have  small  courses. 

Other  Sports:  Tennis  courts  are  available  at  most  towns  and  dude  ranches. 
A  State  league  plays  amateur  and  professional  baseball,  with  clubs  in 
the  larger  cities.  Football  is  played  in  schools  and  colleges,  with  outstand- 
ing teams  at  the  university  and  the  State  college.  Basketball  is  perhaps  the 
most  popular  competitive  sport.  Nearly  every  fair-sized  school  and  town 
has  a  team,  and  local  rivalries  are  often  both  spirited  and  bitter.  Bowling 
is  a  winter  sport  in  several  cities.  Montana  likes  rough  and  hearty  sports, 
and  has  produced  some  prize  fighters  who  have  graduated  into  the  big 
arenas.  Its  most  celebrated  ring  battle  was  the  Dempsey-Gibbons  fight  at 
the  little  oil  town  of  Shelby,  July  4,  1923.  Significantly,  Montanans  never 
forget  to  mention  that  Shelby  was  just  a  "little  oil  town"  at  the  time. 


PART   II 

Cities  and  Towns 


"&>>>>>>>>>> 


Billings 


Railroad  Station:  Union  Station,  Montana  Ave.  between  22nd  and  24th  Sts.  for 
Great  Northern  Ry.,  Northern  Pacific  Ry.,  and  Chicago,  Burlington  &  Quincy  R.R. 
Bus  Stations:  Union  Terminal,  108  N.  26th  St.,  for  Greyhound,  Burlington  Trail- 
ways,  Washington  Motor  Coach,  Motor  Transit  Co.  512  N.  27th  St.  also  for  Motor 
Transit.  2302  ist  Ave.  N.  for  Northern  Pacific  Transport.  Chappie's  Drug  Store, 
Montana  Ave.  and  Broadway,  for  Billings  Interurban. 

Airport:  On  Rimrock,  2.2  m.  NW.  by  Lindbergh  Blvd.,  for  Northwest  Airlines  and 
Wyoming  Air  Service.  Taxi  5O0. 
City  Busses :  Fare  io0. 

Taxis:  ist  zone,  i  passenger,  2 50;  2nd  zone,  i  or  2,  5O0;  3rd  zone,  i  to  3,  750. 
Traffic  Regulations:  Speed  limit  15  m.p.h.  downtown,  25  in  residential  sections,  12 
within  100  yards  of  school  in  session.  Parking  downtown  ihr.,  at  post  office  10  min.; 
free  near  courthouse,  200-300  N.  27th  St.,  and  on  3rd  Ave.  N.  at  Broadway. 
Street  Numbering:  Avenues  numbered  from  N.  P.  Ry.  both  ways,  streets  numbered 
NE.  to  SW.  to  Division  St.,  thence  E.  to  W. 

Accommodations:  Eleven  hotels,  many  tourist  camps;  during  large  gatherings  news- 
papers list  homes  with  spare  rooms. 

Information  Service:  Commercial  Club,  N.  27th  St.  at  3rd  Ave.  N. ;  Rod  and  Gun 
Club,  Boothill  Mound  at  E.  edge  of  city  off  Rimrock  Dr. 
Radio  Station:  KGHL  (950  kc.). 
Motion  Picture  Houses:  Four. 

Swimming.  Athletic  Park,  901  N.  27th  St.;  South  Park,  600  S.  Broadway;  free. 
Golf:  Hilands  Club,  1.5  m.  N.  over  Polytechnic  Dr.;  Billings  Country  Club,  2  m.  N. 
on  Lindbergh  Blvd.;  Hiltop  Club,  1.5  m.  E.  on  US  10  and  L.  on  Lake  Elmo  Rd. 
(greens  fees  250  and  350). 

Tennis:  Billings  Polytechnic  Institute,  3  m.  NW.  on  Polytechnic  Dr.;  Eastern  Mon- 
tana Normal  School,  1500  N.  3oth  St.;  Pioneer  Park,  between  Grand  Ave.  and 
Ave.  G. 

Ice  Skating:  Athletic  Park,  901  N.  27th  St.;  South  Park,  600  S.  Broadway;  Terry 
Ave.  &  5th  St.  W. 

Shooting:  Billings  Rod  &  Gun  Club,  Boothill  Mound  off  Rimrock  Dr.;  Yellowstone 
Rifle  Club,  2915  ist  Ave.  N. 
Bowling:  Basement  of  Babcock  Theater,  Broadway  and  3rd  Ave.  N. 

Annual  Events:  Motor  caravans  to  Custer  Battlefield,  May  30.  Motorcycle  climb, 
Polytechnic  pageant,  pioneer  banquet,  shooting,  golf,  and  tennis  tournaments,  early 
summer.  Swimming  tournament,  July  4.  Midland  Empire  Fair,  August.  Mexican 
fiesta,  September  15-16.  Turkey  shoot,  late  November. 

BILLINGS  (3,117  alt.,  16,380  pop.),  seat  of  Yellowstone  County  and 
third  largest  city  of  Montana,  lies  on  the  west  bank  of  the  Yellowstone 
River.  On  the  east  beyond  the  river,  and  on  the  north,  buff  sandstone  cliffs 
known  as  the  Rimrock  rise  400  feet  above  the  valley  floor.  On  the  south, 
the  high  hills  flatten  down  to  a  plain  that  slopes  westward  toward  Clark 
Fork  of  the  Yellowstone.  From  the  streets  of  the  city  the  valley  seems  an 
irregular  bowl,  rather  than  the  great  trough  it  is  in  reality,  and  mountains 
loom  up  at  its  southwestern  rim.  Though  the  snow-covered  Beartooths  are 

127 


128  CITIES   AND   TOWNS 

60  miles  away,  the  clearness  of  the  air  sometimes  makes  the  city  seem  to 
lie  almost  at  their  feet. 

Except  at  the  west  end  of  town  there  are  no  diagonal  streets.  The 
gridiron  pattern  is  laid  on  a  northeast-southwest  axis,  following  the  rail- 
road, which  cuts  the  town  completely  in  two.  Only  a  few  widely  separated 
crossings  connect  the  halves. 

On  the  north  side  are  the  main  business  section,  most  of  the  public 
buildings,  and  the  better  residential  districts.  Most  of  the  buildings  are 
clean  and  fresh.  Increasing  use  of  electricity  and  gas  protects  them  from 
much  of  the  smoke  and  dust  of  the  average  city.  At  night  the  business 
section  is  neon-lighted  in  all  the  colors  of  the  rainbow. 

The  south  side  is  the  older  part  of  Billings.  At  its  southern  limit  is  the 
sugar  refinery,  the  city's  biggest  industrial  plant.  Along  the  railroad  are 
flour  mills,  lumberyards,  and  the  warehouses  of  some  of  the  leading  dis- 
tributing plants  in  Montana.  In  between,  in  a  section  of  vacant  lots  and 
old  buildings,  are  isolated  groups  of  attractive  houses.  In  1938  the  Fed- 
eral Housing  Administration  allotted  $280,000  to  replace  old  houses  with 
new.  At  the  refinery  are  extensive  feeding  pens  where  cattle  and  sheep  are 
fattened  on  potent  smelling  beet  pulp,  molasses,  and  alfalfa. 

In  this  section  of  town  live  many  of  the  Mexicans  employed  in  the 
sugar  industry.  Others  live  in  a  village  of  about  50  white  adobe  buildings 
on  a  ten-acre  area  of  alkali  flats  southeast  of  the  refinery.  Often,  one  small 
house  accommodates  two  families.  A  Mexican  fiesta  is  held  in  mid- 
September,  with  English  translation  of  program  numbers  for  visitors. 

Billings  shows  its  agricultural  origin  in  many  ways.  The  easy  friendli- 
ness of  its  citizens  is  that  of  a  farming  community;  sometimes  fully  half 
the  people  on  the  streets  have  the  unmistakable  air  of  the  land  about  them. 
Cowboys,  especially  numerous  on  the  days  when  sales  are  on  at  the  stock- 
yards, click  down  the  sidewalks  in  high-heeled  boots  and  broad-brimmed 
hats. 

Descendants  of  Irish,  English,  Scottish,  and  Scandinavian  settlers  pre- 
dominate. The  foreign-born  are  but  a  small  part  of  the  population. 

It  is  told  that  when  the  town  was  only  two  or  three  months  old,  one 
Seth  Bullock,  approaching  over  a  miserable  trail  on  a  dark,  rainy  night, 
asked  a  citizen  the  distance  to  Billings.  "You're  in  Billings  now,"  said  the 
citizen.  "The  devil  I  am!"  said  Seth.  "Can  you  tell  me  where  Star,  Bullock 
and  Company's  store  is?"  "Keep  right  on  this  street,"  said  the  citizen. 
"The  store  is  on  the  left-hand  side,  26  miles  from  here."  This  trait  of 
reckless  affirmation  is  more  than  booster  spirit.  It  not  only  inspires 
Billings'  claim  to  be  the  capital  of  a  vague  tributary  region  called  the 
"Midland  Empire,"  but  has  promoted  its  actual  growth,  in  a  brief  half 
century,  from  a  tiny  frontier  trading  post  and  cowtown  to  the  metropolis 
of  an  area  as  large  as  New  York  State. 

An  Indian  trail  once  crossed  the  site,  passing  southwest  along  the  river 
from  a  gap  in  the  Rimrock.  Here  Frangois  Larocque  came  in  September 
1805,  looking  for  beaver.  Ten  months  later  Capt.  William  Clark  and  his 
party,  returning  from  the  Pacific  (see  HISTORY),  came  down  the  trail 
on  their  way  to  rejoin  Lewis  at  the  mouth  of  the  Yellowstone.  Then  for 


BILLINGS  129 

years  only  trappers,  traders,  and  adventurers  who  left  little  or  no  record 
of  themselves  visited  the  region. 

From  1853  to  1873  surveys  of  the  valley  were  delayed  by  trouble  with 
the  Sioux.  In  June  1876  the  news  of  the  Custer  Battle  drew  Nation-wide 
attention  to  the  region.  More  troops  were  sent;  the  Sioux  were  subdued; 
what  had  been  a  wild  and  little-known  land  was  opened  to  the  stockman 
and  land  seeker.  Soon  small  settlements  were  grouped  around  stage  sta- 
tions and  post  offices. 

When  the  Northern  Pacific  Railway  entered  the  valley  in  1882,  Coul- 
son,  founded  in  1877  at  the  eastern  edge  of  the  bowl,  assumed  it  would  be 
selected  as  the  site  of  the  city  the  railroad  company  ordered  built.  Refus- 
ing, however,  to  pay  the  exorbitant  prices  Coulson  landowners  asked  for 
their  property,  the  company  laid  out  the  new  city  two  miles  up  the  river, 
and  named  it  Billings  in  honor  of  Frederick  Billings,  its  president.  Soon 
Coulson  was  receiving  mail  as  East  Billings. 

In  a  few  months  Billings  became  a  thriving  city  with  schools,  churches, 
newspapers,  and  a  street  railway  capitalized  at  $40,000,  though  composed 
of  only  two  1 5-foot  yellow  cars  drawn  by  Indian  ponies.  The  "two-bit" 
fare  to  Coulson  also  paid  for  two  glasses  of  beer  at  the  Coulson  brewery. 
The  trip  became  the  joy-ride  de  luxe  for  Billings  beaux  and  their  girls. 
When  huge  Custer  County,  whose  affairs  were  administered  at  Bozeman 
because  it  had  no  county  seat  of  its  own,  was  divided  in  1883,  Billings 
became  the  seat  of  Yellowstone  County. 

Then  the  boom  collapsed.  Three  large  fires,  two  of  them  fought  without 
adequate  water,  destroyed  many  of  the  makeshift  wooden  buildings.  The 
disastrous  winter  of  1886-87  crippled  the  stock  business,  and  by  1890  the 
population  had  shrunk  from  more  than  1,500  to  836.  With  its  first  reck- 
less growth  dramatically  ended,  Billings  settled  down.  When  prosperity 
came  again,  it  was  based  on  the  solid  foundation  of  a  growing  cattle  in- 
dustry and  agriculture  under  irrigation. 

In  1874  Addison  Quivey  reported  the  Yellowstone  Valley  "valuable 
for  neither  agriculture,  grazing,  nor  minerals,  but  .  .  .  interesting  .  .  . 
as  the  last  home  and  burial  place  of  the  horrible  monsters  of  the  earliest 
animal  creation."  Five  years  later  an  irrigation  ditch  was  dug  near  Coulson 
and  the  valley  began  its  magnificent  refutation  of  Quivey 's  judgment.  In 
1938  irrigated  land  around  Billings  exceeded  600,000  acres. 

Irrigation  early  encouraged  experiments  in  sugar-beet  growing  that  led 
to  the  establishment  of  a  refinery  in  1906.  The  first  beet  field  workers 
were  Japanese,  but  the  sugar  company  found  them  unsatisfactory.  They 
were  replaced  after  one  season  by  industrious  Russian-Germans  who  had 
heard  of  the  new  jobs  and  were  willing  to  work  by  the  "Dutchman's 
lantern"  (the  early  morning  moon)  to  make  their  way  in  America.  Even 
the  babies  were  carried  to  the  fields,  where  their  mothers  were  hoeing  or 
thinning  the  long  rows.  Soon  these  people  bought  land  and  adopted  the 
American  way  of  life;  many  settled  on  the  Huntley  Irrigation  project,  15 
miles  outside  of  Billings,  where  they  make  up  a  third  of  the  population. 
Mexicans  imported  in  1918  took  their  place  in  the  beet  fields. 

The  installation  in  1933  of  pulp-drying  equipment  at  the  refinery  en- 


1 3o 


CITIES  AND  TOWNS 


RIMROCK 


IRRIGATION 


ORIVI 


CAN, 


'*« 


LEWIS 


WYOMII 


TERRY 


AVE 


G      AVE 


AVE. 


STATE 


BILLINGS 


131 


BILLINGS 


1938 


132  CITIES   AND   TOWNS 

couraged  an  industry  subsidiary  to  sugar  manufacture:  the  rapid  condition- 
ing for  market  of  thousands  of  head  of  livestock  by  the  feeding  of  beet 
pulp. 

Hay,  chiefly  alfalfa,  outranks  beets  in  cash  value  and  finds  a  ready 
market  in  the  dry-land  areas.  The  value  of  milk,  butter,  and  wool  mar- 
keted in  Billings  exceeds  $8,000,000  a  year.  Milk  is  far  in  the  lead,  but 
Billings  was  once  the  largest  inland  wool  shipping  point  in  the  United 
States.  The  city  is  an  important  cattle  and  horse  marketing  center.  Indus- 
tries include  flour  milling,  meat  packing,  and  canning.  The  labor  of  300 
persons  is  required  to  process  the  bean  crop  after  it  reaches  the  cleaning 
mills.  Oil  refining  and  woodworking  are  the  most  important  enterprises 
independent  of  agriculture. 

Billings  is  a  convenient  transportation  crossroads,  and  its  wholesale 
trade  flourishes.  The  planes  of  two  air  lines  drone  regularly  down  to  the 
port  on  the  Rimrock.  Good  motor  roads  reach  up  and  down  the  Yellow- 
stone Valley,  north  and  east  across  the  plains,  over  the  mountains  to  the 
west  and  southwest.  Billings  is  Montana's  only  plains  city  having  direct 
rail  connections  with  Denver  and  other  cities  to  the  south. 

POINTS  OF  INTEREST 

1.  EASTERN  MONTANA  NORMAL  SCHOOL  (open  8:30-5  Mon.- 
Fri.;  8:30-1  Sat.),  1500  N.  3Oth  St.,  is  one  of  the  six  units  of  the  State 
University.  First  housed  (1927)  in  rented  rooms,  it  was  soon  moved  to  a 
building  of  Gardiner  travertine  and  Montana-made  brick  on  an  elevation 
that  permits  a  fine  view  of  the  city.  The  design  is  modern ;  a  central  tower 
rises  two  stories  above  the  four-story  wings.  The  registration   (resident 
students)  in  1936-37  was  55  men  and  258  women.  Courses  in  art,  Eng- 
lish, mathematics,  music,  physical  education,  science,  and  social  science 
are  supplemented  by  actual  teaching  experience  in  Billings'  public  schools. 

2.  ST.  VINCENT  HOSPITAL-SCHOOL  (open),   ist  Ave.  N.  and 
Division  St.,  founded  after  the  1916  epidemic  of  infantile  paralysis  as  a 
single  orthopedic  ward  in  the  old  St.  Vincent  Hospital,  occupies  the  three- 
story  building  and  the  third  floor  of  the  new  hospital.  Special  courses  are 
given  in  stenography,   dancing,  drawing,  and  modeling.   In  connection 
with  the  school,  the  Billings  Rotary  Club  sponsors  a  summer  camp  in  the 
Beartooth  Mountains,  six  miles  south  of  Red  Lodge. 

3.  PARMLY  BILLINGS  MEMORIAL  LIBRARY  (open  9-9  week- 
days; 1-9  Sun.),  Montana  Ave.  and  29th  St.,  was  given  to  the  city  in  1901 
by  Frederick  Billings,  Jr.,  in  honor  of  his  brother  Parmly,  who  had  lived 
in  Billings.  It  is  housed  in  a  towered  Romanesque  building  of  native 
sandstone.  The  appointments  emphasize  the  local  atmosphere;  the  walls 
are  hung  with  western  paintings  and  relics.  In  1922  Elizabeth  Billings 
added  the  Frederick  Billings,  Jr.,  Memorial  Wing  to  house  the  MUSEUM 
(open  during  library  hours).  There  are  sections  devoted  to  pioneer  days, 
the  Custer  Battle,  Montana  birds,  and  paleontological  finds;  a  gun  col- 
lection contains  two  six-foot  Hudson's  Bay  flintlocks,  each  worth  a  six- 
foot  pile  of  furs  to  an  old-time  Indian. 


BILLINGS  133 

4.  The  SUGAR  REFINERY  (open  1:15-3  weekdays;  1:15-2:45  Sun., 
during  Sept -Feb.),  S.  3ist  St.  and  State  Ave.,  is  the  first  and  largest 
Montana  refinery,  and  one  of  the  largest  in  the  world.  Capable  of  slicing 
3,000  tons  of  beets  daily  (see  INDUSTRY  AND  COMMERCE),  it  covers 
about  three  city  squares,  employs  700  men  in  season,  and  makes  sugar  re- 
fining Billings'  foremost  industry. 

The  central  plant  of  red  brick  rises  four  stories  and  is  topped  with  an 
attic  story  of  whitewashed  steel  surmounted  in  turn  by  two  smokestacks. 
Glistening  steel  pipes  and  ventilators  sprout  from  the  roof.  Box-like 
smaller  buildings,  chiefly  of  brick,  stand  about  the  grounds.  To  one  side, 
six  cylindrical  gray  storage  tanks,  like  those  of  a  modern  flour  mill,  rise 
above  the  roofs  of  the  buildings.  A  silvery  water  tank  on  great  stilt-like 
legs  rises  nearly  to  the  height  of  the  smokestacks.  Railroad  tracks  extend 
westward  from  the  plant  on  multiple  trestles ;  beets  are  dumped  from  the 
cars  into  huge  washing  troughs  under  the  trestles.  Behind  the  plant  are 
great  mounds  of  limestone  and  of  the  dark  waste  products  of  sugar 
manufacture. 

RIMROCK  DRIVE  TOUR— 4.3  m. 

This  loop  trip  above  the  city  on  the  north  goes  northwest  on  N.  27th 
St.  into  Lindbergh  Blvd.,  which  climbs  steeply  up  the  Rimrock  to  the 
airport.  Swinging  east  at  the  airport,  the  road  follows  more  or  less  closely 
the  edge  of  a  sheer  cliff.  The  drive  is  fascinating  at  night  for  its  view 
of  the  lighted  city. 

5.  The  RANGE  RIDER  OF  THE  YELLOWSTONE  overlooks  the  city 
from  the  airport.  The  bronze  life-size  group  (unveiled  July  4,  1927)  of  a 
cowboy  and  his  mount,  posed  by  William  S.  (Bill)  Hart  and  his  horse, 
Paint,  is  the  work  of  Charles  Christadora.  It  was  placed  originally  at  the 
edge  of  the  Rimrock  several  hundred  yards  east  of  the  airport,  but  was 
moved  in  February  1938  because  the  flood  waters  of  June  1937  damaged  the 
cliff  beneath  and  made  its  position  unsafe. 

-R.  from  Lindbergh  Blvd.  on  Rimrock  Dr. 

6.  BOOTHILL  CEMETERY,  E.  end  of  Rimrock  Dr.,  was  the  first 
burial  place  used  by  Billings  pioneers,  many  of  whom  died  "with  their 
boots  on."  Bad  men,  peace  officers,  and  Indian  skirmishers  lie  side  by  side 
in  shallow  graves.  A  shaft  built  of  small  stones  marks  the  site.  Of  the 
original  markers,  only  a  wooden  cross  and  a  weathered  sandstone  slab 
remain. 

R.  from  Rimrock  Dr.  on  US  10;  US  10  turns  R.  into  1st  Ave.  N. 

7.  MIDLAND  EMPIRE  FAIRGROUNDS,  entrance  at  E.  end  of  ist 
Ave.  N.  has  a  half-mile  track  and  permanent  buildings  including  a  large 
T-shaped  main  building  with  a  barrel-vaulted  roof  and  an  auditorium 
seating  10,000.  The  fair  features  extensive  agricultural  and  livestock  ex- 
hibits, racing  with  pari-mutuel  betting,  and  a  rodeo  in  which  ranking  per- 
formers compete. 


134  CITIES   AND  TOWNS 

8.  BILLINGS  STOCKYARDS   (212  pens),  entrance  at  ist  Ave.  N. 
and  N.  loth  St.,  cover  7^/2  acres.  Here,  amid  the  dust  and  smell  of  auction 
day,  the  shrill  yells  of  punchers  and  the  shouts  of  buyer  and  seller  rise 
above  the  bawling  of  cattle  and  the  startled  snorting  of  horses  as  the 
herds  are  hustled  through  long  rows  of  corrals  and  chutes.  As  many  as 
3,000  cattle  and  500  horses  have  been  shipped  out  in  one  day. 

POINTS  OF  INTEREST  IN  ENVIRONS 

9.  SACRIFICE  CLIFF,  1.5  m.  on  E.  side  of  Yellowstone  River,  visible 
from  downtown  Billings,  is  a  2oo-foot  nearly  vertical  escarpment  from 
which,  more  than  100  years  ago,  Crow  Indians  afflicted  with  smallpox 
leaped  to  death  to  appease  their  gods.  Scores  of  bodies  were  once  fastened 
to  the  trees  on  top  of  the  cliff,  though  common  Indian  practice  was  to 
place  only  a  few  in  any  one  burial  ground. 

10.  BILLINGS  POLYTECHNIC  INSTITUTE,  3  m.  NW.  on  Poly- 
technic Dr.,  was  founded  in  1908  by  Lewis  and  Ernest  Eaton.  The  entire 
job  of  designing,  building,  and  equipping  the  school  plant,  including  the 
quarrying  of  sandstone  for  the  nine  buildings,  was  done  by  student  labor 
under  faculty  supervision.  Student  industries  operated  with  student-built 
machinery  include  manufacture  and  marketing  of  flour  and  cereals ;  print- 
ing and  binding  of  books  and  periodicals;  woodworking;  radio,  electric, 
and  automotive  servicing.  Work  in  the  plants  pays  for  the  education  of 
many  students.  With  the  exception  of  the  square  red  brick  Science  Hall 
(1909)  the  buildings  are  of  gray  rimrock  sandstone  in  various  adaptations 
of  medieval  English  architecture.  One  of  the  dormitories  has  battlements 
and  square  towers. 

Huntley  Irrigation  Project,  15.4  m.,  Pompey's  Pillar,  29.8  m.  (see  Tour  1,  sec.  a). 
Horsethief  Cache  and  Home  of  Calamity  Jane,  24  m.  (see  Tour  1,  sec.  b).  Inscrip- 
tion Cave,  7.8  m.,  Custer  Battlefield  National  Cemetery,  6.5.7  m.  (see  Tour  3,  sec.  b). 


CONSERVATORY  OF  MUSIC,  BILLINGS  POLYTECHNIC  INSTITUTE 


Railroad  Stations:  Front  and  Utah  Sts.  for  Northern  Pacific  Ry.  and  Union  Pacific 
R.R.;  2nd  and  Montana  Sts.  for  Milwaukee  Rd.  and  for  Butte,  Anaconda  &  Pacific 
R.R.;  Arizona  and  3rd  Sts.  for  Great  Northern  Ry. 

Bus  Stations:  101  West  Broadway  for  Intermountain  Transportation;  Broadway 
and  Wyoming  Sts.  for  Greyhound,  Washington  Motor  Coach,  Deer  Lodge  Trans- 
portation, and  Northern  Pacific  Transport;  109  E.  Broadway  for  Butte — Wisdom 
Mail  Stage. 

Airport:  4  m.  S.  on  US  10  for  Western  Air  Express  and  Northwest  Airlines;  taxi, 
$i. 

Street  Busses:  Fare  io0,  or  4  tokens  for  250. 

Taxis:  Minimum  5O0;  further  fees  depending  on  distance,  grades,  and  the  like. 
Traffic  Regulations:  No  left  turns  at  Park  and  Main  or  Broadway  and  Main.  No 
U-turns  at  stop  light.  Parking  restrictions  indicated  on  streets.  Cars  going  up  or 
down  hill  have  right  of  way. 

Street  Numbering:  Park  St.  is  dividing  line  for  streets  running  N.  and'S.,  Main  St. 
for  streets  E.  and  W. 

Accommodations:  More  than  40  hotels.  Many  rooming  houses  and  tourist  camps. 

Information  Service:  Chamber  of  Commerce,  62  W.  Broadway. 

Radio  Station:  KGIR  (1340  kc). 

Motion  Picture  Houses:  Four. 

Golf:  Municipal  course,  Rowe  Rd.,  18  holes;  greens  fee  350. 

Tennis:  1300  Harrison  Ave. ;  free. 

Athletics  (incl.  baseball  and  football)  :  Opposite  tennis  courts,  1300  Harrison  Ave.; 

Clark  Park,  Grand  'and  Texas  Aves. ;  the  Cinders,  Alabama  and  Silver  Sts. ;  Emmett 

St.  field,  Excelsior  and  Gold  Sts. 

Riding:  1718  Yale  Ave.;  $i  per  hour. 

Annual  Events:  Balkan  pre-Lenten  festival  (Mesopust),  February.  Miner's  Union 
Day  celebration,  June  13.  Rodeo,  usually  second  week  in  July.  Miner's  field  day, 
August  2.  Football  game,  State 'University  vs.  State  College,  late  October. 

BUTTE  (5,755  alt,  39,532  pop.),  Montana's  largest  city,  lies  against 
a  bare  southward-sloping  hillside,  like  a  vast  page  of  disorderly  manu- 
script, its  uneven  paragraphs  of  buildings  punctuated  with  enormous 
yellow  and  gray  copper  ore  dumps  and  with  the  gallows  frames  that 
mark  mine  shafts.  At  the  foot  of  the  hill  Silver  Bow  Creek — otherwise 
Clark  Fork  of  the  Columbia — flows  westward  through  a  flat  and  almost 
treeless  valley  between  barren  mountains.  To  the  northwest  is  Big  Butte, 
the  volcanic  cone  from  which  the  city  takes  its  name,  identified  by  the 
white  "M"  placed  near  its  summit  by  students  of  the  State  School  of 
Mines.  From  a  distance  Butte  seems  to  straggle  all  over  the  hill,  but  this 
impression  is  lost  within  the  city  itself,  which  has  a  lively  up-to-date 
air  unlike  that  of  the  average  mining  camp. 

The  present-day  miner,  "coming  down  the  hill,"  leaves  his  digging 
clothes  in  a  locker  in  the  dry-room  near  the  shaft.  He  takes  his  shower, 
shaves,  and  appears  on  the  street  dressed  like  the  average  business  man. 

136 


MEADERVILLE 


Often  he  stops  for  a  "John  O'Farrell"  (whiskey  with  a  beer  chaser),  as  in 
the  old  days,  before  going  on  to  other  entertainment. 

All  ore  is  now  smelted  at  Anaconda,  26  miles  to  the  west,  and  the 
sulphurous  smoke  that  once  made  it  necessary  to  keep  plants  under  glass, 
and  street  lights  burning  even  by  day,  no  longer  blankets  the  town.  The 
air  is  clear,  flowers  bloom  in  trim  gardens,  and  trees  soften  the  outlines 
of  utilitarian  structures. 

Beneath  the  city  is  one  of  the  richest  mineral  deposits  in  the  world — 
an  area  less  than  five  miles  square  that  has  produced  between  two  and 
three  billion  dollars  in  mineral  wealth  since  1864.  There  are  253  miles  of 
streets  on  the  surface  of  Butte  Hill.  Under  the  surface  the  corridors  and 
tunnels,  which  are  being  extended  at  the  rate  of  35  miles  a  year,  total 
more  than  2,000  miles.  The  deepest  mine,  the  Steward,  drops  a  distance 
of  3,633  feet — from  near  the  Continental  Divide  to  a  point  within  2,000 
feet  of  sea-level. 

Though  it  is  by  no  means  a  gross  and  lurid  place,  as  commonly  re- 


138  CITIES   AND   TOWNS 

ported,  Butte,  in  good  times,  is  a  prodigal,  gay-living,  rough-and-ready 
town.  Saturday,  when  the  miners  are  paid,  offers  an  especially  gay  spec- 
tacle. Theaters  are  crowded  from  noon  to  midnight;  cocktail  lounges  and 
beer  parlors  do  a  lively  business ;  night  clubs  and  specialty  cafes  are  filled. 
Gambling  houses  operate  openly,  and  are  about  as  common  as  pool  halls ; 
keno  players  sit  absorbed  in  their  numbered  cards,  in  the  little  heaps  of 
corn  or  beans  with  which  they  mark  the  numbers  drawn,  and  in  the 
electric  panel  that  announces  the  numbers. 

But  to  the  discerning  the  city  reveals  another  side,  gallant  and  warm- 
hearted and  perhaps  equally  reckless,  for  Butte  is  capable  of  "giving  its 
shirt"  when  occasion  arises.  It  is  a  cosmopolitan  city,  early  settled  by  Irish, 
Welsh,  and  Cornish  miners,  later  by  representatives  of  many  countries, 
notably  the  Balkan  States.  There  is  a  small  Chinatown,  an  Italian  colony 
in  Meaderville,  and  a  Finnish  district  on  East  Broadway  and  Granite 
Street.  National  organizations  range  from  German  singing  societies  to  a 
chapter  of  the  Chinese  Bing  Kong  Tong;  several  restaurants  specialize  in 
foreign  foods.  A  few  folk  customs  of  the  various  groups  have  been  pre- 
served, the  best  known  being  the  Mesopust  (see  ETHNIC  GROUPS). 
The  old  custom  of  singing  carols  on  Christmas  Eve  was  brought  over  by 
English  miners.  For  more  than  40  years  male  choruses  sang  on  the  prin- 
cipal street  corners;  then  the  singing  began  to  attract  such  throngs  as  to 
cause  dangerous  traffic  tie-ups,  and  the  singers,  organized  as  the  Butte 
Male  Chorus,  forsook  the  streets  in  favor  of  the  radio. 

Cornish  (Cousin  Jack)  miners  of  earlier  days  contributed  the  pasty, 
or  meat  pie,  to  Butte  cuisine.  They  called  it  "a  letter  from  'ome."  Saffron 
buns  or  "nubbies"  are  another  Cornish  food.  The  favorite  sport  of  the 
Cornishmen  is  coursing — greyhounds  pursuing  rabbits.  Their  coursing 
tracks  southeast  of  the  city  on  Harrison  Avenue  are  known  as  "Cousin 
Jack  race  tracks." 

Butte's  history  goes  back  to  1864,  when  G.  O.  Humphrey  and  William 

!  Allison  arrived  from  the  gold  camp  at  Virginia  City  and  found  placer 

deposits  in  Silver  Bow  Creek.  They  also  found  a  prospect  hole  four  or 
five  feet  deep,  and  near  it,  a  pair  of  elk  horns  apparently  used  in  digging. 
Beyond  that  the  earlier  prospector  had  left  no  record  of  himself.  Hum- 
phrey and  Allison  opened  what  they  called  the  Missoula  lode,  and  a  few 
other  prospectors  drifted  in  and  staked  out  claims.  Two  years  later,  when 
the  first  house  was  built  on  the  present  Quartz  Street,  40  men  and  5 
women  were  living  in  tents  in  Buffalo  Gulch,  near  the  site  of  Centerville. 
In  1867  the  placer  camp  had  between  400  and  500  inhabitants.  But  water 
was  scarce  and  by  1870  half  the  people  had  left. 

In  1874  William  L.  Farlin,  one  of  the  first  prospectors  in  the  area,  re- 
turned from  Idaho,  and  quietly  claimed  several  outcrops  of  quartz  from 
which  he  had  previously  taken  samples  for  assay.  Word  soon  spread  that 
the  black  ledges  of  Butte  were  rich  in  silver,  and  a  period  of  claim  staking 
and  claim  jumping  followed.  Miners  swarmed  to  the  camp;  the  silver 
boom  began. 

The  excitement  brought  Marcus  Daly  (1841-1900)  to  Butte.  Daly, 
who  was  an  immigrant  from  Ireland  at  the  age  of  15,  "landed  in  America 


MINE  AND  ORE  DUMP 


with  nothing  in  his  pockets  save  his  .  .  .  Irish  smile."  He  learned  about 
mining  in  the  Nevada  silver  camps  and  was  known  as  a  shrewd  judge  of 
silver  properties.  After  some  highly  profitable  preliminary  operations  in 
Butte,  on  behalf  of  Salt  Lake  City  bankers,  he  sank  a  shaft  on  a  claim  of 
his  own  previously  ignored  as  valueless.  Experts  laughed  at  him,  and, 
when  he  began  to  strike  copper  instead  of  silver,  even  Daly  was  disap- 
pointed. He  persisted,  but  instead  of  reaching  silver  he  found  increasingly 
rich  copper  ores.  At  400  feet  he  reached  a  vein  50  feet  wide  and  of  un- 
paralleled richness.  In  less  than  20  years  he  became  the  head  of  one  of 
the  world's  most  powerful  monopolies,  and  a  founder  and  builder  of  cities 
(see  Tour  18). 

A  townsite  patent  was  issued  in  1876,  and  the  city  was  incorporated  in 
1879.  Two  years  later,  when  the  Utah  &  Northern  Railroad  provided  an 
outlet  to  the  Union  Pacific  main  line  at  Ogden,  the  copper  boom  was  on. 
By  1885  Butte  had  a  population  of  14,000.  There  were  several  banks, 
churches,  and  schools,  a  hospital,  a  fire  department,  a  water  company,  and 
a  "committee  of  safety"  composed  of  200  citizens,  who  kept  a  sharp 
lookout  for  troublemakers.  A  second  railroad  was  built,  connecting  with 
the  newly  completed  Northern  Pacific  at  Garrison.  The  Great  Northern 
reached  Butte  (1889)  ;  the  Butte,  Anaconda  &  Pacific,  which  hauls  ore  to 


140  CITIES   AND   TOWNS 

the  Anaconda  smelter,  was  completed  (1894)  ;  and  in  1908  the  Chicago, 
Milwaukee,  St.  Paul  &  Pacific  ran  its  first  trains  through  the  city. 

In  1900,  the  Montana  School  of  Mines  was  opened  in  Butte,  which 
is  fortunately  situated  for  the  study  of  mining. 

Butte  labor  is  strongly  organized,  with  more  than  12,000  workers  in 
active  unions.  The  Mine,  Mill  and  Smelter  Workers'  local  union  is  the 
largest,  and  it  greatly  influences  the  State's  labor  policy.  Most  of  the 
strikes  that  occurred  during  the  development  of  the  mines  were  settled 
quietly,  but  a  few  were  long-drawn  and  bitter  ( see  LABOR). 

Butte' s  rise  to  the  status  of  copper  metropolis  of  the  Americas  is  the 
most  dramatic  page  in  Montana's  story  (see  HISTORY).  Feverish  ac- 
tivity in  boom  times  alternated  with  unemployment  and  suffering  during 
slumps.  Wars  between  copper  kings  alternated  with  labor  fights.  But  the 
power  of  copper  grew  throughout.  The  present-day  Butte  industry  influ- 
ences more  or  less  directly  every  important  industry  in  the  State,  and  has 
powerful  connections  in  other  States  and  many  foreign  countries.  Produc- 
tion is  geared  to  large  consuming  operations  (for  example,  brass  fabri- 
cation) in  other  parts  of  the  Nation,  and  a  campaign  of  education  pro- 
motes the  use  of  copper  products.  Butte  copper  has  a  greater  tensile 
strength  than  any  other,  and  is  used  in  products  intended  to  withstand 
great  strain.  It  is  claimed  that  there  are  reserves  of  this  metal  sufficient 
to  last  for  a  hundred  years  without  the  development  of  new  ore  bodies. 

POINTS  OF  INTEREST 

1.  MARCUS  DALY  STATUE,  center  of  N.  Main  St.  between  Copper 
and  Gagnon  Sts.,  by  Augustus  Saint-Gaudens,  erected  by  popular  sub- 
scription in  1906,  is  a  bronze  of  the  copper  king  standing  at  ease,  coat  on 
arm  and  battered  hat  in  hand,  a  picture  of  the  self-assurance  that  helped 
make  him  master  of  the  State's  copper  industry. 

2.  SMITHERS  HISTORICAL  PHOTOGRAPH  COLLECTION  (open 
9-6  weekdays),  21  W.  Granite  St.,  contains  many  reproductions  of  faded 
originals  owned  by  pioneers.  About  400  depict  the  life  of  Montana  In- 
dians during  the  past  century. 

3.  The  W.  A.  CLARK  HOUSE  (private),  W.  Granite  and  N.  Idaho 
Sts.,  is  a  three-story  red  brick  mansion  in  the  style  of  the  i88o's,  with 
white  stone  ornamentation.   Small  porticoes  with  slender  columns  and 
elaborate  gingerbread  decorations  face  the  street  on  two  sides.  The  walls 
have  many  angles  and  the  lines  of  the  steep  roof  are  broken  by  numerous 
gables  and  dormer  windows.  Because  the  grounds  slope  toward  Granite 
Street,  the  building  seems  higher  in  front  than  in  the  rear.  William  An- 
drews Clark   (1839-1925)   was  president  of  the  Montana  State  Con- 
stitutional Conventions  of  1884  and  1889.  In  his  efforts  to  control  the 
Democratic  party  in  Montana,   he  was  constantly  opposed  by  Marcus 
Daly.  He  was  twice  refused  the  seat  in  the  U.  S.  Senate  to  which  he 
claimed  election,  but  after  a  third  election  in  1901  he  was  at  length  seated. 
He  served  throughout  his  term,  and  then  retired. 

4.  The  ART  CENTER  (open  2-4  and  7-9:30  daily),  2nd  floor  School 


BUTTE  141 

Administration  Bldg.,  in  N.  Montana  St.,  was  begun  early  in  1938  by 
the  Federal  Art  Project.  Exhibits  vary  from  time  to  time,  but  always  in- 
clude representative  works  by  Montana  artists. 

5.  The  PUBLIC  LIBRARY  (open  9-9  weekdays;  1-9  Sun.),  W.  Broad- 
way and  Dakota  St.,  contains  about  50,000  books,  and  the  current  peri- 
odicals. Special  cases  of  Montaniana,  art  reproductions,  and  old  or  rare 
books  are  in  the  librarian's  office.  The  building  is  of  deep  red  brick  with 
gray  sandstone  facings.  The  pediment  at  the  top  of  the  north  wall  is 
three  stories  above  the  arched  double  entrance.  At  one  corner  a  round 
tower,  of  narrow  red  brick  piers  and  glass  is  topped  with  a  flaring  crown, 
and  is  decorated  with  bands  of  carved  brick  and  sandstone.  The  fenestra- 
tion  on  either  side  of  the  entrance  is  asymmetric ;  on  one  side  is  an  arched 
window  and  a  deeply  recessed  circular  one;  on  the  other  side  is  a  large 
rectangular  window.  The  window  treatment  on  the  east  side  of  the  build- 
ing is  more  regular,  with  all  the  upper  windows  arched,  the  lower  ones 
rectangular,  but  the  corner  opposite  the  tower  has  an  almost  jocular  note, 
for  under  a  second  pediment  at  the  roof  level  is  a  circular  window  set 
in  a  sandstone  horseshoe. 

6.  SITE  OF  MAGUIRE'S  OPERA  HOUSE,  54  W.  Broadway,  is  oc- 
cupied by  the  Leggat  Hotel.  Here,  from  1885  to  1902,  John  Maguire,  an 
Irish  minstrel  turned  impresario,  made  theatrical  history  on  the  frontier. 
"The  Grand  Opera  House  at  Butte,"  said  the  August  1885  issue  of  West 
Shore,  a  magazine  published  at  Tacoma  and  Portland,  "is  the  finest  .  .  . 
on  the  Pacific  Coast  outside  of  San  Francisco."  It  must  indeed  have  been 
good,  to  make  the  Coast  magazine  class  Butte,  700  miles  inland,  as  a 
Coast  city.  Maguire's  presented  such  operas  as  The  Bohemian  Girl,  Tann- 
hduser,  and  Carmen,  with  some  of  the  best  operatic  stars  of  the  period. 
In  1888  the  house  was  burned,  but  was  soon  rebuilt.  In   1895  Mark 
Twain  lectured  from  its  stage.  A  few  years  later  Maguire  sold  it,  and  it 
became  a  vaudeville  theater  until  torn  down  to  make  room  for  the  hotel. 

CHINATOWN  occupies  the  single  square  formed  by  Main,  Galena, 
Colorado,  and  Mercury  Sts.,  and  is  divided  by  China  Alley.  The  buildings, 
mostly  of  brick,  are  old  and  shabby.  Except  for  the  names  on  one  or  two 
electric  signs,  bulletins  in  Chinese  characters  posted  on  some  of  the  walls, 
and  a  single  building  with  weird  carved  ornaments  on  its  facade,  there 
is  no  external  evidence  that  the  quarter  is  Chinese. 

Tong  wars  in  other  cities  have  occasionally  found  echoes  in  Butte,  and 
hatchet  men  have  not  been  unknown.  In  1881  the  Miner  reported  the 
following  notice  in  Chinese  posted  on  several  buildings  in  Chinatown: 
"The  sign  of  the  firm  is  Lun  Han  Tong.  Three  men  at  Walkerville  keep 
a  wash  house  against  the  law,  and  the  man  that  goes  and  kills  those 
three  will  be  paid  .  .  .  $1,500."  The  newspaper  said  a  Chinese  lawyer 
testified  under  oath  that  the  translation  was  correct,  but  added  doubtfully: 
"No  one  can  tell.  The  .  .  .  document  may  be  even  more  diabolical  than 
it  looks." 

Another  1881  item  tells  how  Gong  Sing,  being  refused  what  he  re- 
garded as  a  fair  price  for  a  woman  named  You  Kim,  seized  a  hatchet  and 
chopped  her  "at  about  the  point  where  President  Garfield  was  shot." 


142 


CITIES   AND   TOWNS 


GRANITE 


BROADWA 


PARK 


ST. 


m 


ST 


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IARJ 


PLAT 


NU  4 


ST 


UNINUM 


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FRONT 


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BUTTE 


143 


BROADWAY 


PARK  ST  . 


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BUTTE 

1938 


144  CITIES   AND   TOWNS 

7.  MONTANA  STATE  SCHOOL  OF  MINES  (open  8-5  Mon.-Fri.; 
8-12  Sat.),  W.  end  of  Park,  Galena,  and  Mercury  Sts.,  occupies  the  south- 
ern bench  of  Big  Butte,  with  a  commanding  view  of  the  city  and  the  sur- 
rounding mountains.  Since  its  opening  in  1900,  this  school  has  maintained 
high  standards  of  scholarship  and  has  done  notable  work  in  mining, 
metallurgy,  and  geology.  The  student  body,  which  averages  about  450, 
includes  men  from  every  State  and  a  dozen  foreign  countries.  The  campus 
of  1 1 1/2  acres  is  beautified  with  lawns,  trees,  and  shrubs.  To  plant  some 
of  the  trees,  workmen  had  to  blast  large  holes  in  the  rock  and  fill  them 
with  earth.  The  six  modern,  fire-proof  buildings,  of  red  pressed  brick 
with  concrete  bases  and  white  stone  facings,  are  connected  by  under- 
ground passageways,  a  great  convenience  in  winter.  In  front  of^  the  build- 
ings the  ground  drops  away  by  steep  terraces  to  Leonard  Field,  where 
there  are  tennis  courts  and  other  sports  facilities. 

RESIDENCE  HALL  (1935),  W.  end  of  Park  St.,  is  a  four-story  struc- 
ture with  two-story  wings,  built,  in  modern  functional  style,  of  tapestry 
brick  with  terra  cotta  facing.  Three  long  flights  of  concrete  steps  lead  up 
from  the  street.  The  hall  is  governed  by  an  organization  known  as  the 
Mavericks,  in  cooperation  with  the  house  mother,  and  by  the  fraternities 
Sigma  Rho  and  Theta  Tau. 

MAIN  HALL,  W.  end  of  Galena  St.,  the  original  building  (1896), 
contains  the  administrative  offices,  library,  and  lecture  rooms.  It  is  a 
Renaissance  building  of  red  brick,  with  base  and  facings  of  granite  and 
sandstone.  Above  the  entrance  are  bas-relief  portraits  of  leaders  in  physics, 
geology,  mineralogy,  metallurgy,  and  chemistry.  The  LIBRARY  (open 
9-5  and  7-9  Mon.-FrL,  9-12  Sat.),  in  the  south  wing,  houses  a  notable 
collection  of  scientific  books  and  documents  pertaining  especially  to  min- 
ing, geology,  and  metallurgy,  and  virtually  complete  sets  of  the  technical 
publications  of  schools  and  government  bureaus.  The  W.  A.  Clark  III 
Mineral  Collection,  consisting  of  several  hundred  specimens  in  seven  large 
cases,  is  displayed  on  the  first  floor.  The  GEOLOGICAL  MUSEUM  (open 
8-5  weekdays),  in  the  basement,  has  10,000  or  more  specimens  of  care- 
fully classified  minerals,  rocks,  and  fossils  from  Montana  and  other  parts 
of  the  world.  A  special  exhibit  of  mine  models  portrays  underground 
workings  of  all  types. 

The  METALLURGY  BUILDING  (1923),  facing  S.  at  W.  end  of  Mercury 
St.,  houses  laboratories,  offices,  a  water  distillation  plant,  and  ventilating 
equipment.  It  is  designed  in  a  modified  Renaissance  style  with  ample 
fenestration  and  a  carved  stone  entrance. 

The  northern  and  northeastern  suburbs  of  CENTERVILLE,  WALKER- 
VILLE  (reached  by  N.  Main  St.),  and  MEADERVILLE  (reached  by 
US  91)  contain  most  of  the  Butte  mines  and  miners'  homes. 

The  outstanding  characteristic  of  Centerville  and  Walkerville  is  an  im- 
pression of  age  that  seems  almost  incredible  in  a  town  whose  history  goes 
back  less  than  80  years.  Weathered  frame  buildings  cling  to  steep  hill- 
sides. Scattered  among  them  are  old-fashioned  red  brick  houses  with 
double  bays  in  front,  and  here  and  there  a  building  of  rough-hewn  logs 
has  survived  the  years.  Sagging  picket  fences  surround  grassless  yards,  and 


AFTER  BLASTING 


many  of  the  houses  are  reached  by  broken  stairways  leading  from  the 
street.  The  streets  themselves,  striving  to  maintain  a  fairly  consistent 
grade,  run  sometimes  above,  sometimes  below,  the  floor  level.  The  side- 
walks and  battered  boardwalks  often  give  up  the  struggle  and  rise  or 
descend  by  means  of  wood  or  concrete  steps. 

The  whole  tenement  area  is  trade-marked  with  the  random  upthrust 
of  the  surface  workings  of  the  world's  richest  copper  mines.  Rarely  are 
all  or  nearly  all  of  these  mines  in  operation  at  one  time.  Of  those  in 
operation,  some  move  almost  without  sound;  others,  with  more  of  their 
machinery  exposed,  roar  and  rumble  like  vast  threshing  machines.  About 
some  of  them  the  huge  piles  of  waste  resemble  ash  heaps ;  around  others 
a  yellowish  tinge  to  the  ore  increases  the  impression  of  a  threshing  op- 
eration, making  the  dumps  look  like  overgrown  strawstacks.  In  the  back- 
ground are  the  tremendous  crags  of  the  Continental  Divide.  Walkerville 
is  inhabited  mostly  by  Cornish  miners  and  their  descendants.  The  town 
holds  an  election  only  if  and  when  a  candidate  files  for  office. 

Meaderville,  farthest  east  of  the  three  suburbs,  is  separated  from  the 
others  by  an  area  that  includes  such  famous  old  mines  as  the  Badger  State, 
the  Speculator,  the  High  Ore,  and  the  Anaconda.  It  has  a  more  modern 
appearance  than  Centerville  or  Walkerville,  and  stands  on  a  more  level 


146  CITIES   AND   TOWNS 

site.  The  Leonard  Mine  in  Meaderville  is  the  only  copper  mine  open  to  the 
public. 

8.  The  LEONARD  MINE  (open;  tour  1-3  weekdays,  by  advance  ar- 
rangement at  Chamber  of  Commerce,  62  W.  Broadway),  off  US  91  at 
Noble  St.,  Meaderville,  is  a  representative  copper  mine  employing  the 
deep  mining  methods  used  in  the  Butte  mines.  The  greater  part  of  the  ore 
from  these  mines  is  brought  to  the  surface  through  three  shafts  equipped 
with  electric  hoists  capable  of  handling  24,000  tons  every  24  hours.  Scores 
of  other  shafts  are  used  only  for  ventilation  and  for  lowering  and  raising 
the  7,000  men  required  under  normal  operating  conditions.  The  ores 
occur  in  faulted  and  complex  fissure  vein  systems  inclosed  principally  in 
granite.  In  mining,  holes  made  with  machine  drills  operated  by  com- 
pressed air,  are  loaded  with  explosives,  and  blasted ;  the  broken  ore  is  shov- 
eled into  chutes  leading  to  ore  trains;  the  opening  made  by  the  blast  is 
timbered;  finally  the  chamber  (or  stope)  is  filled  with  waste  rock  from 
other  parts  of  the  mine.  Chambers  average  perhaps  20  feet  in  width. 
Trains  carry  the  ore  from  the  chutes  to  the  shaft,  and  cages  ("skips") 
hoist  it  to  huge  bins  at  the  surface.  Electric  trains  haul  it  to  the  smelter 
at  Anaconda. 

A  miner  going  to  work  in  the  Leonard  Mine  changes  into  digging 
clothes  at  the  locker  building  near  the  shaft,  and  waits  for  his  turn  in 
the  "chippy" — the  cage  used  to  raise  and  lower  men.  Since  only  eight, 
tightly  packed,  can  ride  on  each  of  the  cage's  three  decks,  it  often  takes 
30  minutes  to  convey  a  shift  to  work.  The  cage,  suspended  by  a  heavy 
cable  that  winds  on  winches  operated  by  compressed  air,  bumpingly  de- 
scends a  timbered  fireproof  shaft  at  the  rate  of  800  feet  a  minute,  passing 
a  mine  level  at  every  100  feet  or  so,  until  the  miner  reaches  the  "station" 
on  the  level  where  he  is  to  work.  Here  are  deep  skip  pockets  for  storage 
of  ore;  converging  lines  of  rails  for  ore  trains;  great  pumping  plants  for 
disposal  of  mine  water;  and  all  the  complex  machinery  necessary  to  deep 
mining.  The  miner  goes  down  a  gallery  to  the  main  drift  (lateral  tunnel) 
on  the  vein,  and  then  to  his  stope  (work  chamber),  which  usually  has 
two  or  more  floors  10  feet  apart,  reached  by  ladders  up  a  manway.  On  his 
way  he  normally  passes  long  trains  of  ore  cars  .shuttling  about  on  the 
lower  levels  of  the  mine.  Streams  of  warm,  green  water  containing  cop- 
per sulphate  in  solution  rush  down  channels  under  the  sloping  tunnel 
floors.  The  sound  of  the  pumps  that  force  the  water  up  from  the  lower 
levels  of  the  mine  to  the  precipitating  plant  at  the  surface  is  like  a  great, 
steady  pulsebeat  deep  in  the  earth. 

9.  The  PRECIPITATING  PLANT  (open  day  and  night),  off  US  91 
at  Colusa  St.,  Meaderville,  is  a  system  of  flumes  and  settling  tanks  extend- 
ing for  hundreds  of  yards  back  and  forth,  in  which  pure  copper  is  recov- 
ered from  water  pumped  out  of  the  mines.  The  tanks  are  filled  with  scrap 
iron  and  tin  cans.  The  iron  replaces  the  copper  in  the  water  and  forms 
iron  sulphate,  leaving  the  copper  precipitated  in  the  tanks.  The  plant 
recovers  about  6,000,000  pounds  of  copper  annually.  Oldtimers  say  that 
a  German,  Frederick  Mueller,  discovered  the  process,  but  that  another 


BUTTE 


147 


man  whose  name  does  not  survive  obtained  his  lease  on  the  mine  over- 
flow and  for  many  years  reaped  the  profits. 

The  FLAT,  a  suburb  in  the  valley  at  the  foot  of  the  hill,  has  an  esti- 
mated population  of  10,000,  many  of  whom  are  Jugoslavs.  It  is  somewhat 
shabby,  but  newer  than  the  northern  suburbs.  The  southern  extension  of 
Montana  Street  called  the  Boulevard,  is  well  lined  with  road  houses.  Near 
its  end  are  several  Butte  cemeteries.  Funerals  in  the  old  days  meant  big 
business  for  the  tavern  keepers  along  the  route,  since  those  attending 
usually  stopped  at  one  or  more  of  the  "oases"  both  going  and  coming. 
Many  were  the  exciting  horse  races  along  the  Boulevard.  Not  all  livery 
stable  patrons  were  good  drivers,  but  the  standard  order  was  "a  fast 
horse  and  a  couple  of  buggy  whips." 

10.  COLUMBIA  GARDENS  (open),  3  m.  E.  on  Park  St.  and  R.  on 
dirt  road  at  city  limits,  is  Butte's  principal  outdoor  amusement  resort. 
Created  in  1898  by  W.  A.  Clark,  who  spent  a  million  dollars  to  change 
it  from  a  barren  area  to  a  park,  it  was  the  only  picnic  place  available  to 
Butte  residents  before  the  advent  of  the  automobile.  In  summer,  dances 
are  held  every  evening  at  the  pavilion,  which  accommodates  1,000  couples. 
The  park  has  a  well-equipped  children's  playground,  and  such  mechanical 
amusement  features  as  a  roller  coaster.  There  are  landscaped  stretches  of 
lawn  and  flowers,  a  grove  provided  with  tables  and  benches  and  fireplaces. 
Summer  houses  and  pagodas  furnish  shelter.  Every  Thursday  during  sum- 
mer vacation,  city  busses  transport  children  under  12  to  the  park  without 
charge.  On  these  days  little  girls  may  pick  flowers  from  the  mammoth 
pansy  bed,  which  contains  85,000  plants. 

POINTS  OF  INTEREST  IN  ENVIRONS 

Thompson  Park,  10.2  m.,  Summit  of  Continental  Divide  at  Pipestone  Pass,  13.8 
m.,  Gregson  Hot  Springs,  14.8  m.,  Lewis  and  Clark  Cavern,  50.1  m.  (see  Tour  1, 
sec.  c). 


Railroad  Stations:  W.  end  of  ist  Ave.  S.  for  Great  Northern  Ry.  and  Burlington 
R.R. ;  ist  Ave.  N.,  R.  of  viaduct  to  ist  Ave.  bridge  over  Missouri  River,  for  Mil- 
waukee R.R. 

Bus  Stations:  Falls  Hotel,  402  ist  Ave.  S.,  for  Greyhound;  309  ist  Ave.  N.  for 
Intermountain ;  Milwaukee  R.R.  station  and  Falls  Hotel  for  Milwaukee;  interurban, 
fare  io0,  3O-min.  schedule. 

Airport:  Gore  Hill,  3  m.  SW.  on  US  91  for  Western  Air  Express  and  Wyoming 
Air  Service;  taxi  5O0. 

Taxi:  250  for  12  blocks,  350  for  20,  elsewhere  5©0;  extra  passenger  250;  special 
sightseeing  rates. 

Traffic  Regulations:  Semaphores  and  lights  on  the  R.  at  intersections.  No  U-turns  on 
Central  Ave.  between  Park  Drive  and  loth  St.  from  7  a.m.  to  n  p.m.  All-night 
parking  prohibited  unless  front  and  rear  lights  are  displayed. 

Street  Numbering:  Avenues  run  E.  and  W.,  and  are  numbered  from  Central  Ave. 
Streets  numbered  eastward  from  the  river. 

Accommodations:  Eleven  hotels;  extensive  tourist  and  convention  facilities. 

Information  Service:  Chamber  of  Commerce,  Rainbow  Hotel,  20  3rd  St.  N. 
Radio  Station:  KFBB  (1,290  kc.). 
Motion  Picture  Houses:  Four. 

Swimming:  Mitchell  Pool,  Municipal  Park  on  River  Dr.  near  ist  Ave.  bridge; 
Morony  Natatorium,  i2th  St.  N.  and  2nd  Ave.;  Y.M.C.A.  pool,  ist  Ave.  N.  and 
Park  Dr.,  250  for  nonmembers. 

Golf:  Riverview  public  course,  18  holes,  N.  of  Missouri  River  near  9th  St.  bridge; 
greens  fee  5O0. 

Tennis:  Concrete  courts,  high  school,  2nd  Ave.  and  i9th  St. 

Athletics  (incl.  baseball  and  football) :  yth  Ave.  S.  and  i6th  St.;  4th  Ave.  and  2oth 
St.  N. ;  6th  St.  near  fairground;  high  school  stadium,  2nd  Ave.  and  i9th  St.;  Ameri- 
can Legion,  28th  St.,  S.  of  River  Dr. 

Annual  Events:  Scottish  New  Year  celebration,  Jan.  i.  Balkan  Christmas  festival, 
Jan.  6.  Winter  carnival,  February.  North  Montana  fair,  early  August.  Labor  Day 
parade,  September. 

GREAT  FALLS  (3,330  alt.,  28,822  pop.),  seat  of  Cascade  County  and 
second  largest  city  in  the  State,  is  on  a  gentle  slope  of  sandy  plain  within 
a  bend  of  the  Missouri  River,  opposite  the  mouth  of  the  Sun  River.  In  the 
distance  four  mountain  ranges  rise,  the  Highwoods  and  Little  Belts  to 
the  east  and  southeast,  the  Big  Belts  to  the  south,  and  the  main  range  of 
the  Rockies  to  the  west.  One  section  of  the  city  spreads  westward  across 
the  river,  and  a  town  called  Black  Eagle,  or  Little  Chicago,  has  grown 
up  around  the  metal  reduction  works  on  the  north  side. 

Great  Falls  owes  its  growth  largely  to  the  development  of  hydroelectric 
power  at  the  falls  on  the  Missouri  for  which  it  is  named.  The  city  is  well 
lighted  and  clean;  its  factories  use  few  dust-  and  smoke-generating  fuels. 
A  zoning  system  helps  to  maintain  high  standards  of  construction.  Most 
buildings  are  modern.  The  largest  of  17  parks  lies  along  the  Missouri 

148 


GREAT   FALLS  149 

River,  and  smaller  ones  are  scattered  throughout  the  city.  In  the  residen- 
tial area  the  wide  shaded  streets  run  straight  from  end  to  end  of  the  city, 
bordered  in  most  places  by  green  lawns  planted  with  trees,  shrubs  and 
flowers.  Industrial  plants  are  landscaped  wherever  possible.  If  its  size  be 
overlooked,  the  city  bears  resemblance  to  Minneapolis,  Minnesota,  from 
which  many  of  its  people  came. 

The  importance  of  Great  Falls  lies  mainly  in  its  industries,  especially 
the  refining  and  fabrication  of  copper  and  zinc,  but  it  is  also  a  banking, 
commercial,  and  agricultural  center.  Development  of  irrigation,  of  oil  and 
gas  production,  and  of  coal  and  silver-lead  mining  in  the  country  around 
has  built  industries  and  given  added  importance  to  old  ones. 

Great  Falls  has  several  active  literary  societies  and  a  conservatory  of 
music. 

Admiration  of  Charlie  Russell,  the  cowboy  painter  and  sculptor,  per- 
sists at  all  levels  of  Great  Falls  society;  people  who  make  no  pretense  of 
any  knowledge  of  art  understand  and  try  to  be  like  him.  Largely,  perhaps, 
because  of  his  influence,  Great  Falls  has  kept  the  hospitality  and  other 
old-time  virtues  that  have  tended  to  wear  thin  in  so  many  western  cities. 

Capt.  Meriwether  Lewis  first  saw  the  Great  Falls  of  the  Missouri  on 
June  13,  1805.  The  following  day,  while  exploring  alone  above  the  falls, 
he  was  chased  by  a  grizzly  bear.  To  escape,  he  plunged  into  the  river  up 
to  his  waist  and  "presented  the  point  of  his  espontoon,"  a  sharp  spearlike 
weapon  then  used  in  the  army.  The  bear  "retreated  with  as  much  precipita- 
tion as  he  had  pursued."  Returning  toward  camp  late  in  the  day  he  fired 
at  an  animal  he  thought  "to  be  of  the  tiger  kind"  (probably  a  mountain 
lion).  "He  then  went  on,  but  as  if  the  beasts  of  the  forest  had  conspired 
against  him,  three  buffaloe  bulls  .  .  .  left  their  companions  and  ran  at 
full  speed  towards  him."  When  he  stopped  and  faced  them,  they  "re- 
treated as  they  came."  The  next  morning  he  discovered  a  large  rattlesnake 
coiled  on  the  trunk  of  a  tree  under  which  he  had  slept.  He  killed  it  and' 
found  that  it  had  "one  hundred  and  seventy- six  scuta  on  the  abdomen, 
and  seventeen  half -formed  scuta  on  the  tail." 

The  party  spent  a  month  (June  15  to  July  15)  in  making  the  1 8-mile 
portage  around  the  falls  and  rapids,  using  a  rude  cart  with  a  mast  from 
one  of  the  boats  as  an  axle,  and  sections  of  a  large  cottonwood  tree  as 
wheels.  During  this  period  Capt.  William  Clark  made  a  map  of  the  falls. 
On  June  19  Captain  Lewis  discovered  the  Giant  Springs.  On  the  evening 
of  July  4  he  doled  out  their  small  remaining  store  of  liquor,  and  the  men 
sang  and  danced  until  interrupted  by  a  brisk  thunderstorm. 

Returning  from  the  Pacific  a  year  later,  the  party  camped  near  the 
falls  again.  "I  sincerely  believe,"  wrote  Lewis  in  his  journal,  "that  there 
were  not  less  than  10,000  buffalo  within  a  circle  of  two  miles." 

There  is  no  record  of  other  white  visitors  until  1822,  when  Jim 
Bridger  passed,  on  a  solitary  trip  up  the  Missouri.  The  following  spring 
Andrew  Henry's  fur  trading  party  was  turned  back  by  the  Blackfeet.  From 
1838  to  1842  a  Federal  scientific  expedition  under  Capt.  Charles  Wilkes, 
guided  by  Bridger,  mapped  the  region. 

The  site  of  the  future  city  was  in  the  country  of  the  Blackfeet,  who 


150  CITIES  AND  TOWNS 

were  inclined  to  be  troublesome.  In  April  1849  a  war  party  of  400  at- 
tacked Jim  Bridger  and  83  white  trappers  near  the  mouth  of  Sun  River, 
and  killed  three  men.  Then  in  1853  Gov.  Isaac  I.  Stevens  came  out  with 
his  railroad  surveyors  (see  HISTORY),  and  two  years  later  concluded 
treaties  with  the  important  tribes.  By  the  time  the  Mullan  Road,  which 
passed  a  few  miles  to  the  north,  was  completed,  travel  was  comparatively 
safe. 

Unlike  such  centers  as  Butte  and  Helena,  which  came  into  being  over- 
night upon  the  discovery  of  important  mineral  resources,  Great  Falls  was, 
from  the  start,  a  planned  city,  a  fulfillment  of  the  dreams  of  its  founder, 
Paris  Gibson  (1830-1920).  Gibson,  a  Minneapolis  man,  first  visited  the 
spot  in  1880,  and  was  impressed  by  its  possibilities  as  an  industrial  site. 
He  returned  in  the  spring  of  1883,  with  Robert  Vaughn,  a  surveyor,  and 
H.  P.  Rolfe,  an  attorney.  They  platted  the  townsite  and  named  it  Great 
Falls.  The  first  resident  was  Silas  Beachley,  who  lived  there  that  winter, 
and  suffered  great  privation  when  his  food  supplies  and  blankets  were 
confiscated  by  Indians. 

Gibson  enlisted  the  aid  of  James  J.  Hill  of  the  Great  Northern  Railway, 
C.  A.  Broadwater  of  Helena,  and  others  in  building  the  city.  A  few 
houses,  a  store,  and  a  flour  mill  were  set  up  in  1884,  a  planing  mill,  a 
lumber  yard,  a  school,  a  bank,  and  a  newspaper  the  following  year.  In 
October  1887  the  young  city's  1,200  people  celebrated  the  arrival  of  the 
Great  Northern  Railway. 

Incorporated  as  a  city  November  28,  1888,  Great  Falls  elected  Paris 
Gibson  its  first  mayor.  A  silver  smelter  was  built  near  the  Giant  Springs 
the  same  year,  but  the  venture  was  short-lived  because  of  the  demonetiza- 
tion of  silver. 

In  1890  the  meat-packing  industry,  which  later  became  the  largest  be- 
tween St.  Paul  and  Spokane,  was  organized.  A  railroad  to  the  mining 
towns  of  Neihart  and  Barker  opened  a  rich  tributary  district  to  the  south. 
Black  Eagle  Dam,  generating  9,000  (later  25,000)  horsepower,  was  com- 
pleted— the  first  of  the  four  hydroelectric  units  near  Great  Falls.  The 
population  increased  to  nearly  4,000;  the  town's  real  growth  began. 

The  original  copper  reduction  plant  above  Black  Eagle  Falls  was  com- 
pleted in  1892,  and  operated  until  1916,  when  it  was  replaced  by  the 
modern  electrolytic  copper  and  zinc  refineries,  with  a  wire  and  cable  fac- 
tory added. 

By  1912  two  new  hydroelectric  plants,  the  Rainbow  and  the  Volta,  were 
together  generating  140,000  horsepower.  John  D.  Ryan  organized  a  com- 
pany with  offices  in  Great  Falls  that  acquired  control  of  these  and  other 
power  sites  in  the  State.  A  year  later  the  Chicago,  Milwaukee,  St.  Paul 
&  Pacific  Railroad  connected  the  city  with  Harlowton  and  Lewistown  in  the 
rich  agricultural  Judith  Basin. 

Through  the  war  years  Great  Falls  expanded  as  new  dams  were  built 
and  war  uses  called  for  more  and  more  copper.  During  the  1920'$  the 
use  of  copper  decreased  generally,  but  Great  Falls  retained  its  growth 
and  prosperity  because  of  its  position  as  the  center  for  a  large  agricultural 
area. 


f    mm 

I! 


1 


POURING  ANODES 


The  early  i93o's  saw  the  completion  of  such  projects  as  the  70,000- 
horsepower  Morony  dam  and  power  plant;  the  million-dollar  high  school 
and  athletic  stadium;  the  Presbyterian  church;  and  the  Columbus  Hos- 
pital, another  million-dollar  institution.  The  North  Montana  Fair,  or- 
ganized in  1931,  attracts  thousands  of  visitors  annually.  Beginning  in 
1935,  a  program  of  park  development  and  other  improvements  were 
carried  out  with  WPA  labor. 

In  1936  and  through  the  summer  of  1937  the  metal  refineries  and  wire 
and  cable  mill  operated  at  capacity,  employing  more  than  2,500  men.  The 
city  benefited  from  increases  in  farm  and  ranch  income  in  tributary  dis- 
tricts. The  demand  for  lead  and  silver  caused  old  mines  to  the  south  to 
become  active,  and  there  was  renewed  development  of  oil  and  gas  fields 
in  the  Cut  Bank  area.  In  the  fall  of  1937,  however,  employment  declined 
in  several  industries. 

Before  1910  the  city  had  two  central  labor  bodies,  one  affiliated  with  the 
American  Federation  of  Labor,  the  other  (made  up  entirely  of  industrial 
unions)  independent.  In  that  year,  however,  it  became  clear  in  Great  Falls, 
as  it  did  nationally  in  1937,  that  harmony  was  a  prerequisite  to  effective 
labor  action.  A  conference  was  held,  and  the  groups  united  in  a  single 
council,  the  forerunner  of  the  present  strong  Cascade  County  Trades  and 
Labor  Assembly. 


152  CITIES  AND   TOWNS 

A  city-wide  lockout  that  began  in  1916  and  lasted  until  the  United 
States  declared  war  on  Germany  (April  6,  1917)  left  labor  in  Great  Falls 
seriously  weakened.  Four  years  later  an  1 8-month  strike  of  cooks  and 
waiters  almost  destroyed  the  assembly,  but  ended  in  recognition  of  the 
right  to  organize.  With  this  victory,  membership  began  to  grow  and 
unions  that  had  kept  their  charters  only  by  paying  a  per  capita  tax  on 
"dummy  members"  regained  their  power. 

In  1933  a  resurgence  of  organizing  brought  several  new  unions  into 
Great  Falls,  among  them  one  of  the  first  Newspaper  Guild  locals  in  the 
Northwest.  Union  membership  increased  until  it  included  at  least  two- 
thirds  of  the  city's  employed  workers.  The  1934  strike  of  mine,  mill,  and 
smelter  workers  was  settled  on  the  basis  of  a  4O-hour  week,  return  of  the 
closed  shop,  and  a  basic  wage  of  $4.75  per  day,  with  a  sliding  scale  of  in- 
creases depending  on  the  price  of  copper.  With  its  own  position  made 
secure,  labor  is  turning  more  and  more  to  public  business,  specifically  to 
campaigns  for  public  improvements. 

Most  of  the  city's  people  are  natives  of  Montana  or  nearby  States,  but 
among  the  workers  in  the  several  industries  are  considerable  groups  of 
foreign-born.  Many  of  them  keep  alive  distinctive  national  customs.  As  in 
Butte  and  Anaconda,  the  Jugoslav  laborers  celebrate  the  Mesopust  and 
the  charming  Balkan  Christmas  rites  (see  ETHNIC  GROUPS).  The 
Scots  have  a  New  Year  celebration  called  Hogmanay,  which  includes  pub- 
lic performances  of  Scottish  folk  dances.  The  heart  of  it,  however,  is  the 
ceremony  of  "first  feasting,"  which  takes  place  in  the  homes.  A  table  is 
set  for  guests,  who  arrive  immediately  after  the  beginning  of  the  New 
Year.  A  blond  man  must  partake  of  the  food  first,  and  unless  such  a  man 
is  present  visitors  may  not  enter. 


POINTS  OF  INTEREST 

1.  CHARLES  M.  RUSSELL  MEMORIAL  MUSEUM  (open  2-8  daily, 
July- Aug.;  other  times  by  appointment),  1217  4th  Ave.  N.,  is  the  log 
cabin  studio  of  the  late  cowboy  artist,  who  lived  in  Great  Falls  for  many 
years  (see  THE  ARTS).  The  cabin,  his  home  on  an  adjoining  lot,  and  an 
addition  built  by  the  city,  were  opened  to  the  public  in  1930.  In  the  mu- 
seum are  preserved  his  cowboy  accouterments  and  other  relics,  including 
gifts  he  received  from  his  many  Indian  friends.  Examples  of  his  work 
with  pen,  brush,  and  pencil  are  shown  with  a  brief  description  of  each. 
Models  he  made  for  use  in  painting  include  figures  of  horses,  native 
animals,  and  other  subjects.  Copies  of  his  illustrated  books  are  prom- 
inently displayed. 

2.  The  PUBLIC  LIBRARY  (open  9-9  weekdays,  2-9  Sun.),  203  3rd 
St.  N.,  consists  of  47,000  volumes  housed  in  a  low  buff  brick  building 
which  is  surmounted  by  a  dome  and  has  a  two-columned  portico.   Its 
notable  collection  of  northwest  Americana  contains  a  copy  of  the  official 
report  of  the  Lewis  and  Clark  expedition  published  in  1815.  Collections 
of  rocks,  minerals,  fossils,  mounted  birds,  and  butterflies  are  housed  in 
the  building. 


GREAT    FALLS  153 

3.  STATE  SCHOOL  FOR  THE  DEAF  AND  BLIND  (open),  38th 
St.  between  Central  Ave.  and  2nd  Ave.  N.,  a  long,  plain,  rectangular 
yellow  stucco  building,  has  full  modern  equipment,  including  shops  and 
laboratories  for  vocational  training,  gymnasium,  tennis  courts,  and  foot- 
ball and  baseball  fields.  The  enrollment  in  1936  was  86  deaf  and  21  blind. 

4.  COLUMBUS  HOSPITAL  (open),  1601  2nd  Ave.  N.,  is  a  six-story 
crescent-shaped  structure  of  reinforced  concrete  and  dark  brown  tapestry 
brick,  with  a  taller  central  section  surmounted  by  a  series  of  small  pin- 
nacles. The  long  narrow  wings  that  extend  across  the  entire  front  of  a 
city  block  admit  maximum  sunlight  and  air.  The  building  is  arranged 
for  convenience  and  speed  of  communication  and  is  regarded  as  an  out- 
standing example  of  American  hospital  design.  George  Shanley  was  the 
architect. 

5.  ST.   ANNE'S  CATHEDRAL   (1906),  701   3rd  Ave.  N.,  is  the 
Roman  Catholic  diocesan  headquarters  for  eastern  Montana.  It  is  built  of 
gray-brown  stone  in  the  Gothic  style.  The  rear  of  the  building  consists 
of  several  boxlike  structures  seemingly  added  without  special  regard  for 
the  original  plan.  On  the  cathedral  grounds  is  St.  Mary's  Institute  (1915), 
a  junior  college  for  women. 

6.  The  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  (1931),  1317  Central  Ave.,  ex- 
cept for  a  brick  memorial  wing,  is  built  entirely  of  light  gray  sandstone 
blocks  of  varying  shapes  and  sizes,  which  give  the  walls  a  strange  but 
effective  patchwork  appearance.  The  design  is  a  modern  adaptation  of 
Gothic,  with  a  high  vaulted  nave,  stained  glass  windows,  and  small  re- 
cessed windows  beside  a  deep  entrance  arch. 

7.  URSULINE  ACADEMY  (Mt.  St.  Mary's),  2300  Central  Ave.,  was 
built  in  1911  of  brick  and  stone,  with  terra  cotta  trim  in  geometric  de- 
signs. The  fagade  has  a  semi-military  air,  with  stepped  parapets  on  both 
central  tower  and  wings.  Grade  school,  high  school,  and  junior  college 
departments  are  conducted;  the  attendance  is  about  500.  The  academy  is 
the  center  of  parochial  education  in  the  city. 

8.  CITY  HIGH  SCHOOL   (1930),  2nd  Ave.  S.  between  i8th  and 
20th  Sts.  and  extending  to  4th  Ave.  S.,  is  the  outstanding  high  school 
plant  in  the  State.  The  many-windowed  three-story  building,  of  modern 
design,  is  built  of  tapestry  brick  and  Bedford  stone  over  a  frame  of 
concrete  and  steel,  and  is  divided  into  north  and  south  wings  and  a 
central  section  with  a  large  extension  to  the  rear.  The  interior  is  finished 
in  oak,  with  fixtures  in  streamlined  modern  designs.  The  attendance  is 
nearly  2,000.  Laboratories  for  vocational  training  add  greatly  to  the  scope 
of  the  curriculum.  The  athletic  stadium  seats  10,000.  Floodlighting  is 
provided  for  evening  games. 

9.  COLLECTION  OF  ORIGINAL  RUSSELL  PAINTINGS  (open), 
220  Central  Ave.,  is  housed  in  a  cigar  store.  Large  cases  along  the  walls 
contain  many  of  his  letters,  bits  of  sculpture,  and  pen  and  ink  sketches. 
This  store  and  bar  is  typical  of  the  places  where  the  artist  liked  to  lounge 
and  met  men  of  his  own  plain  and  friendly  kind;  like  the  other  places 
where  he  is  well  remembered,  the  store  has  kept  something  of  the  impress 
of  Russell's  personality. 


154 


CITIES  AND   TOWNS 


GREAT    FALLS 


155 


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156  CITIES  AND   TOWNS 

10.  GIBSON  PARK,  Park  Dr.  between  ist  Ave.  S.  and  8th  Ave.  N., 
extending  to  the  Great  Northern  Ry.,  is  within  easy  walking  distance  from 
the  shopping  district,  with  the  Missouri  River  flowing  by  just  beyond  the 
tracks.  It  has  a  children's  playground  and  a  lake  where  swans  and  wild- 
fowl live.  In  summer  the  municipal  band  gives  a  weekly  concert  from 
the  Cooney  memorial  bandstand  near  Fourth  Avenue  N.  The  PARIS 
GIBSON  STATUE,  a  bronze  dedicated  in  1926  to  the  founder  of  Great 
Falls,  stands  in  Flower  Circle  at  the  head  of  Central  Ave. 

n.  MUNICIPAL  PARK,  E.  end  of  ist  Ave.  bridge,  extends  south  to 
Broadwater  Bay,  a  widening  of  the  Missouri  River.  A  swimming  pool 
with  a  capacity  of  about  1,000,000  gallons  was  completed  in  1934  by 
WPA  labor.  At  the  bay  are  docks  and  a  boathouse. 

12.  NORTH  MONTANA  FAIRGROUND,  W.  of  the  river  and  N. 
of  the  junction  of  ist  Ave.  NW.  and  State  29,  is  a  landscaped  tract  of 
about  40  acres,  with  a  group  of  12  modern  exhibit  buildings,  a  half-mile 
race  track,  and  a  grandstand  seating  7,000.  Organized  in  1931,  the  fair 
has  superseded  the  State  fair  at  Helena,  last  held  in  1932.  In  1936  the 
attendance  exceeded  200,000. 

13.  BLACK  EAGLE  DAM  AND  POWER-HOUSE,  visible  N.  of 
River  Dr.  near  NE.  city  limits,  is  just  above  the  bare  rock  ledges  that 
mark  the  site  of  the  old  Black  Eagle  Falls.  South  of  the  road  a  large  space 
covered  with  trees  is  set  aside  as  Black  Eagle  Park.  Capt.  Meriwether 
Lewis  told  how  the  site  was  named: 

"Below  this  fall  is  a  beautiful  little  island  well  timbered  ...  On  a 
cottonwood  tree  an  eagle  has  placed  her  nest;  a  more  inaccessible  spot  I 
believe  she  could  not  have  found;  for  neither  man  or  beast  dare  pass 
those  gulphs  which  separate  her  little  domain  from  the  shores." 

14.  The  REX  FLOUR  MILL  (open  on  application  at  office),  SW.  of 
the  falls  and  S.  of  River  Dr.  at  25th  St.,  the  largest  flour  mill  in  the 
State,  employs  about  90  men.  The  elevators  have  a  capacity  of  2,250,000 
bushels. 

15.  The  SAPPHIRE  FLOUR  MILL  (open  on  application  at  office), 
S.  of  River  Dr.  at  iyth  St.,  employs  about  35  men.  Its  elevators  hold 
1,000,000  bushels  of  wheat.  The  neon  sign  atop  the  double  row  of  great 
cylinders  has  letters  15  feet  high. 

1 6.  OIL  REFINERY  (open  by  permission;  no  matches  or  smoking), 
loth  St.  N.  near  River  Dr.,  was  established  in  1931  as  a  topping  plant;  in 
1935  a  modern  cracking  plant  was  added.  At  the  topping  plant  is  a  tower, 
fitted  with  a  series  of  pipes,  that  resembles  a  huge  bottle  magically  pour- 
ing a  stream  of  clear  gasoline  from  the  topmost  pipe;  naphtha  from  one 
a  few  feet  lower;  kerosene  from  the  next;  and  from  the  next,  fuel  oils. 
Reduced  crude  oil  for  the  cracking  plant  is  drawn  from  the  lowest  level. 

POINTS  OF  INTEREST  IN  ENVIRONS 

GIANT  SPRINGS,  3  m.  NE.  on  River  Dr.,  discovered  by  Lewis  and 
Clark  in  1805,  discharges,  every  24  hours,  388,800,000  gallons  of  water 


GIANT  SPRINGS 


at  a  constant  temperature  of  52°  F.  the  year  round.  Its  source  has  not  been 
established,  and  the  water  has  never  been  used  commercially. 

Piegan  Indians  had  a  legend  to  explain  the  mysterious  spring.  They 
offered  sacrifices  to  the  Sun  here  in  the  belief  that  the  waters  gushed  from 
a  lake  in  the  skies  on  the  shores  of  which  the  Sun  had  his  tepee. 

A  park  around  the  spring  has  picnic  tables,  good  fishing,  and  a  fish 
hatchery  (open)  showing  trout  in  various  stages  of  growth.  The  site  is  a 
favorite  picnic  spot  for  Great  Falls  residents. 

Fort  Shaw,  26.4  m.t  Lewis  and  Clark  National  Forest,  47 J  m.  (see  Tour  4); 
Ruins  of  St.  Peter's  Mission,  42.9  m.  (see  Tour  6);  Rainbow  Falls,  7.6  m.,  Volta 
Dam  12.8  m.,  Great  Falls,  16.2  m.,  Morony  Dam,  19-8  m.  (see  Tour  14). 


>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 


Railroad  Stations:  Neill  Ave.  at  N.  end  of  Fuller  Ave.  for  Great  Northern  Ry. ; 

Helena  and  Railroad  Aves.  for  Northern  Pacific  Ry. 

Bus  Station:  313  N.  Main  St.  for  Greyhound,  for  Washington  Motor  Coach,  and 

for  Intermountain  Transportation  Co. 

Airport:  2  m.  NE.  on  US  91  and  Airport  Road  (R)   for  Northwest  Airlines  and 

Western  Air  Express;  taxi  5O0. 

Street  Busses:  Fare  io0;  150  to  Fort  Harrison  and  East  Helena.  All  lines  start  from 

6th  Ave.  and  Main  St. 

Taxis:  250  per  person,  $3  an  hr. 

Traffic  Regulations:  3O-min.  parking  on  Main  St.  and  6th  Ave.  during  business 

hours.  No  all-night  parking  downtown.  No  U-turns  on  Main  St.,  Rodney  St.,  or 

6th  Ave. 

Street  Numbering:  Most  streets  are  named,  with  Broadway  the  division  between 

N.  and  S.;  Main  St.  between  E.  and  W.  Numbered  avenues  on  E.  side;  numbering 

begins  near  S.  city  limits,  but,  N.  of  3rd  Ave.,  is  interrupted  for  several  blocks  by 

named  avenues  on  both  sides  of  Broadway. 

Accommodations:  Six  hotels,  five  tourist  camps. 

Information  Service:  Montanans,  Inc.,  Montana  Club  Bldg.,  6th  and  Fuller  Aves.; 

Commercial  Club,  Placer  Hotel,  Main  and  Grand  Sts.;  Montana  Auto  Association, 

19  N.  Main  St. 

Radio  Station:  KPFA  (1210  kc.). 

Moving  Picture  Houses:  Three. 

Swimming:  Broadwater  Natatorium,  3  m.  W.  on  US  10;  adm.  250,  suits  250. 

Ice  skating,  boating,  swimming:  T.6.K.  Park  on  shore  of  Lake  Hauser,  12  m.  NE. 

on  York-Nelson  Rd. ;  swimming  suits  and  rowboats  for  rent. 

Golf:  Country  Club,  7  m.  W.  on  US  10,  18  holes,  greens  fee  750. 

Tennis:  Beattie  Park,  i  block  W.  of  Great  Northern  Station  on  Neill  Ave.;  Hill 

Park,  Fuller  and  Placer  Aves. 

Annual  Events:  State  legislature  convenes  in  January  of  odd  years.  Vigilante  parade, 
May.  National  Guard  encampment,  June  i  to  20. 

HELENA  (4,124  alt.,  11,803  P°P-)>  Montana's  capital,  with  its  back 
against  low,  rounded  Mount  Helena  and  Mount  Ascension,  looks  out  over 
the  flat  and  almost  treeless  Prickly  Pear  Valley,  stretching  away  golden 
brown  to  the  foothills  of  the  Big  Belt  Mountains  on  the  east  and  to  spurs 
of  the  Rockies  on  the  north  and  west.  Main  Street  runs  along  the  bottom 
of  historic  Last  Chance  Gulch,  and  is  somewhat  hemmed  in;  but  from 
almost  anywhere  else  in  the  city  the  view  is  far- sweeping  and  memorable. 
On  a  summer  morning,  when  the  sun  rises  over  the  wooded  Big  Belts, 
the  yellow-brown  plain,  stippled  with  green  fields  and  ditches,  is  sud- 
denly washed  with  light,  and  the  lakes  along  the  Missouri  River,  a  dozen 
miles  away,  glow  and  glisten  with  color. 

One  of  the  first  cities  in  the  State,  Helena  is  a  blend  of  old  and  new, 
with  rather  more  of  the  old,  as  age  is  understood  in  Montana.  Its  busi- 

158 


STATE  CAPITOL 


ness  streets,  narrow  and  crooked,  are  adapted  to  the  contours  of  moun- 
tain slopes  and  furrowed  gulches.  Many  of  the  buildings  have  stood  as 
they  are  for  more  than  50  years.  In  the  early  iSyo's  the  population  was 
nearly  what  it  is  today;  in  the  1890'$,  when  the  silver  mining  boom  was 
at  its  height,  it  was  larger  by  several  thousand.  The  demand  for  new 
building,  except  to  replace  fire  losses,  has  not  been  great.  Some  effects  of 
the  1935  earthquakes — cracked  and  reinforced  buildings — are  visible, 
especially  on  the  east  side  of  the  city  and  near  the  Northern  Pacific 
station. 

Many  of  the  residents  are  employed  by  governmental  agencies — Fed- 
eral, State,  county,  and  city;  industrial  workers  are  in  the  minority. 
Though  Helena,  as  the  seat  of  State  government,  with  a  commission  gov- 
ernment of  its  own,  is  the  political  center  of  Montana,  it  has  a  tendency 
to  go  quietly  about  its  everyday  affairs,  but  business  picks  up  and  the 
streets  are  thronged  on  Saturday  afternoons  when  the  farmers  come  to 
town.  In  odd  years,  however,  the  pattern  is  violently  varied.  When  the 
legislature  is  in  session,  business  booms.  Lawmakers,  lobbyists,  and  job 
hunters  crowd  the  hotels.  Restaurants,  bars,  gambling  houses,  and  night 
clubs  do  a  land-office  business.  Helena  is  "all  dolled  up,"  dazzlingly 
lighted,  and  gay.  Wags  try  to  invent  new  stories  to  tell  about  the  legisla- 
ture, and  end  by  telling  the  old  one  about  the  senator  who  explained  his 
unaccustomed  possession  of  a  large  roll  of  bills  by  saying  that  someone 
pushed  it  over  the  transom  while  he  slept.  The  expression  "It  came  over 


l6o  CITIES   AND   TOWNS 

the  transom,"  to  explain  any  unusual  good  fortune,  is  a  part  of  local 
folklore. 

As  a  supply  center  the  city  serves  the  surrounding  mines,  the  cattle  and 
sheep  ranches  to  the  north,  the  farms  of  the  Prickly  Pear  Valley,  and,  to 
a  lesser  extent,  of  the  Missouri  Valley  to  the  south.  The  industries  include 
brick,  tile,  and  cement  pipe  manufacturing.  Mining  operations  employ 
about  1,000  men;  dairy  farms  and  other  agricultural  activities  a  few  hun- 
dred. Labor  is  well  organized,  and  union  membership  is  growing.  Except 
for  a  printers'  strike  that  stopped  publication  of  the  two  dailies  for  five 
months  in  1934  there  have  been  only  minor  disputes  with  employers; 
businesses  are  not  large  enough  for  management  and  labor  to  grow  far 
apart. 

There  are  few  foreign-born  people  in  Helena.  The  original  settlers 
were  mainly  of  English,  Irish,  Scottish,  and  German  descent,  and  the 
pioneer  families  and  their  descendants  still  form  more  than  half  of  the 
population.  Many  of  the  newer  arrivals  are  of  Scandinavian  ancestry. 

The  Helena  region  was  never  the  regular  abode  of  any  Indian  tribes, 
though  the  presence  of  stone  arrowheads  and  other  relics  found  in  the 
vicinity  indicate  that  it  was  occasionally  visited  by  Blackfeet  and  Salish 
hunting  parties.  Members  of  the  Lewis  and  Clark  Expedition  were  the 
first  white  men  to  see  the  place.  On  July  19,  1805,  the  day  they  discovered 
the  Gates  of  the  Mountains,  Captain  Clark  and  a  scouting  party  reached 
the  Little  Prickly  Pear,  where  Clark  was  compelled  to  stop  and  pull  17 
cactus  spines  from  his  feet — reason  enough  for  naming  the  creek  and 
valley  Prickly  Pear.  In  the  fall  of  1862,  an  immigrant  train  on  the  Mullan 
Road  halted  near  what  was  known  as  the  Three  Mile  House,  about  14 
miles  north  of  the  present  site  of  Helena.  After  some  discussion  and  look- 
ing around,  the  newcomers  decided  to  go  south  into  the  Prickly  Pear 
Valley  and  build  houses  for  the  winter.  Though  their  "settlement"  was 
only  temporary,  they  were  the  first  people  actually  to  dwell  for  a  time 
on  or  near  the  site  of  the  future  city. 

Helena  owes  its  existence  to  the  gold  discoveries  in  Last  Chance  Gulch 
late  in  the  summer  of  1864.  As  word  of  the  strike  spread,  the  miners,, 
between  their  stints  of  panning  and  sluicing,  pitched  tents  and  built  hasty 
cabins  against  the  slopes  of  the  gulch.  Crude  business  buildings  began  to 
appear.  Among  the  boulders  between  the  uneven  lines  of  shacks,  washed 
by  the  tailings  from  the  sluices,  was  "Main  Street,"  the  trail  by  which 
bull  and  mule  team  freight  outfits  entered  the  lusty  young  city.  Soon  new 
streets  were  laid  out,  and  as  they  spread  away  from  the  gulch  they  became 
straighter,  more  orderly. 

In  October  1864  it  was  decided  that  Last  Chance  was  not  a  suitable 
name  for  the  rapidly  growing  camp.  A  certain  John  Somerville  dominated 
a  meeting  to  decide  upon  a  more  dignified  name  and  obtained  the  adop- 
tion of  Helena  (He-le'-na),  the  name  of  his  home  town  in  Minnesota, 
The  miners  and  bullwhackers,  however,  did  not  like  his  way  of  pronounc- 
ing the  name;  to  them  "h-e-1"  spelled  hell,  whatever  Minnesotans  might 
say.  They  accordingly  shifted  the  emphasis  to  the  first  syllable,  and  pro- 


MAIN  STREET  OF  HELENA  IN  THE  1870'S 


M 


nounced  the  name  with  the  second  e  almost  silent   (Hel'-e-na).  Their 
pronunciation  became  the  accepted  one. 

Here  as  in  other  gold  camps,  the  vigilantes  were  organized,  and  several 
undesirables  were  hanged  or  banished.  In  a  few  cases,  however,  it  was 
charged  that  prejudice  had  been  allowed  to  outweigh  facts  in  the  scale  or 
vieilante  justice,  and  their  summary  methods  fell  into  disrepute. 

It  was  not  until  1870,  when  Helena  was  the  most  important  town  in 
the  Territory,  that  a  patent  for  its  town-site  was  issued.  Despite  a  bad 
fire  the  previous  year,  buildings  valued  at  nearly  $2,000,000  then  stood  on 
the  site  In  the  i87o's  its  growth  was  accelerated  by  discovery  of  rich 
deposits  of  placer  gold  in  the  gulches  east  of  the  Missouri;  of  quartz  gold 
to  the  south;  of  more  quartz  gold  at  Marysville  to  the  west;  and  of  silver 
and  lead  at  Rimini,  to  the  southwest  (see  Tour  lA).  In  the  late  1870  s  and 
the  i88o's  it  was  further  stimulated  by  development  of  the  rich  silver  and 
lead  deposits  at  Wickes,  Corbin,  and  Elkhorn.  The  city  was  incorporated 
in  1881  and  was  reached  by  the  railroad  two  years  later.  In  1888,  when 
the  Hi*.  Helena  smelter  replaced  that  at  Wickes,  Helena  was  a  great 
mining  center  and  was  said  to  be  the  richest  city  per  capita  in  the  United 
States  numbering  among  its  residents  some  fifty  millionaires. 

In  1875  Helena«became  the  capital  of  the  Territory,  though  Virginia 
City  made  a  strenuous  campaign  to  retain  the  honor.  After  1889,  *• 


162 


CITIES   AND   TOWNS 


HELENA 


i63 


ELEVE 


6TH 


AVE 


BROADWAY 


HIGHLAND 


ST 


CO 

AVE. 


NTH 


AVE 


LOCKEY 


AVE 


BLVD  . 


HELENA 

1938 


164  CITIES  AND   TOWNS 

became  the  temporary  State  capital,  pending  an  election  in  which  almost 
every  town  of  importance  was  a  candidate.  Helena  won,  but  the  first  elec- 
tion (1892)  did  not  satisfy  Anaconda,  the  runner-up,  and  in  1894  a 
second  election  was  held.  Helena  was  backed  by  W.  A.  Clark,  Anaconda 
by  Marcus  Daly  (see  Tour  18),  its  founder.  After  a  fierce  campaign 
Helena  again  won,  but  its  majority  was  less  than  1,000.  Much  of  the 
bitterness  of  the  contest  came  from  the  intense  rivalry  between  Clark  and 
Daly,  both  engaged  in  developing  the  Butte  mines,  and  both  striving  for 
supremacy  in  politics.  Daly  was  more  popular  in  Butte  and  Anaconda, 
but  Clark  had  more  influence  in  the  State  as  a  whole. 

In  the  i88o's  and  early  1890*5  there  was  an  orgy  of  display  on  the  part 
of  Helena's  parvenus.  Onetime  prospectors,  flush  with  the  profits  of  the 
mines,  became  what  they  regarded  as  aristocratic,  and  not  only  "kept  up 
with  the  Joneses"  but  surpassed  them.  Sure  that  the  city's  growth  would 
continue  indefinitely,  they  platted  lots  several  miles  out  in  the  valley,  and 
even  built  a  streetcar  line  to  serve  these  "outskirts."  While  waiting  for 
the  city  to  catch  up  with  its  transportation  system,  they  lived  in  preten- 
tious mansions  on  the  West  Side  and  in  the  suburbs  of  Kenwood  and 
Lennox,  and  rode  about  town,  first  in  coaches  driven  by  top-hatted  and 
swallow-tailed  coachmen,  and  later  in  electric  coupes  that  moved  at  a  dog- 
trot on  the  level  and  stalled  on  the  hills.  A  small  army  of  maids,  butlers, 
and  other  servants  waited  on  them,  and  served  them  foods  and  wines  as 
different  as  possible  from  the  sour-dough,  beans,  and  raw  firewater  of 
their  prospecting  days.  The  houses  they  built  were  ornate  affairs  in  a 
variety  of  designs,  with  exteriors  featuring  turrets,  cupolas,  and  porte- 
cocheres  ;  interiors  decorated  with  hand-carved  mahogany,  oak,  and  maple, 
with  a  fireplace  in  nearly  every  room ;  spacious  grounds  within  stone  walls 
or  iron  fences,  with  iron  deer  on  the  lawns  and  stone  lions  or  other 
figures  at  the  entrances.  Some  lawns  were  further  adorned  with  foun- 
tains, lead  statuary,  granite  mounting  blocks,  and  carved  stone  hitching 
posts.  The  fall  in  the  price  of  silver  in  1893  ended  this  florid  period  of 
architecture.  Many  of  the  people  who  had  invested  their  money  in  elab- 
orate new  houses  departed.  The  spacious,  high-ceilinged  mansions  were 
occupied  by  middle-income  folk  to  whom  adequate  heating  was  a  prime 
problem. 

Building  of  the  Canyon  Ferry,  Hauser,  and  Holter  dams  on  the  Mis- 
souri River  between  1900  and  1910,  and  the  gold  mining  activity  at 
Marysville,  brought  a  brief  return  of  prosperity,  since  many  Helena  people 
were  employed  on  the  dams  and  in  the  mines.  Then  came  another  slump, 
ended  by  the  war  years  1914-1918,  when  the  mines,  especially  those  with 
lead,  zinc,  and  copper  ores,  again  hummed  with  activity. 

Business  waned  in  1919  and  for  years  the  biennial  sessions  of  the  legis- 
lature were  the  principal  events.  In  1931  pipe  lines  were  laid  from  the 
gas  field  at  Cut  Bank  through  Helena,  Butte,  and  Anaconda.  Installation 
of  gas  in  Helena  and  East  Helena  gave  work  to  500  men  for  nearly  a 
year.  With  this  flurry  over,  the  depression  set  in.  Some  of  the  more 
energetic  residents  took  to  the  hills  and  gulches  around  the  city  and 
found  placer  ground  rich  enough  to  yield  fair  wages. 


HELENA  165 

In  the  fall  of  1935  a  series  of  earthquakes  caused  four  deaths  and  prop- 
erty damage  estimated  at  $4,000,000.  Within  a  year,  however,  most  of  the 
ruins  were  removed  and  damaged  structures  repaired  or  rebuilt.  In  some 
cases  the  buildings  had  to  be  "tied"  together  with  long  rods  run  through 
from  wall  to  wall.  The  business  section  was  outside  the  zone  of  severe 
early  shocks,  and  suffered  only  moderate  damage.  Shocks  of  less  intensity 
came  at  intervals  through  1936  and  1937,  but  did  no  damage.  Various 
theories  were  advanced  to  explain  the  long  continuance  of  the  quakes. 
According  to  one  of  them  several  faults  underlie  the  district,  and  a  slip 
along  one  fault  places  stress  on  the  others,  forcing  them  to  slip  in  turn. 

The  Civil  Works  Administration  in  1933-34  employed  hundreds  of 
Helena  people,  extensively  repaired  the  capitol  and  the  county  court- 
house, and  landscaped  a  city  park.  In  1935  the  State  headquarters  of  the 
Works  Progress  Administration  gave  office  employment  to  more  than 
200  people,  and  employed  275  on  various  projects  in  the  city.  Federal 
monetary  policies,  by  increasing  the  price  of  gold  and  silver,  stimulated 
mining,  and  restored  it  to  an  important  place  in  the  life  of  the  city.  In 
1937  the  Public  Works  Administration  offices  were  closed,  and  WPA 
headquarters  removed  to  Butte. 

POINTS  OF  INTEREST 

1.  The  MONTANA  CLUB   (open  on  application),  6th  and  Fuller 
Avenues,  stands  on  the  site  of  the  first  gold  discovery  in  Last  Chance 
Gulch  in  1864,  an  event  commemorated  by  a  bronze  tablet  on  the  Fuller 
Avenue  side  of  the  building.  The  seven-story  brick  and  stone  structure 
was  designed  by  Cass  Gilbert  in  early  Italian  Renaissance  style.   The 
rooms  are  richly  furnished  and  decorated  with  mahogany  woodwork  and 
many  murals  and  other  paintings.  On  the  membership  rolls  of  the  club,  a 
social  and  recreational  organization,  are  the  names  of  some  of  the  State's 
most  distinguished  citizens. 

2.  The  FEDERAL  BUILDING,  Park  Avenue  at  West  end  of  6th 
Avenue,  is  a  four-story  Romanesque  structure  of  granite  and  sandstone. 
A  wide  flight  of  stone  steps  leads  to  the  main  floor.  In  1932-33  the 
building  was  enlarged  and  remodeled,  but  the  original  lines  were  left 
unchanged. 

3.  HELENA  PUBLIC  LIBRARY  (open  9-9  weekdays;  reference  room 
only,  2-6  Sunday  and  holidays),  Park  Avenue  and  Lawrence  Street,  is 
housed  in  a  small  stone  building  of  Tudor  design,  originally  a  church,  but 
given  to  the  city  in  1933  by  the  Unitarian  congregation,  which  also  gave 
a  fund  of  $20,000  for  remodeling  the  building.  The  structure  has  some 
excellent  woodwork,  especially  in  the  exposed  walnut  trusses  that  support 
the  roof.  The  library  has  about  60,000  books  and  many  newspapers  and 
~igazines.  The  founding  association  was  formed  in  1866. 

4.  ST.  JAMES  PRO-CATHEDRAL,  Park  Avenue  and  Placer  Street,  is 
igned  in  the  manner  of  an  English  church  of  the  Tudor  period.  It  is 

ruciform  in  plan,  with  the  nave  constructed  of  red  porphyry,  the  wings 
f  dark  red  brick.  It  is  the  only  Episcopal  church  in  Helena. 


166  CITIES  AND  TOWNS 

5.  HILL  PARK,  Neill  Ave.  between  Park  Ave.  and  Main  St.  and  ex- 
tending to  Placer  St.,  is  cut  in  two  by  Fuller  Ave.  About  seven  acres  in 
extent,  it  was  given  to  the  city  in  1912  by  the  Great  Northern  Railway 
and  was  named  for  James  J.  Hill,  its  founder.  It  has  walks  and  benches, 
drinking  fountains,  a  wading  pool,  a  rustic  bandstand,  and  sloping  lawns 
planted  with  trees  and  shrubs. 

6.  ALGERIA    SHRINE   TEMPLE    (open    on   application   at   Shrine 
offices,  4  N.  Jackson  St.),  Neill  Ave.  at  Park  and  Benton  Aves.,  was  built 
in  1920.  It  is  of  Moorish  design,  with  a  slender  minaret,  white  barrel- 
vaulted  roof,  small  grilled  windows,  and  a  mosaic  entrance  of  black  and 
white  stone.  It  is  in  two  sections  connected  by  a  series  of  halls;  one  sec- 
tion contains  a  ballroom,  the  other  an  auditorium  seating  4,000.  The 
walls  are  of  tapestry  brick,  trimmed  with  stone.  Lawns,  trees,  shrubs,  and 
flower  beds  adorn  the  grounds. 

7.  CARROLL  COLLEGE,  Benton  Ave.  between  Leslie  and  Peosta  Sts., 
is  the  only  Catholic  men's  college  in  Montana.  The  cornerstone  was  laid 
in  1909  by  Bishop  John  P.  Carroll,  in  the  presence  of  President  William 
H.  Taft.  Originally  Mount  St.  Charles  College,  the  institution  was  re- 
named in  honor  of  Bishop  Carroll,  who  was  responsible  for  its  founding 
and  development.  The  main  building  (1911),  the  north  wing  (1918), 
and  the  south  wing  (1924),  all  built  of  red  Montana  porphyry  trimmed 
with  gray  granite,  appear  to  form  a  single  four-story  structure.  It  is  de- 
signed in  the  Collegiate  Gothic  style.  The  library  contains  11,000  vol- 
umes. There  are  well-equipped  laboratories,  an  athletic  field,  and  a  gym- 
nasium. The  attendance  averages  about  270.  High  school,  college,  and 
pre-professional  courses  are  offered. 

The  site  of  the  college  is  one  of  the  most  commanding  in  the  city ;  resi- 
dents have  come  to  know  it  as  Capitol  Hill,  and  strangers  often  mistake 
the  college  buildings  for  the  capitol.  The  hill  was  offered  as  a  capitol  site 
in  1895,  but  was  rejected  by  the  capitol  commission  because  of  its  price 
($7,000). 

ROCOCO  HOUSES  of  the  "golden  era"  stand  vaingloriously  along 
Dearborn  Ave.,  which  passes  through  a  part  of  the  West  Side  residential 
district.  On  either  hand  are  choice  examples  of  the  "castles"  which 
Helena,  in  the  i88o's  and  1890'$,  regarded  as  the  last  word  in  fine 
houses.  Most  of  the  original  owners  have  long  been  dead,  and  later  occu- 
pants have  converted  many  of  the  old  homes  into  apartment  houses. 

8.  MONTANA  LIFE  BUILDING  (open  9-5  Mon.-Fri.;  9-1  Sat.), 
Fuller  Ave.  and  Lawrence  St.,  is  a  three-story  neoclassic  building  of  white 
terra  cotta  block  tile,  with  a  four-columned  Doric  portico  and  a  frieze  of 
floral  designs. 

9.  LEWIS  AND  CLARK  COUNTY  COURTHOUSE  (1885),  Broad- 
way between  E.  and  W.  Ewing  Sts.,  was  designed  on  old  Norman  lines 
by  Wallingford  and  Stern,  St.  Paul  architects.  The  walls  are  of  gray  gran- 
ite, trimmed  with  red  sandstone.  The  grounds,  planted  with  grass,  trees, 
and  flowers,  have  the  appearance  of  a  small  park.  Because  of  earthquake 
damage,  the  tall  clock  tower  was  removed,  and  repairs  made  in  1936 
otherwise  altered  the  original  roof  pattern.  A  heavy  stone  coping,  in  par- 


iH 


ALGERIA  SHRINE  TEMPLE 


ticular,  was  eliminated,  as  being  too  great  a  hazard  in  the  face  of  repeated 
quakes. 

The  OLD  PLACER  DIGGINGS  in  Dry  Gulch,  S.  end  of  Davis  St., 
are  worked  to  some  extent  in  spring  and  summer.  Miners  raise  "pay  dirt" 
from  the  old  shafts  to  the  surface  by  hand  windlass.  No  water  is  available 
for  sluices  and  they  use  a  hand-operated  "dry-washer,"  which  screens  out 
the  coarse  material  and  saves  the  fine  sand  that  carries  the  gold  values. 
When  a  good  deal  of  the  finer  material  has  accumulated  it  is  panned  in 
the  usual  manner  with  water  brought  in  barrels.  It  is  said  that  the  placer 
workers  average  about  $5  a  day  by  these  crude  methods. 

10.  ST.  HELENA  ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CATHEDRAL,  Warren  St. 
at  E.  Lawrence  St.,  is  modeled  after  the  Cologne  Cathedral  in  Germany. 
There  are  considerable  variations  in  detail,  such  as  the  clover  leaf  win- 
dow over  the  middle  front  doorway  arch,  but  the  purity  of  the  Gothic 
design  is  faithfully  preserved.  The  plans  were  drawn  by  Von  Herbulis,  a 
European  architect  who  aided  in  designing  the  Votive  Church  in  Vienna. 


168  CITIES   AND   TOWNS 

The  cathedral  is  built  of  Bedford  limestone  in  the  form  of  a  Latin  cross 
246  feet  long  and  150  feet  wide.  Twin  spires  rise  218  feet  above  the 
ground.  The  north,  or  Thomas  Cruse  spire,  houses  a  set  of  16  chimes 
operated  from  a  keyboard.  Stained  glass  windows  made  in  Munich,  Ger- 
many, bear  representations  of  the  patron  saints  of  various  nations,  and 
depict  scenes  from  the  life  of  Christ  and  from  church  history.  The  nave 
has  a  seating  capacity  of  1,000.  Marble  clustered  columns  support  the 
ceiling  vaults  which  are  65  feet  above  the  floor.  The  main  altar  and  com- 
munion rail  of  white  marble  were  made  in  Italy.  A  pipe  organ  was  in- 
stalled in  1914.  Construction  of  the  cathedral,  costing  about  $1,000,000, 
was  made  possible  by  gifts  from  the  late  Thomas  Cruse  and  his  heirs,  and 
by  contributions  from  members  of  the  parish.  Financing  and  building 
were  supervised  by  Bishop  John  P.  Carroll,  who  laid  the  cornerstone  in 
1908  and  consecrated  the  finished  edifice  in  1924. 

ii.  The  STATE  CAPITOL  (open  9-5  Mon.-Fri.;  9-4  Sat.;  custodian 
acts  as  guide),  6th  Ave.  between  S.  Montana  and  S.  Roberts  Sts.  and 
extending  to  Lockey  Ave.,  is  built  on  the  crown  of  a  gently  sloping  hill 
surrounded  by  extensive  grounds.  The  site,  with  $4,000  for  landscaping, 
was  given  to  the  State  in  1895  by  promoters  of  the  Lennox  residential 
area. 

The  massive  three-story  structure,  neoclassic  in  style,  is  built  on  a  sym- 
metrical plan  with  a  wide  central  section,  broken  by  central  and  end 
pavilions  and  impressive  colonnaded  wings.  The  building  is  raised  on  a 
rusticated  first  story  and  topped  with  a  classic  cornice  and  balustraded 
parapet.  The  dominant  external  feature  is  the  lofty  central  dome,  surfaced 
with  copper  and  surmounted  by  a  small  reproduction  of  the  Statue  of 
Liberty.  It  is  raised  on  a  heavy  square  base  embellished  on  each  face  with 
a  pedimented  central  motif.  Light  is  admitted  to  the  rotunda  beneath  the 
dome  through  triple  windows  in  the  base  and  through  a  series  of  bull's- 
eye  windows  in  the  collar  of  the  dome.  The  building  is  464  feet  long  and 
130  feet  wide,  with  an  average  height  of  90  feet.  The  dome  rises  165  feet. 
The  central,  or  original,  section  of  the  building,  is  250  feet  by  130  feet; 
it  was  built  of  sandstone,  but  in  1933  CWA  workers  faced  it  with  Mon- 
tana granite  to  conform  with  the  exterior  finish  of  the  two  wings. 

The  main  entrance,  set  in  a  massive  central  pavilion  and  designed  in 
the  manner  of  a  Roman  triumphal  arch  adorned  with  four  fluted  Ionic 
columns,  is  approached  by  a  long  flight  of  marble  steps.  Four  scrolled 
consoles  rest  upon  the  cornice;  the  whole  is  topped  with  a  central  pedes- 
tal, with  flanking  urns.  The  end  wings,  completed  in  1911,  have  Ionic 
colonnades,  two  stories  high,  in  harmony  with  the  design  of  the  original 
structure. 

The  interior  of  the  capitol,  in  French  Renaissance  style,  has  flaring 
marble  stairways,  wide  corridors,  spacious  chambers,  and  numerous  stat- 
ues and  murals.  The  interior  decorations  and  the  murals  in  the  senate 
chamber  are  the  work  of  Charles  A.  Pedretti. 

On  the  ground  floor  are  the  historical  library  and  some  of  the  State 
offices. 

On  the  main  or  second  floor  are  the  executive  offices.  The  Governor's 


HELENA  169 

reception  room  in  the  east  wing,  is  decorated  in  brown,  tan,  and  ivory; 
the  walls  are  paneled  in  English  oak;  marble  mantels  and  silver  chande- 
liers complete  the  decorative  appointments.  The  corridors  on  this  floor, 
leading  east  and  west  from  the  central  rotunda,  are  decorated  in  tones  of 
deep  green,  brown,  and  gold  with  marble  wainscoted  walls,  columns,  and 
pilasters.  The  rotunda,  with  the  dome  100  feet  above  the  floor,  is  painted 
in  shades  of  red,  blue,  and  old  ivory.  Gold  is  freely  used  to  enrich  the 
plaster  ornament.  On  the  walls  of  the  rotunda  are  four  paintings  depict- 
ing early  pioneer  characters — an  Indian,  a  cowboy,  a  miner,  and  a  trapper 
said  to  resemble  Jim  Bridger,  explorer  and  teller  of  tall  tales.  In  the  base 
of  the  dome  are  16  stained-glass  windows.  On  the  ribbed  soffit  of  the 
dome  are  ornamental  bas-reliefs. 

The  stairway  from  the  main  to  the  third  floor  is  of  white  marble,  with 
newel  posts  and  balustrade  of  bronze.  Above  it  is  a  stained-glass  ceiling. 
At  the  head  of  the  stairway,  above  a  stained-glass  window,  is  a  painting 
of  the  driving  of  the  last  spike  at  Gold  Creek,  upon  completion  of  the 
Northern  Pacific  Railway  in  the  fall  of  1883.  It  is  the  work  of  Amadee 
Joullin  of  San  Francisco. 

On  the  third  floor,  the  west  wing  of  the  central  section  contains  the 
offices  of  the  two  houses  of  the  legislature  and  their  committee  rooms. 
The  eastern  half  of  this  floor  houses  the  supreme  court  chambers  and 
offices  of  the  justices,  and  the  law  library  of  Montana. 

The  house  of  representatives  in  the  west  end  wing  is  a  large  rectangular 
chamber  with  a  ceiling  skylight.  The  walls  are  wainscoted  with  marble 
and  have  ornamental  columns.  Directly  over  the  speaker's  desk  is  the 
largest  painting  in  the  house:  a  picture,  valued  at  $30,000,  of  Lewis  and 
Clark  meeting  the  Indians  at  Ross  Hole.  It  is  the  work  of  Charles  Russell. 
In  the  house  lobby  are  six  large  historical  paintings  by  E.  S.  Paxson.  The 
first,  just  left  of  the  entrance,  shows  Indian  messengers  on  their  way  to 
St.  Louis  to  obtain  the  "white  man's  book"  (the  Bible).  The  next  pic- 
ture, The  Border  Land,  shows  settlers  with  their  wagons  on  one  side  of  a 
stream,  Indians  on  the  other.  Lewis  and  Clark  at  Three  Forks  is  a  large 
panel  depicting  the  explorers  with  their  Indian  woman  guide  Sacajawea 
at  the  spot  where  she  identified  her  own  country.  Opposite  are  paintings 
of  Lewis  at  Black  Eagle  Falls,  of  Pierre  de  la  Verendrye,  and  of  the  sur- 
render of  Chief  Joseph. 

The  senate  chamber  in  the  west  wing  of  the  original  section  is  similar 
to  the  house  in  design.  The  floor  is  blue-carpeted  and  the  furnishings  are 
of  mahogany.  Around  the  room  just  below  the  skylight. is  a  cove  twelve 
feet  deep  containing  paintings.  One  of  the  two  largest,  directly  over  the 
president's  desk,  commemorates  the  Louisiana  Purchase.  Opposite  is  a 
depiction  of  Custer's  last  fight.  To  the  left  of  the  president's  desk  is  a 
painting  of  the  early  fur  traders  Dawson  (standing)  and  Chouteau  (sit- 
ting), with  bundles  of  furs  and  pelts  heaped  around  them.  Next  to  this 
work  is  another  painting  of  Lewis,  Clark,  and  Sacajawea.  Left  of  the 
Custer  picture  is  a  panel  that  represents  Fathers  Ravalli  and  De  Smet 
bringing  Christianity  to  the  Indians.  The  last  panel  is  a  scene  in  Nelson's 
Gulch  near  Helena. 


170  CITIES   AND   TOWNS 

In  the  supreme  court  chamber,  with  its  green-carpeted  floor  and  mahog- 
any furnishings,  are  other  paintings  by  Charles  A.  Pedretti.  Above  the 
rostrum  are  three  of  his  paintings — (left  to  right) — an  emigrant  train 
being  attacked  by  Indians,  Lewis's  first  glimpse  of  the  Rockies,  and  Presi- 
dent Cleveland  signing  the  act  that  admitted  Montana  to  the  Union. 
Other  paintings  to  right  and  left  of  this  group  are  The  Gates  of  the 
Mountains,  The  Last  of  the  Buffalo,  and  The  Buffalo  Chase.  In  the  law 
library  are  several  landscapes  by  Ralph  de  Camp. 

The  i2i/2-acre  landscaped  capitol  grounds  are  set  with  trees  and 
shrubs  native  to  Montana.  In  front  of  the  building  is  a  paved  plaza  about 
40  feet  long  and  35  feet  wide;  from  Lockey  Avenue  a  circular  driveway 
leads  to  the  south  entrance  of  the  building;  winding  walks  cross  the 
grounds.  Near  the  west  entrance  is  a  bronze  equestrian  statue  of  General 
Francis  Meagher,  acting  Territorial  Governor,  who  was  drowned  near 
Fort  Benton  in  1867.  The  statue  is  the  work  of  Charles  J.  Mulligan,  a 
pupil  of  the  sculptor  Lorado  Taft. 

The  legislature  of  Montana  first  met  in  a  log  cabin  with  a  dirt  floor, 
at  Bannack,  on  December  12,  1864.  Thereafter,  for  a  time,  it  met  in  build- 
ings that  were  either  rented  or  donated.  As  the  need  for  a  State-owned 
capitol  grew,  a  commission  consisting  of  the  Governor  and  four  qualified 
electors  was  appointed  to  plan  the  erection  of  a  permanent  building.  In 
1896  one  million  dollars  was  appropriated  for  the  State  Capitol,  and  an 
open  competition  was  held  to  select  a  design.  Forty-nine  firms  and  indi- 
vidual architects  submitted  plans,  and  George  R.  Mann  of  St.  Louis  won. 
Second  prize  was  awarded  to  Cass  Gilbert. 

The  cornerstone  was  laid  July  4,  1899,  under  the  auspices  of  the  Grand 
Lodge  of  Masons  with  all  the  formality  and  solemnity  of  Masonic  ritual. 
People  from  all  parts  of  the  State  attended  the  ceremony.  Helena  was 
thrown  wide  open — fireworks  were  discharged,  people  danced  in  the 
streets,  and  there  was  a  shooting  scrape  or  two. 

In  1909  the  legislature  voted  to  enlarge  the  capitol  by  adding  wings. 
The  firm  of  F.  M.  Andrews  of  New  York  was  selected  as  architects  with 
Link  and  Haire  of  Helena  as  associates.  The  wings  were  completed  in 
1911. 

The  STATE  HISTORICAL  LIBRARY  (open  9-5  Mon.-Fri.;  9-4  Sat.), 
first  floor,  east  wing  of  the  capitol,  is  Montana's  outstanding  historical 
museum  and  preserves  souvenirs  of  every  phase  of  the  State's  develop- 
ment. There  are  grim  mementos  of  vigilante  activities,  of  several  wars, 
and  of  Indian  history.  One  cabinet  holds  a  collection  of  Indian  curios 
gathered  by  Peter  Ronan  and  presented  to  the  historical  society  by  Sena- 
tor W.  A.  Clark.  Relics  of  the  Custer  Battle  include  the  officers'  swords, 
pictures  of  the  participants,  and  copies  of  the  first  newspaper  accounts 
of  the  disaster.  The  State's  industries  are  represented  by  exhibits  of  wood, 
ores,  metals,  and  refining  and  manufacturing  processes.  The  natural  his- 
tory section  has  dinosaur  bones  and  other  fossil  remains,  mounted  speci- 
mens of  buffalo,  deer,  elk,  mountain  goats,  bears,  and  native  birds. 

The  library  shelves  contain  several  thousand  volumes  dealing  with  the 
history  of  Montana,  the  Northwest,  and  the  Nation.  There  are  complete 


HELENA  lyi 

files  of  all  Montana  newspapers,  and  some  rare  copies  of  Colonial  pam- 
phlets. Another  rarity  is  a  large  volume  of  Audubon  prints,  of  which  only 
25  copies  were  made  before  the  plates  were  destroyed  by  fire.  On  the 
wall  of  the  library  are  pictures  of  Montana  pioneers  and  pioneer  scenes. 

12.  A  STONE  BARN  (private),  320  E.  6th  Ave.,  back  of  the  Chris- 
tian Science  church,  was  the  studio  of  Charles  M.  Russell  during  his  win- 
ters in  Helena  in  the  i88o's  and  early  1 890*5.  The  artist  used  to  drift 
in  from  the  range  late  in  the  fall,  and  stay  until  there  was  sufficient  new 
grass  in  spring  to  feed  his  horse.  He  also  painted  in  a  hen  house  nearby. 
In  such  humble  quarters  he  did  some  of  his  best-known  work.  The  barn 
is  used  as  a  dwelling. 

The  OLD  BUSINESS  DISTRICT,  S.  Main  St.  between  Broadway  and 
State  St.,  is  occupied  by  buildings  erected  in  the  iSyo's.  Log  and  brick 
structures  in  various  states  of  repair  line  the  street  on  both  sides.  Here 
the  richest  placer  deposits  were  found.  It  is  said  that  the  early-day  miners 
did  not  reach  true  bedrock  at  this  point;  the  older  buildings  rest  on  un- 
worked  sands  and  gravels  that  are  probably  much  more  valuable  than  the 
buildings  themselves. 

13.  PLACER  HOTEL,  W.  Main  and  Grand  Sts.,  is  on  the  site  of  an 
old  placer  working.  When  the  basement  was  excavated  in   1911,  the 
deeper  sands  yielded  enough  gold  to  pay  the  cost  of  the  work. 

14.  HELENA'S  OLDEST  BUILDING  (open  by  permission),  208  S. 
Park  Ave.,  is  a  low  two-room  log  cabin.  It  was  built*  in  1865  by  a  man 
named  Butt,  who  lived  there  only  a  short  time.  Two  large  black  locust 
trees  in  front  of  it  were  planted  in  1870.  It  is  in  fair  condition,  and  is 
occupied  as  a  residence. 

POINTS  OF  INTEREST  IN  ENVIRONS 

15.  MOUNT  ASCENSION  (5,360  alt.)    is  S.  of  the  city's  East  Side 
(footpath  at  ist  Ave.  and  Chaucer  St.).  The  trail  is  not  steep,  and  this 
mountain  is  the  most  convenient  place  for  a  night  view  of  Helena. 

16.  MOUNT  HELENA  (5,462  alt.),  just  beyond  the  SW.  city  limits, 
is  reached  by  a  footpath  from  W.  Lawrence  St.  The  ascent  is  steep  in 
places,  but  not  difficult  or  dangerous.  The  trail  winds  through  timber 
along  the  north  slope  of  the  mountain,  past  a  cavelike  shelter.  Near  the 
summit  it  rises  sharply.  The  view  embraces  the  Continental  Divide  and 
Ten  Mile  Canyon  to  the  west ;  the  Prickly  Pear  and  Missouri  Valleys,  and 
the  Elkhorn  and  Big  Belt  Mountains  to  the  east.  For  years  the  State  fair 
featured  a  run  up  the  mountainside  that  was  no  sport  for  a  weakling. 

UNION VILLE,  4  miles  S.,  is  reached  by  either  of  two  roads  that  begin 
at  the  south  end  of  W.  Main  St.  and  wind  up  Grizzly  and  Oro  Fino 
Gulches.  The  roads  join  before  reaching  Unionville.  In  and  about  the 
town  are  several  old  gold  mines,  including  the  Spring  Hill  and  Whitlatch- 
Union,  the  ruins  of  an  early  stamp  mill,  and  a  modern  flotation  milk 
Many  Helena  people  own  summer  homes  in  the  neighborhood. 

Lead  Smelter  and  Zinc  Recovery  Plant,  5.5  m.,  Broadwater  Resort,  3.4  m.,  Fort 
Harrison  Veterans'  Hospital,  43  m.,  McDonald  Pass  on  the  Continental  Divide, 
15.9  m,,  Rimini,  17.1  m.  (see  Tour  lA).  Alhambra  Hot  Springs,  14.6  m.,  Gates  of 
the  Mountains,  19 A  m,  (see  Tour  6,  Sec.  b).  Marysville,  20.7  m.  (see  Tour  8). 


Railroad  Stations:  N.  end  of  Higgins  Ave.  for  Northern  Pacific  Ry.;  S.  end  of 

Higgins  Ave.  bridge  for  Milwaukee  R.R. 

Bus  Stations:  238  W.  Main  St.  for  Intermountain  Transportation  and  Meisinger's 

Stages;  118  W.  Broadway  for  Washington  Motor  Coach  (Greyhound);  Northern 

Pacific  Ry.  station  for  Northern  Pacific  busses. 

Airport:  2  m.  SW.  on  US  93  for  Northwest  Airlines;  taxi  5O0. 

Street  Busses:  Fare  50. 

Taxis:  Fare  250  a  person  for  first  mile;  then  io0  a  mile. 

Traffic  Regulations:  No  U-turns  on  Higgins  Ave.;  no  all-night  parking  on  paved 

downtown  streets;  i  hr.  parking  limit  downtown,  8  a.m.  to  6  p.m. 

Street  Numbering:  Streets  are  numbered  from  Higgins  Ave.  E.  and  W. ;  from  Front 

St.  N.  and  S. 

Accommodations:  Four  hotels;  6  tourist  camps. 

Information  Service:  Chamber  of  Commerce,  207  E.  Main  St. 

Radio  Station:  KGVO  (1260  kc.). 

Motion  Picture  Houses:  Five. 

Swimming:  Municipal  pool,  Pattee  and  Front  Sts.;  free. 

Tennis:  University  courts,  Connell  and  John  Aves. ;  fee  250  an  hr.  for  nonmembers. 

Golf:  Municipal  course,  18  holes,  400  South  Ave.  E. ;  greens  fee  5O0. 

Athletics  (incl.  baseball  and  football) :  Dornblaser  Field,  university  campus ;  ball 

park,  Higgins  and  South  Aves.;  Kiwanis  Park,  300  E.  Front  St. 

Annual  Events:  Interscholastic  track  and  field  meet,  May.  Western  Montana  fair, 
August.  Fish  and  game  banquet,  no  fixed  date. 

MISSOULA  (3,223  alt.,  14,657  pop.),  stands  on  the  level  bed  of  a  pre- 
historic lake,  at  the  mouth  of  Hell  Gate  Canyon.  The  Sapphire  Moun- 
tains extend  southward ;  the  Bitterroots,  with  Lolo  Peak  prominent  among 
them,  loom  on  the  southwestern  horizon.  From  the  high  country  to  the 
north,  icy  Rattlesnake  Creek  rushes  down  to  empty  into  Clark  Fork  of  the 
Columbia  (locally  called  the  Missoula  River}  near  the  city's  eastern 
limits.  The  narrow  entrance  to  Hell  Gate  Canyon  is  guarded  by  Mount 
Jumbo  on  the  north,  Mount  Sentinel  on  the  south.  In  the  northwestern 
distance  rises  the  symmetrical  top  of  Squaw  Peak,  glistening  white  in  win- 
ter, smoke-blue  in  summer.  Clark  Fork,  which  cuts  the  city  in  two,  is 
shallow  but  swift,  its  current  split  by  a  series  of  islands.  Three  bridges 
unite  the  north  and  south  parts  of  Missoula:  the  old-fashioned  iron-and- 
plank  Van  Buren  Street  bridge  near  the  east  end  of  town,  the  Higgins 
Avenue  bridge  at  the  center,  and  the  modern  concrete  Parkway  bridge 
near  the  west  end. 

The  city  itself  is  neat  and  attractive,  and  gives  an  impression  of  com- 
pactness in  its  business  district  and  in  such  residential  areas  as  the  one 
west  pf  the  university.  South  of  the  river  the  residential  section  merges 

172 


MISSOULA  173 

imperceptibly  with  the  environs  of  the  university,  where  the  homes  of 
many  faculty  members  are  interspersed  with  fraternity  and  sorority  houses 
that  are  distinguished  from  other  residences  only  by  occasional  groups  of 
loitering  students.  Student  life  in  these  houses,  while  not  marked  by 
restraint,  has  closer  ties  with  the  faculty  than  is  generally  the  case  in  such 
institutions.  The  city  has  a  tendency  to  straggle  away  with  little  apparent 
plan.  One  section  extends  far  northeastward  between  Rattlesnake  Creek 
and  Mount  Jumbo,  and  ends  as  a  huddle  of  summer  cabins  in  a  grove  of 
pines.  Another,  somewhat  grimy  and  smoke-stained,  is  crowded  between 
the  Northern  Pacific  Railway  and  the  base  of  Waterworks  Hill.  On  its 
wide  western  edge  where  it  meets  no  natural  barrier,  the  city  advances  on 
the  river  flat  seemingly  at  random. 

In  general,  Missoula  is  characterized  by  broad  avenues  lined  with  maple 
and  cutleaf  birch,  handsome  residences,  well-kept  lawns,  and  gardens  of 
great  variety  and  richness.  Because  of  its  comparatively  low  altitude  and 
its  situation  on  the  Pacific  slope  of  the  Continental  Divide,  Missoula  has 
— for  Montana — a  mild  climate  and  generous  rainfall.  Cherry  and  apple 
trees,  fragrant  with  blossoms  or  rosy  with  fruit  according  to  season,  adorn 
nearly  every  good-sized  yard  in  the  residential  sections. 

In  addition  to  being  Montana's  chief  educational  center  as  home  of  the 
State  university,  Missoula  is  headquarters  for  Region  One  of  the  U.  S. 
Forest  Service  ( see  FORESTS)  and  a  trading  center  for  the  agriculture  of 
four  fertile  valleys:  the  Flathead,  the  Bitterroot,  the  Blackfoot,  and  the 
Missoula.  Its  location  to  a  large  extent  determines  the  nature  of  its  indus- 
tries; flour  milling  and  sugar  refining  are  most  important.  A  brewery,  a 
meat  packing  plant,  and  several  creameries  handle  large  quantities  of  farm 
and  ranch  products.  The  largest  sawmill  in  Montana  is  at  Bonner,  seven 
miles  east  of  Missoula,  and  lumber  and  finished  wood  products  are  made 
within  the  city. 

Missoula  takes  its  name  from  the  Salish  Indian  word  Im-i-sul-a  (by  the 
chilling  waters).  Some  interpretations  refer  to  its  site  as  a  place  of  bad 
omen,  rather  than  to  the  temperature  of  the  river,  which  is  essentially 
that  of  any  mountain  stream.  But  if  the  name  is  one  of  darkness  and  fore- 
boding it  does  not  describe  the  city.  Missoula' s  bright,  youthful  optimism, 
heightened  by  the  presence  of  2,000  university  students,  is,  on  the  con- 
trary, perhaps  its  most  definite  characteristic. 

Long  before  the  white  man  came,  the  site  of  Missoula  was  familiar  to 
both  Salish  and  Blackfeet  Indians.  The  Salish  had  to  pass  through  Hell 
Gate  Canyon  to  reach  the  plains  on  their  periodic  buffalo  hunts.  At  the 
entrance  to  the  canyon,  an  ideal  spot  for  ambush,  the  Blackfeet  would 

Ittack  them.  The  reputation  of  the  place  caused  French-Canadian  trappers 
3  call  it  "Porte  de  1'Enfer,"  or  "Gate  of  Hell." 
The  first  white  men  were  not  molested.  Capt.  Meriwether  Lewis  and 
is  party  camped  briefly  at  the  confluence  of  Rattlesnake  Creek  and  Clark 
brk  on  July  4,  1806  (see  HISTORY),  then  proceeded  safely  up  Hell 
jate  Canyon.  David  Thompson  visited  the  site  of  Missoula  in  1812, 
limbed  Mount  Jumbo,  and  from  there  mapped  the  surrounding  country, 
lut  the  first  settlers  in  the  region,  the  Jesuits  who  founded  St.  Mary's 


174  CITIES   AND   TOWNS 

Mission,  30  miles  to  the  south,  met  with  Indian  troubles  that  forced  them 
to  abandon  the  mission  for  a  time. 

Gov.  Isaac  I.  Stevens  led  his  railroad  survey  party  into  the  region  in  the 
fall  of  1853.  With  him  was  Capt.  C.  P.  Higgins,  one  of  the  founders 
of  Missoula.  In  1855  Stevens  met  the  Flathead,  Pend  d'Oreille,  and 
Kootenai  Indians  in  council  at  a  cottonwood  grove  nine  miles  west  of 
Missoula,  and  concluded  a  reservation  treaty  with  them. 

By  that  time  there  was  considerable  traffic  through  Hell  Gate  Canyon, 
and  the  valley  became  a  stopping  place  for  pack  trains.  In  1860  Frank  L. 
Worden  and  Captain  Higgins  built  a  log  trading  post  four  miles  west  of 
the  present  townsite,  and  called  it  "Hell  Gate  Ronde" ;  other  cabins  were 
built  around  it.  In  the  winter  of  1860— 6 1  William  Hamilton  erected  a 
small  log  cabin  at  the  mouth  of  Rattlesnake  Creek,  the  first  building  on 
the  site  of  present-day  Missoula.  The  legislature  of  Washington  Territory 
established  Missoula  County,  including  in  it  a  large  part  of  what  later 
became  western  Montana,  and  Hell  Gate  became  its  seat.  Montana's  first 
county  election  was  held  there  in  1861. 

Next  year  the  Mullan  military  road  approached  Hell  Gate,  the  crews 
working  throughout  the  winter  to  complete  the  grades  through  the  canyon. 
In  the  summer  of  1863  hundreds  followed  this  road  from  Idaho  to  the 
gold  mines  at  Alder  Gulch. 

In  1865  Worden  and  Higgins  built  a  sawmill  and  a  flour  mill  at 
almost  the  exact  present-day  center  of  the  city,  and  started  a  new  store 
near  the  mills.  The  handful  of  settlers  at  Hell  Gate  Ronde  moved  to  the 
new  site,  which  was  at  first  known  as  Missoula  Mills. 

Up  to  1872  the  district  was  served  by  five  toll  roads  from  Deer  Lodge. 
The  toll  was  50  cents  for  horse  and  rider,  $i  for  a  team,  and  25  cents  a 
head  for  cattle.  That  year  the  county  bought  the  roads,  and  there  was  a 
great  celebration.  The  following  April  several  Sisters  of  the  Charity  of 
Providence  opened  a  hospital  and  school  in  a  small  frame  building  near 
the  site  of  St.  Patrick's  Hospital.  The  small  chapel  in  the  building  was 
Missoula's  first  place  of  worship. 

When  the  Nez  Perce  Indians,  under  Chief  Joseph,  went  on  the  warpath 
in  1877  (see  HISTORY),  the  people  of  Missoula  became  alarmed  and 
asked  for  troops.  They  were  not  molested,  but  the  incident  led  to  the 
establishment  of  Fort  Missoula,  two  and  one-half  miles  southwest  of  the 
city. 

Missoula's  principal  growth  dates  from  the  arrival  of  the  Northern 
Pacific  Railway  in  1883,  when  it  became  a  division  point  with  repair 
shops.  On  March  12,  1885,  it  was  incorporated  as  a  city.  Growth  was  fur- 
ther stimulated  by  the  building  of  the  Chicago,  Milwaukee,  St.  Paul  and 
Pacific  (1908). 

The  State  university,  established  in  1895,  nas  greatly  influenced  the 
economic  and  cultural  life  of  the  city.  The  accommodation  of  students 
amounts  to  an  industry  that  helps  tide  the  community  over  lean  years ;  cul- 
turally, its  most  immediate  effect  has  been  to  make  higher  education  avail- 
able to  a  far  greater  share  of  the  young  men  and  women  of  Missoula  than 
of  other  communities  in  the  State,  some  of  which  are  separated  from  it  by 


MISSOULA  175 

a  distance  equal  to  that  from  New  York  to  Quebec  or  Chicago  to  Memphis. 

Missoula  experienced  a  slow  but  steady  growth  during  the  first  third  of 
the  twentieth  century.  The  State  university  began  to  take  a  larger  place 
in  community  life,  the  regional  office  of  the  U.  S.  Forest  Service  was 
installed  at  Missoula  in  1908,  there  was  a  steady  increase  of  civic  groups 
common  to  most  cities,  and  the  city  planning  board  was  organized  in 
1934.  Even  so,  Missoula  emerged  but  slowly  from  its  status  as  a  frontier 
town.  As  late  as  the  early  thirties,  Indians  still  camped  on  the  flats  around 
the  city  to  dig  camas  roots. 

In  1936  and  1937  Missoula  grew  rapidly,  and  estimates  of  population 
ranged  from  18,000  to  25,000  at  the  end  of  the  latter  year.  The  largest 
single  factor  in  this  growth  was  perhaps  the  westward  movement  of 
thousands  of  people  from  the  eastern  drought  areas. 

MONTANA  STATE  UNIVERSITY 

The  University  is  at  the  E.  end  of  University  Ave.,  and  consists  of  19 
buildings  on  a  loo-acre  campus  at  the  base  of  Mount  Sentinel.  An  addi- 
tional 520-acre  tract  extends  up  steep,  grassy  slopes  to  the  summit,  2,000 
feet  higher,  a  campus  feature  appropriate  to  this  mountainous  State.  The 
modern  buildings  vary  in  architectural  style,  each  showing  the  influence 
of  the  period  when  it  was  designed.  Seen  from  the  University  Avenue 
approach  in  summer,  the  whole  campus  is  dressed  in  vivid  green;  the 
red-brick  Main  Hall,  standing  in  an  open  space  at  the  head  of  the  great 
area  of  greensward  called  the  Oval,  is  the  first  object  of  a  contrasting 
color  to  catch  the  eye.  The  other  structures  are  revealed  by  green  roofs 
rising  among  the  trees. 

The  first  step  toward  founding  Montana  State  University  was  taken  in 
1 88 1,  when  Congress  set  aside  72  square  miles  of  public  land  with  the 
provision  that  the  income  from  its  sale  or  lease  be  used  for  the  support 
of  such  a  school.  The  campus  site  was  given  to  the  State  by  Frances  G. 
Higgins  and  Edward  L.  Bonner  of  Missoula. 

In  1895  the  University  was  established,  with  Oscar  J.  Craig  as  its  first 
president.  There  was  little  equipment,  and  classes  were  held  in  temporary 
quarters  until  1899  when  the  first  buildings  were  ready  for  occupancy. 
Many  buildings  have  been  added;  in  1937  the  group  on  the  campus  rep- 
resented an  investment  of  $3,000,000.  The  schools  of  forestry  and  jour- 
nalism were  added  about  1912  to  round  out  the  curriculum.  The  forestry 
school,  in  particular,  has  distinguished  itself.  Nearly  all  its  graduates  are 
employed  by  the  U.  S.  Forest  Service  in  Region  One. 

Harold  Clayton  Urey,  who  was  awarded  the  1934  Nobel  prize  in 
chemistry,  for  his  discovery  of  heavy  water,  was  a  student  and  later  an 
instructor  at  Montana.  H.  G.  Merriam,  whose  Frontier  and  Midland  (see 
THE  ARTS)  is  recognized  as  one  of  the  Nation's  important  magazines 
of  regional  literature,  is  professor  of  English  and  chairman  of  the  divi- 
sion of  the  humanities.  The  Montana  Masquers,  a  university  dramatic 
group,  have  a  distinguished  record  of  productions.  On  December  16, 
1921,  they  gave  the  first  performance  in  English  of  Leonid  Andreyev's 


i76 


CITIES  AND  TOWNS 


TOOLE 


AVE. 


C.  M.  ST.  P.  a    P.    RY 


MISSOULA 


177 


MISSOULA 


178  CITIES   AND   TOWNS 

He  Who  Gets  Slapped,  anticipating  the  Theater  Guild's  New  York  open- 
ing by  24  days. 

The  University  is  co-educational.  Most  of  the  2,000  undergraduates 
register  in  the  College  of  Arts  and  Sciences,  which  has  four  major  divi- 
sions: humanities,  biological  science,  physical  science,  and  social  science. 
About  460  take  forestry  and  journalism.  There  are  also  schools  of  busi- 
ness, education,  law,  music,  pharmacy,  military  science,  and  religion,  a 
summer  school,  and  extension  courses. 

POINTS  OF  INTEREST 

1.  MAIN  HALL  (open  7:45-11  weekdays;  9-6  Sun.),  head  of  Oval 
opposite  end  of  University  Ave.,  one  of  the  oldest  buildings  (1898)  on 
the  campus,  houses  the  administrative  offices  and  has  classrooms  and  a 
small  auditorium  on  the  second  and  third  floors.  It  is  designed  in  a  modi- 
fied Romanesque  style  with  an  impressive  entrance  and  clock  tower.  In 
the  entrance  hall  is  a  topographic  map  of  the  State,  7  by  12  feet,  with 
geological  structure  indicated  by  coloration;  relief  maps  and  an  exhibit 
of  Montana  petroleum  products  are  near  it.  In  the  basement  are  cases  of 
minerals  and  rocks  gathered  by  the  geology  department. 

2.  SCIENCE  HALL  (open  8  a.m.-10:30  p.m.  weekdays;  8-1  Sat.),  just 
S.  of  Main  Hall,  was  built  in  1898.  It  is  an  old  red  brick  structure  with 
high-ceiled  classrooms  and  small  laboratories. 

3.  The  LAW  SCHOOL  (open  8  a.m.- 10  p.m.  Mon.-Fri.;  8-12  Sat.; 
3-6  Sun.),  N.  of  Oval  and  W.  of  John  Ave.,  was  built  in  1908  to  house 
the  library.   Its  two-columned  and  pedimented  entrance  portico  is  de- 
signed in  the  classic  tradition. 

4.  The  LIBRARY  (open  8-12  and  1-5  Mon.-Fri.;  also  7-9:30  Mon.- 
Thurs.;  9-12  and  2-5  Sat.;  2:30-5:30  Sun.),  back  of  Law  School  at  N. 
end  of  Hello  Walk,  is  a  three-story  structure  of  reinforced  concrete  and 
tapestry  brick  erected  in  1921.  It  is  the  largest  library  in  the  State,  with 
125,000  books  and  35,000  pamphlets.  Stacks,  protected  by  fireproof  walls, 
extend  through  all  three  floors  on  the  north  side  of  the  building.  The 
Treasure  Room  on  the  third  floor  has  an  extensive  collection  of  source 
material  on  the  Northwest.  Paxson's  painting  Sacajawea  and  a  western 
scene  by  Irvin  Shope  hang  on  its  walls. 

5.  The  modern  STUDENT  UNION  BUILDING  (hours  vary;  visitors 
welcome),  SE.  corner  Maurice  and  Connell  Aves.,  is  the  students'  social 
center.  Built  in  1935,  it  is  highly  functional  in  design,  with  long  simple 
lines  and  sparing  use  of  ornamentation.  A  bookstore  and  a  restaurant 
occupy  the  first  floor;  offices  of  student  organizations  and  athletic  board, 
the  second  floor;  a  lounge  extends  the  entire  length  of  the  third  floor; 
a  large  ballroom,  the  Gold  Room,  and  two  smaller  ones,  the  Copper  and 
Silver  Rooms,  are  on  the  fourth  floor.  The  auditorium  (seating  1,500) 
and  the  stage  occupy  the  entire  north  side  of  the  building  up  to  the  Gold 
Room  level. 

6.  The  low,  square  ART  MUSEUM  (open  1-5  weekdays  except  dur- 
ing meetings  in  auditorium),  S.  of  Oval  on  Maurice  Ave.,  was  dedicated 
in  1937.  It  is  the  first  art  museum  in  Idaho,  Montana,  Wyoming,  or  the 


MISSOULA  179 

Dakotas — an  area  once  described  by  a  magazine  as  "from  the  standpoint 
of  art  a  cultural  air  pocket  .  .  .  with  a  nostalgia  for  national  prominence 
in  the  arts.  ..."  Handicapped  by  lack  of  funds,  the  museum  was  obliged 
to  begin  its  art  collection  with  a  group  of  47  collotype  facsimiles  stress- 
ing artistic  quality  rather  than  "price  tag  aesthetics."  The  facsimilies,  care- 
fully chosen  for  their  faithfulness  to  the  originals,  included  copies  of 
works  by  such  masters  as  Monet,  Rembrandt,  Van  Gogh,  Degas,  Gauguin, 
Kent,  Cezanne,  and  others.  A  set  of  lantern  slides  is  used  chiefly  by  study 
groups  to  illustrate  architecture,  painting,  and  sculpture. 

7.  The  JOURNALISM  BUILDING  (open  8  a.m.-10:15  p.m.  Mon.- 
Fri.;  8-6  Sat.),  directly  S.  of  Science  Hall,  is  a  simple  three-story  brick 
structure  built  in  1936,  which  houses  the  school  of  journalism  and  the 
publishing  plant  of  the  student  newspaper,  the  Montana  Kaimin.  The 
entrance  is  distinguished  by  five  sandblasted  glass  panels  depicting  the 
history  of  printing. 

In  this  school  instruction  and  practical  experience  are  carried  on  to- 
gether. The  publishing  plant  is  similar  to  that  of  a  commercial  news- 
paper; students  help  to  operate  a  university  news  service  for  the  Montana 
Press  Association,  and  the  association  has  an  advisory  board  for  the  school. 

8.  The  FORESTRY  BUILDING   (open  8-10  Mon.-Fri.;  8-6  Sat.), 
directly  S.  of  Main  Hall,  was  erected  in  1921.  The  walls  of  tapestry  brick 
are  ornamented  with  pine  trees  and  other  figures  in  terra  cotta,  which 
form  a  decorative  band  encircling  the  building  between  the  second  and 
third  floors. 

The  school  has  its  own  nursery  and  its  own  2,ooo-acre  laboratory  for- 
est. Large  forests  and  lumbering  operations  within  a  few  miles  of  the 
campus  provide  opportunities  for  study  of  timber  stands  and  conditions 
prevalent  in  northwestern  forests.  Regional  headquarters  of  the  U.  S. 
Forest  Service  cooperates  with  the  school.  Practice  in  the  field  supplements 
instruction,  and  insures  a  working  grasp  of  forest  care  and  wild-life  man- 
agement. Enrollment  is  limited,  and  only  students  who  show  marked 
ability  are  permitted  to  take  the  full  course. 

9.  The  GYMNASIUM  (open  7:30-6  weekdays),  SE.  of  the  Forestry 
Bldg.,  S.  end  of  Dornblaser  Field,  is  a  spacious  building  designed  (1921) 
in  the  modern  style.  Its  facilities  include  a  swimming  pool  (open  to  men 
8-6  Mon.,  Wed.,  Fri.;  to  women  8-6  Tues.,  Thurs.)  and  an  indoor  run- 
ning track.  Over  the  entrance  is  a  copy  in  bronze  of  the  Discobolus  of 
Myron. 

10.  The  NATURAL  SCIENCE  BUILDING  (open  8-11  Mon.-Fri.; 
8-6  Sat.;  9-6  Sun.),  John  Ave.,  N.  of  Oval,  erected  in  1918,  is  of  func- 
tional design.  Edgar  S.  Paxson's  canvas,  .Custer's  Last  Stand,  measuring 
6  by  9  feet,  hangs  (R)  just  inside  the  entrance.  The  BIOLOGICAL  MUSEUM 
(open  whenever  a  staff  member  is  in  the  building,  usually  8-6),  on  the 
second  floor,  contains  an  extensive  collection  of  Montana  plants,  animals, 
and  insects. 

^  ii.  The  FORESTRY  SCHOOL  NURSERY,  entrance  at  John  Ave.  and 
S.  6th  St.  E.,  can  grow  as  many  as  1,000,000  trees  a  year.  At  its  south 
end  are  breeding  pens  for  pheasants. 


ISO  CITIES   AND   TOWNS 

OTHER  POINTS  OF  INTEREST 

12.  The  BONNER  HOUSE  (private),  910  Gerald  Ave.,  is  a  notable 
example  of  the  Victorian  gingerbread  style  of  architecture.  Well  pre- 
served and  set  in  spacious  grounds  shaded  by  tall  trees,  it  is  designed 
with  a  round  tower  at  one  corner,  and  elaborately  decorated  with  every 
style  of  ornament  known  to  the  builder  of  that  period. 

13.  The  SITE  OF  THE  FIRST  MILL  AND  FIRST  STORE,  below  N. 
end  of  Higgins  Ave.  bridge,  is  occupied  by  a  power  plant.  The  flour  mill 
was  a  two-story  frame  building  on  a  stone  foundation.  Power  was  sup- 
plied by  an  overshot  wheel  driven  by  water  brought  in  a  wooden  flume 
from  Rattlesnake  Creek. 

14.  The  ROMAN  CATHOLIC  GROUP,  on  both  sides  of  W.  Pine  St. 
between  Harris  and  McCormick  Sts.,  consists  of  a  half-dozen  institutions. 
St.  Francis  Xavier  Church  (1891)  is  designed  in  a  modified  Romanesque 
style,  with  elaborate  paintings  and  mural  decorations  by  Joseph  Carignano, 
S.  J.  The  Sacred  Heart  Academy  (1873),  Loyola  High  School  (1907), 
and  St.  Francis  Xavier  Parochial  School   (1927)   have  several  hundred 
students  enrolled.  The  latter  has  a  large  modern  gymnasium  and  audi- 
torium. St.  Patrick's  (1873),  western  Montana's  best  equipped  hospital, 
originally  shared  a  small  building  with  the  academy.  The  unused  St. 
Michael's  Mission  (1863)  was  originally  at  Hell  Gate  Ronde  as  the  first 
church  for  white  men  in  western  Montana ;  it  was  later  moved  to  its  pres- 
ent situation. 

15.  MISSOULA  COUNTY  COURTHOUSE   (1908),  W.  Broadway 
between  Woody  and  Stevens  Sts.,  and  extending  to  W.  Pine  St.,  is  a  three- 
story  structure  of  light  gray  terra  cotta  surmounted  by  a  clock  tower.  Eight 
murals  by  Paxson  hang  above  the  stairs  just  inside  the  Broadway  entrance. 
The  panels  depict  a  Montana  roundup,  an  Indian  buffalo  hunt,  early 
methods  of  transportation,  and  events  in  Montana  history. 

On  the  tree-shaded  grounds  are  a  concrete  bandstand  used  for  concerts 
by  the  municipal  band,  a  World  War  memorial  (1921)  in  bronze, 
depicting  a  doughboy,  and  the  gray  stone  county  jail  built  in  1886. 

1 6.  The  FEDERAL  BUILDING,  NE.  corner  of  Broadway  and  Pattee 
St.,  is  a  three-story  structure  of  classic  design.  The  east  wing  and  the 
spacious  addition  in  the  rear  are  occupied  by  the  U.  S.  Forest  Service. 

17.  The   PUBLIC   LIBRARY    (open    10-9    weekdays   during  school 
year;  9-6  July-Aug.),  SW.  corner  of  E.  Pine  and  Pattee  Sts.,  contains 
50,000  volumes.  The  Ryman  collection  of  more  than  300  volumes  em- 
phasizes Northwest  history  and  Montana  subjects.   There  is   a   special 
Montana  collection  of  300  volumes.  A  painting  of  Chief  Chariot  of  the 
Flathead  Indians,  by  Edgar  S.  Paxson,  hangs  in  the  reading  room  on  the 
second  floor.  In  the  basement  is  the  CHILDREN'S  DEPARTMENT  (open 
12-6  Mon.-Fri.;  10-6  Sat.). 

The  two-story  building  is  of  reddish  brown  brick  and  gray  stucco  with 
white-trimmed  windows.  Wide  concrete  steps  lead  up  to  the  entrance, 
between  brick  piers  and  concrete  columns  supporting  a  pediment. 

18.  The  RANKIN  HOUSE  (private),   134  Madison  St.,  the  former 


GREENOUGH  PARK 


home  of  Jeannette  Rankin,  first  woman  member  of  Congress,  is  one  of  the 
oddities  of  Missoula.  The  building  is  a  simple  two-story  boxlike  brick 
structure,  but  the  cupola  of  wood  and  glass  is  roofed  like  a  Burmese  tem- 
ple. It  was  built  in  the  i88o's. 

19.  WATERWORKS  HILL,  N.   of  Northern  Pacific  Ry.   tracks,   is 
reached  by  a  dirt  road  L.  from  oil  paved  Madison  St.  From  this  point 
there  is  an  excellent  view  of  the  city. 

20.  GREENOUGH  PARK,  entrance  at  Vine  and  Madison  Sts.,  ex- 
tends along  Rattlesnake  Creek  at  the  foot  of  Waterworks  Hill.  It  was 
given  to  the  city  by  Mrs.  Tennessee  L.  Greenough,  whose  gingerbread 
period  house,  with  its  spacious  grounds,  is  opposite  the  park  entrance. 
Most  of  the  ly-acre  park  is  heavily  wooded.  Tables  for  picnic  parties  are 
provided  in  cleared  spaces,  but  in  the  main  the  wild  natural  beauty  has 
not  been  disturbed.  A  one-way  road  circles  the  park  ravine,  and  there 
are  numerous  foot  trails  and  bridges. 

21.  The  SITE  OF  THE  CHINESE  CEMETERY,  SE.  end  of  Cherry  St. 
between  Harrison  and  Fillmore  Sts.,  has  known  few  Chinamen,  dead  or 
alive,  for  a  generation.  In  1865  many  Chinese  came  in  from  the  Cedar 
Creek  placer  diggings,  but  left  after  four  of  their  number  were  killed  by 
white  laborers  in   1892.  The  cemetery  was  used  only  temporarily,  the 
bones  of  the  dead  being  exhumed  after  12  years  and  shipped  to  China, 
in  accordance  with  custom.  A  newspaper  item  (1891)  tells  of  a  funeral 
in  which   500  Chinese  took  part  while  most  of  the  white  population 


182  CITIES   AND    TOWNS 

watched.  Mourners  were  so  adorned  with  festival  draperies  that  they 
frightened  horses;  band  music  mingled  with  the  beating  of  drums.  The 
dead  man's  personal  effects  were  burned,  to  prevent  wrangling  by  the 
heirs.  There  was  plenty  of  food  and  drink,  and  what  remained  after  the 
burial  was  devoured  by  hungry  Indians. 

In  October  1937  WPA  workmen  engaged  in  leveling  Cherry  Street 
found  a  silver-handled  casket  containing  a  silk  kimono,  trousers,  and  a 
pair  of  shoes.  A  burial  brick  inscribed  in  Chinese  explained  that  "Lee  Foo 
Lim  is  buried  here." 

POINTS  OF  INTEREST  IN  ENVIRONS 

22.  MOUNT  SENTINEL,  reached  by  trail  from  the  university  cam- 
pus, is  a  strenuous  but  short  climb,  and  the  view  from  the  top  embraces 
the  whole  sweep  of  the  mountain-rimmed  Missoula  Valley  and  extends 
far  down  the  Bitterroot.  On  the  north  is  a  steep  drop  into  Hell  Gate 
Canyon ;  on  the  east  are  gentle  forested  slopes. 

23.  MOUNT  JUMBO,  reached  from  Vine  St.  or  Cherry  St.,  is  some- 
what easier  to  climb  than  Sentinel.  The  view  is  excellent.  A  single  pine 
stands  guard  about  halfway  up  the  grassy  western  slope. 

24.  MONTANA  POWER  PARK,  3  miles  N.  on  the  Rattlesnake  Rd., 
a  continuation  of  Van  Buren  St.,  is  in  a  shady  grove,  with  piped  running 
water,  stoves  for  outdoor  cooking,  tables  and  benches,  volley  ball  courts, 
and  a  baseball  field. 

West  end  of  Hell  Gate  Canyon,  1  m.  Sugar  Refinery,  1.7  m.,  Hell  Gate  Store, 
4.4  m.,  Council  Grove,  9  m.,  Frenchtown,  16.3  m.  (see  Tour  1,  Sec.  d) ;  Fort  Mis- 
soula, 2J  m.,  Flathead  Indian  Reservation,  42  m.  Stevensville  29-5  m.  (see  Tour 
7);  Bonner  Sawmill,  7.8  m.  (see  Tour  8);  National  Bison  Range  Headquarters, 
47.3  m.  (see  Tour  12). 


PART    III 


Tour  i 


(Beach,  N.  D.) — Wibaux — Glendive — Miles  City — Billings — Bozeman — 
Three    Forks — Butte — Garrison — Missoula — Saltese — (Wallace,    Idaho)  ; 
US  10  and  US  10  S. 
North  Dakota  Line  to  Idaho  Line,  741.8  m. 

Intermountain  Transportation  Company  and  Northland  Greyhound  Bus  Lines  pro- 
vide transportation  throughout;  route  paralleled  by  Northern  Pacific  Ry.  between 
Glendive  and  Missoula ;  by  the  Chicago,  Milwaukee,  St.  Paul  &  Pacific  R.R.  between 
Three  Forks  and  the  Idaho  Line;  and  throughout  by  planes  of  Northwest  Airlines. 
Hotels  in  cities;  tourist  cabins  and  campgrounds  at  short  intervals. 
Roadbed  oil-surfaced  throughout.  In  the  mountains,  snow  and  ice  sometimes  create 
hazards  in  winter,  but  road  is  kept  open. 

Section  a.  NORTH  DAKOTA  LINE  to  BILLINGS,  271  m.,  US  10. 

This  section  of  US  10  traverses  the  "boots  and  saddle"  country  of  east- 
ern Montana,  once  a  limitless  sweep  of  grassland  and  sagebrush,  now 
largely  broken  up  into  fenced  rectangles  of  field  and  pasture.  The  Yellow- 
stone River,  paralleling  the  highway  and  providing  water  for  irrigation, 
has  determined  the  character  of  development  here:  a  large  part  of  the 
land  is  now  farmed  and  the  towns  along  the  main  highway  are  largely 
farmers'  trade  centers;  out  on  the  side  roads,  however,  are  communities 
rich  in  the  atmosphere  of  the  old  cattle  country.  Here  the  cowpuncher 
lingers;  the  man  who  cannot  travel  fifty  miles  in  the  saddle  without  dis- 
comfort is  felt  to  have  missed  the  most  important  part  of  a  citizen's 
education. 

The  landscape  varies  greatly.  For  long  distances  there  is  only  rolling 
plain — the  rugged  sort  of  country  that  passes  for  level  land  in  Montana. 
At  other  places  the  road  runs  for  miles  under  high  banks  that  shut  off 
the  view  to  one  side  or  the  other,  then  rapidly  rises  to  a  bench,  with 
buttes  and  eroded  cliffs  between  itself  and  the  river,  while  in  the  farthest 
distance  loom  hills  that  are  unmistakably  hills  even  by  western  standards. 
In  spring  most  of  the  hillsides  are  green ;  later  they  vary  from  sober  gray, 
through  yellows  and  browns,  to  deep  red.  Many  of  them  are  marked  with 
black  bands,  exposed  veins  of  lignite,  from  a  few  inches  to  many  feet 
in  thickness.  In  some  places,  the  roadbed  itself  is  partly  coal. 

The  first  known  white  party  to  travel  along  the  Yellowstone  was  that 
led  by  Lt.  William  Clark  in  1806  (see  HISTORY). 

US  10  crosses  the  North  Dakota  Line,  0  m.,  2  miles  west  of  Beach, 
N.  D. 

WIBAUX  (pronounced  Weebo),  11  m.  (2,634  alt-»  6l9  pop-)»  the 
seat  of  Wibaux  County,  is  in  a  deep  coulee  (valley)  on  the  banks  of 
Beaver  Creek.  This  otherwise  leisurely  stream  in  spring  becomes  a  flood. 

185 


186  TOURS 

Several  times  its  waters  have  partly  submerged  the  town.  The  atmosphere 
of  the  town  is  reminiscent  of  the  days  when  bawling  cattle  and  hard- 
riding  cowboys  raised  clouds  of  dust  in  its  narrow  streets. 

The  stories  of  "shooting-up-the-town"  that  persist  in  many  western 
places  have  real  foundation  here.  Cowhands  in  from  the  range  for  a  spree 
often  amused  themselves  and  disturbed  the  peace  of  less  high-spirited 
citizens  by  reckless  exhibitions  of  skill  with  firearms.  It  is  said  that  a 
Wibaux  storekeeper  once  built  an  excellent  sidewalk  in  front  of  his  store 
by  driving  into  the  ground  the  empty  cartridge-shells  he  picked  up  where 
the  boys  "broke  their  guns." 

Both  town  and  county  were  named  for  Pierre  Wibaux,  who  settled 
here  in  1883.  His  humor  and  sagacity  are  remembered  in  local  legend. 
According  to  one  tale,  a  Chicago  packing  plant  once  contracted  with  him 
for  a  fall  shipment  of  cattle  at  a  specified  price.  By  roundup  time  the 
price  had  dropped,  and  the  company  refused  to  live  up  to  its  agreement. 

Certain  that  the  contract  was  binding,  Wibaux  shipped  his  cattle  to 
Chicago,  sold  to  other  buyers  at  the  prevailing  market  price,  and  sent 
the  packer  a  bill  for  the  deficit.  Payment  was  refused.  Wibaux  brought 
suit,  and  took  a  coachload  of  cowboys  to  Chicago  to  appear  as  his  wit- 
nesses. "Have  a  good  time,  boys,"  he  said.  "Spend  as  much  as  you  like. 
That  company  will  pay  for  your  entertainment."  The  boys  needed  no 
urging.  They  painted  Chicago  a  rich  cattle  country  red.  Wibaux  won  the 
suit  and  the  packing  company  was  compelled  to  pay  a  large  bill  for 
"expense  of  plaintiff's  witnesses/* 

The  blizzards  of  1886-87  wiped  out  Pierre  Wibaux's  herds  but  he 
found  new  backing  in  France,  and  lived  to  see  the  day  when  he  owned 
75,000  head. 

Ranchers  far  distant  from  the  railroad  used  Wibaux  for  a  shipping 
point.  Theodore  Roosevelt  drove  his  stock  here  from  Medora,  N.  D.,  be- 
cause of  the  town's  large  loading  pens.  In  a  single  year,  1,500,000  head 
of  sheep  were  shipped  from  here. 

1.  Left  from  Wibaux  on  State  7  to  the  BRUGHARD  PLACE,  20  m.,  landscaped  in 
the  manner  of  an  English  country  estate.  Formerly  known  as  Edgehill  Ranch,  it  was 
the  show  place  of  the  region. 

2.  Right  from  Wibaux  on  Beaver  Creek  Road,  a  dirt  road,  to  the  old  PIERRE 
WIBAUX  RANCH,  13  m. 

3.  Left  from  Wibaux  on  a  saddle  trail  to  ANVIL  BUTTES,  11  m.,  in  badlands. 
The  coloring  of  the  buttes  is  most  unusual   at  dawn  and   in  the  early  evening. 
(Guides  and  horses  arranged  for  at  office  of  the  County  Superintendent  of  Schools.) 

GLENDIVE,  38.6  m.  (2,071  alt.,  4,629  pop.),  seat  of  Dawson  County, 
was  named  for  nearby  Glendive  Creek  (a  corruption  of  Glendale),  the 
name  given  it  by  Sir  St.  George  Gore  (see  HISTORY).  Formerly  the 
metropolis  of  a  cattle  empire,  Glendive  is  now  the  trading  and  shipping 
center  of  an  area  that  produces  sugar  beets,  grain,  and  forage  crops.  The 
shops  and  division  offices  of  the  Northern  Pacific  Ry.  provide  an  indus- 
trial pay  roll.  Lignite  coal  from  nearby  mines  and  natural  gas  piped  from 
wells  in  the  Cedar  Creek  anticline  (arch  of  stratified  rock)  20  miles 
south,  supply  the  town's  fuel. 


RETURNING  FROM  THE  FIELD 


There  is  a  free  municipal  swimming  pool  on  Prospect  Heights,  N. 
Meade  Ave. 

LARIMER'S  AGATE  SHOP  (open  weekdays  8-6),  225  N.  Merrill  Ave., 
contains  an  exhibit  of  moss  agates,  fossils,  and  Indian  artifacts.  THE 
DELL  LEWIS  COLLECTION  (open  weekdays  9-5),  308  River  Ave.,  dis- 
plays many  pieces  of  Indian  pottery,  utensils  of  unknown  age,  and  arrow- 
heads showing  skilled  craftsmanship. 

HUNGRY  JOE  (L),  a  massive  butte,  was  named  for  an  old  prospector 
who  once  lived  on  or  near  it.  Its  summit,  accessible  by  an  easy  hike  over 
an  old  road,  provides  a  view  across  the  weird  and  bright-colored  distor- 
tions of  the  badlands  to  the  south. 

US  10  turns  R.  on  Bell  St.  and  crosses  the  YELLOWSTONE  RIVER, 
38.8  m. 

At  39.5  m.  is  the  junction  with  State  14  (see  Tour  9). 

At  40.3  m.  is  the  junction  with  State  18  (see  Tour  9). 

Between  Glendive  and  Fallon,  US  10  runs  through  range  land  and 
wheat  country.  Here  in  the  early  i88o's  occurred  the  last  great  buffalo 
hunt.  Robe  hunters  brought  in  as  many  as  one  million  hides  in  a  season. 
The  slaughter  was  carried  on  in  winter  by  hunters,  who  spent  their  sum- 
mers cutting  wood  for  river  steamers. 

BADLANDS  BUTTE  (L)  rises  prominently  beyond  the  Yellowstone,  with 
the  white  sandstone  bulk  of  EAGLE  BUTTE  behind  it. 


188  TOURS 

FALLON,  69.7  m.  (2,251  alt.,  200  pop.),  was  named  for  Benjamin 
OTallon,  Indian  agent  and  army  officer,  nephew  of  William  Clark,  the 
explorer.  His  report  of  the  slaughter  of  29  members  of  the  Jones-Imenell 
party  of  the  Missouri  Fur  Company  by  400  Blackfeet,  in  May  1823,  pre- 
sents one  of  the  most  vivid  pictures  of  Indian  warfare  in  the  West. 

About  1900  grain  raising  became  important  in  this  area,  gradually  in- 
creasing until  the  late  1920*5,  when  mechanized  farming  was  at  its  peak. 
Some  farmers  planted  1,200  acres  of  wheat  yearly.  Diversified  farming  re- 
placed specialized  grain  production  in  the  early  i93o's. 

Buffalo  grass,  which  once  nourished  millions  of  bison,  is  the  natural 
vegetation  of  the  region.  Its  destruction  began  when  cattle  and  sheep 
replaced  the  buffalo,  and  was  completed  when  the  rich  topsoil,  no  longer 
held  by  fibrous,  slow-spreading  roots,  blew  away  during  the  drought  years. 

TERRY,  79.5  m,  (2,250  alt.,  779  pop.),  seat  of  Prairie  County,  was 
named  for  Gen.  Alfred  H.  Terry,  who  commanded  an  expedition  against 
the  Sioux  and  Cheyenne  in  the  campaign  of  1876. 

Terry  is  the  home  of  Berny  Kempton,  a  former  bronco  buster  and 
rodeo  champion,  who  entertained  Europeans  with  his  roughriding,  and 
astonished  Australians  by  lassoing  kangaroos.  The  rowdy  vigor  of  the 
West  is  manifest  here  in  the  banter  of  cowpuncher,  townsman,  and  farm- 
hand, as  they  meet  on  the  streets  or  congregate  in  the  poolrooms  and 
drinking  places. 

For  a  dozen  miles  the  highway  crosses  a  dry  upland,  parched  by  re- 
peated years  of  drought.  Only  the  scavenger  magpie  is  at  home  in  this 
waste. 

POWDER  RIVER,  86.6  m.,  a  tributary  of  the  Yellowstone,  named  the 
Redstone  by  Clark  in  1805,  acquired  its  present  name  because  the  fine 
black  sand  along  its  banks  resembles  gunpowder.  Generals  Terry  and  Cus- 
ter  camped  at  this  crossing  June  10,  1876,  during  their  ill-fated  campaign 
against  the  Sioux  and  Cheyenne.  Powder  River  is  well  known  in  cattle 
country  fiction,  and  during  the  World  War  was  the  battle  cry  of  the 
Ninety-first  Division. 

At  92.3  m.  the  road  leaves  the  upland,  and  winds  through  the  breaks 
of  the  Yellowstone  Valley.  Many  of  the  trees  along  the  coulee  bottoms  are 
twined  about  with  a  luxuriant  growth  of  clematis,  which,  when  in  seed, 
gives  a  sheen  resembling  hoarfrost  to  the  thick-set  boughs.  Sage  hens, 
Chinese  pheasants,  and  other  game  birds  nest  along  the  grassy  banks  of 
the  river. 

LEON  PARK,  116.8  m.  (R),  has  a  free  campground  and  swimming 
pool,  a  nine-hole  golf  course  (fee  350),  and  a  boat  course  (boats  25$  an 
hr.). 

At  117.3  m.  is  the  junction  with  US  12  (see  Tour  17). 

The  HORSE  ABATTOIR,  117.8  m.  (R),  was  established  to  make  profit- 
able use  of  the  thousands  of  horses  that  cluttered  the  range  after  farm 
mechanization  and  other  causes  had  reduced  the  market  for  horses.  It 
was  fully  equipped  with  modern  slaughterhouse  machinery.  Horses  were 
driven  in  from  large  corrals,  shot,  skinned,  boned,  and  converted  into 
a  kind  of  inspired  corned  beef,  much  of  which  was  shipped  to  Belgium. 


ran 


MARKET  DAY 


When,  thanks  to  this  demand,  the  local  price  of  horses  soared,  the  plant 
was  closed.  The  FERA  established  a  tannery  here.  Hides  and  pelts 
tanned  here  were  displayed  by  the  Department  of  Agriculture  as  examples 
of  fine  work.  When  a  cry  went  up  against  Government  competition  with 
private  industry,  tanning  was  abandoned  and  the  plant  became  a  repair 
shop,  despite  an  offer  from  the  tannery  workers,  backed  by  the  Farmers' 
Union,  to  run  it  as  a  cooperative  enterprise. 

MILES  CITY,  118.8  m.  (2,364  alt.,  7,175  pop.),  named  in  honor  of 
Gen.  Nelson  A.  Miles,  commander  of  the  Fifth  U.  S.  Infantry  at  Fort 
Keogh  for  several  eventful  years,  is  the  seat  of  Custer  County. 

Much  of  Custer  County  is  still  devoted  to  grazing.  Although  fences 
have  reduced  the  range  and  brought  changes  in  the  operation  of  large 
cow  outfits,  the  ten-gallon  hats  and  high-heeled  boots  of  puncher  tradi- 
tion are  often  seen  on  Miles  City  streets.  The  town,  whose  name  was  once 
synonymous  with  the  "wild  and  woolly,"  has  lost  much  of  its  old  "tough- 
ness." Many  of  the  riders  and  wearers  of  spurs  are  mounted  farmhands 
who  hope  to  be  mistaken  for  the  punchers  they  admire.  But  the  town 
nevertheless  retains  something  of  the  color  of  the  days  when  a  long 
Texas  cattle  trail  ended  here.  A  rodeo  is  held  every  year,  usually  on  or 
near  July  4th.  A  cow-country  flavor  is  noticeable  also  in  the  Eastern  Mon- 
tana Fair,  held  in  September. 


190  TOURS 

In  the  old  rough  days,  the  south  side  of  Main  St.  was  a  solid  block 
of  saloons,  gambling  dens,  and  brothels,  while  the  "decent"  element 
(composed  of  buffalo  buyers,  bankers,  and  pawnshop  keepers)  lived  on 
the  north  side.  On  one  occasion,  it  is  said,  a  member  of  the  respectable 
group  hit  a  gambler  on  the  head  with  a  singletree,  and  killed  him.  To 
save  the  good  man  embarrassment,  his  friends  hastily  hanged  the  dead 
man  as  a  dangerous  character. 

The  town,  once  part  of  the  hunting  and  camping  grounds  of  the  Crow, 
is  visited  occasionally  by  Cheyenne  from  the  Tongue  River  Reservation. 

The  city  is  a  livestock  market,  and  has  a  packing  plant,  as  well  as  one 
distinctive  cow-country  business — the  manufacture  of  saddles. 

The  first  settlement,  Milestown,  sprang  up  on  the  eastern  boundary  of 
Fort  Keogh  Military  Reservation  (see  HISTORY),  south  of  the  Yellow- 
stone, but  was  abandoned  when  the  Government  gave  up  that  part  of  the 
reservation  east  of  Tongue  River.  The  present  community  is  on  the  level 
bottom  land  at  the  confluence  of  the  Tongue  and  Yellowstone  Rivers. 

General  Miles  arrived  at  the  mouth  of  Tongue  River  in  August  1876, 
with  instructions  to  reduce  the  possibility  of  war  by  compelling  the  Sioux 
and  Cheyenne  to  return  to  their  reservations.  He  established  a  canton- 
ment, which  the  troops  occupied  during  the  winter,  and  arranged  for  the 
building  of  Fort  Keogh  at  the  mouth  of  Tongue  River  in  the  spring. 
Miles  encountered  Sitting  Bull  north  of  Terry  in  October  1876,  and  de- 
feated him  in  a  running  battle  at  Cedar  Creek.  Early  in  January  he  de- 
feated Crazy  Horse  near  the  present  site  of  Birney.  In  May  he  defeated 
Lame  Deer,  and  in  the  fall  of  1877  he  caught  Chief  Joseph  near  Chinook 
(see  Tour  2,  Sec.  a). 

In  the  days  of  steam  boating  on  the  Missouri,  this  town  was  a  river 
port  that  received  much  freight,  chiefly  during  the  June  rise  of  the  Yel- 
lowstone. 

SADDLERIES  (open  to  public),  423  Main  St.  and  506-508  Main  St.,  sell 
their  wares  throughout  the  world.  Together  they  employ  from  12  to  18 
expert  craftsmen,  who  make  everything  from  the  ordinary  saddle  sold  by 
catalog  advertising  up  to  the  $5,000  silver-  and  gold-mounted  "work  of 
art"  ordered  by  some  cinema  cowboy.  They  also  make  bags,  pocketbooks, 
and  other  leather  articles. 

PHOTOGRAPHS  BY  L.  A.  HUFFMAN,  who  came  to  Fort  Keogh  in  1877, 
are  displayed  in  the  lobby  of  the  Olive  Hotel,  in  the  Miles  City  Club  and 
other  public  places.  The  pictures  show  Indian  friends  of  the  photographer, 
roundup  and  frontier  dance-hall  scenes,  and  wild  and  domestic  animals. 
Huffman  made  his  first  pictures  with  a  home-made  camera  and  developed 
them  by  a  process  of  his  own. 

The  D.  F.  BARRY  COLLECTION  OF  PHOTOGRAPHS,  also  of  interest,  is 
on  view  in  a  room  at  the  plant  of  the  Miles  City  Star.  Hailed  by  Charles 
M.  Russell  as  a  master  photographer,  Barry  posed  few  of  his  subjects,  who 
were  ordinary  people  doing  everyday  things.  The  Star  plant  also  has  The 
First  Newspaper,  a  painting  by  Russell  depicting  an  Indian  reading 
hieroglyphics  that  another  is  weaving  into  a  blanket. 


TOUR    I  191 

RIVERSIDE  PARK,  at  the  western  city  limits  (R),  has  a  swimming  pool 
(free  for  those  who  bring  their  own  suits). 

Miles  City  is  at  the  junction  with  State  22  (see  Tour  10). 

FORT  KEOGH,  120.8  m.  (R),  was  built  in  1877  as  a  base  for  troops 
engaged  in  subjugating  Indians  who  rebelled  against  the  white  marrs 
wanton  destruction  of  their  food  supply.  Gen.  Nelson  A.  Miles  com- 
manded it  up  to  1880,  when  all  the  buffalo  and  a  great  many  of  the  In- 
dians had  died.  But  it  remained  an  army  post  until  1900,  and  then  became 
a  remount  station  where  horses  were  trained  for  the  U.  S.  Army.  Later 
the  fort  and  military  reservation  was  converted  into  a  livestock  experi- 
ment station.  Here  studies  are  being  made  of  range  conditions  in  an  effort 
to  make  grass  grow  as  it  did  in  the  days  of  the  bison. 

Seven  of  the  log  buildings  of  the  original  fort  stand  but  they  have 
been  rebuilt,  and  siding  has  been  nailed  over  the  logs.  The  old  parade 
ground  is  covered  with  weeds. 

SIGNAL  BUTTE  (L)  was  used  by  officers  at  Fort  Keogh  for  relaying 
messages  by  heliograph  to  the  Black  Hills,  175  miles  southeast. 

HATHAWAY,  140  m.  (2,451  alt.,  50  pop.),  has  a  post  office  and 
gasoline  station. 

ROSEBUD,  152.5  m.  (2,501  alt,  250  pop.),  was  named  for  the  wild 
roses  that  blossom  profusely  in  the  meadows  around  it. 

At  157.9  m.  is  the  junction  with  State  45. 

Left  on  this  graveled  road  along  Rosebud  Creek  to  a  junction  with  State  8,  53  m.; 
L.  on  State  8,  4  m.  to  LAME  DEER  (3,700  alt.,  69  pop.),  the  agency  of  the  Tongue 
River  Indian  Reservation  (442,840  acres;  established  1884),  the  home  of  1,561 
Northern  Cheyenne.  A  few  of  the  old  braves  who  fought  in  the  Indian  wars  of  the 
1870*5  remain. 

The  reservation  lies  between  the  Crow  reservation  and  Tongue  River.  Most  of  it 
is  rolling  grassland,  but  there  are  some  forests.  Tribal  lands  total  209,720  acres. 
Some  property,  individually  owned,  is  leased  to  white  farmers.  Agricultural  advisers 
and  a  livestock  association  help  the  Cheyenne  to  obtain  a  fair  income  from  their 
land  and  stock.  Part  of  the  land  is  irrigated. 

The  Cheyenne  still  use  tepees  occasionally  in  summer,  but  have  adopted  the  easily 
prepared  canned  food  of  the  white  man.  A  school  at  Busby  not  only  gives  courses 
in  modern  cooking,  but  also  produces  beef,  vegetables,  and  milk  to  feed  its  pupils. 
There  are  Roman  Catholic  and  Mennonite  congregations  among  the  Indians,  and  a 
"peyote"  cult  of  unknown  strength  (see  Tour  3,  sec.  b). 

The  Cheyenne  were  in  general  too  nomadic  to  do  much  craftwork,  but  their  bead- 
work  is  excellent.  In  the  office  of  the  county  superintendent  of  schools  at  Forsyth 
are  some  fine  examples  of  this  work,  with  the  beads  strung  on  finely  drawn  sinews 
through  punched  holes. 

The  Cheyenne  call  themselves  Tsis-tsis-tas  (similarly  bred).  "Cheyenne"  is  from 
the  Sioux  Shahiela  or  Shahiena,  though  sometimes  said  to  be  derived  from  the 
French  chien  (dog).  The  Dog  Soldiers  are  a  Cheyenne  society. 

White  men  first  met  the  tribe  in  the  Dakotas,  but  had  no  trouble  with  them  until 
the  northern  (Montana)  group  split  off.  The  first  fight  (1857)  grew  out  of  an 
argument  over  horses.  A  series  of  clashes  followed;  the  Indians  steadfastly  refused 
to  go  on  a  reservation. 

On  March  17,  1876,  Colonel  Reynolds  with  about  500  men  routed  them  on 
Powder  River.  On  June  17  Sioux  and  Cheyenne  forces  held  back  General  Crook 
on  the  Rosebud,  near  the  present  reservation,  and  eight  days  later  they  wiped  out 
Custer.  But  the  power  of  the  whites  was  too  great  for  them.  By  the  end  of  October 
3,000  Indians  were  taken;  many  others  fled  to  Canada.  After  one  more  fight  the 
Cheyenne  surrendered.  One  thousand  were  taken  (1877)  *°  a  reservation  in  Indian 


192  TOURS 

Territory.  A  year  of  malaria  and  ill-treatment  sent  some  back  toward  Montana,  burn- 
ing, killing,  and  stealing.  They  fought  three  battles  against  heavy  odds,  with  a  loss 
of  but  15.  Captured  in  October  1878,  they  were  taken  to  Fort  Robinson,  Neb.,  only 
to  make  an  attempt  at  escape  in  which  many  were  killed.  In  the  end  they  won  their 
right  to  live  in  Montana.  As  it  was  evident  they  preferred  death  to  returning  south, 
they  were  given  this  reservation  in  1884. 

Before  it  split,  the  tribe  was  governed  by  a  council  of  44  chiefs.  The  four  oldest 
members  among  them  could  delegate  authority  to  a  single  chief.  At  present  the 
council  deals  only  with  intra-tribal  affairs;  a  superintendent  enforces  Federal  rules. 
The  O-mis-sis,  largest  and  most  important  of  the  tribe's  ten  divisions,  includes  most 
of  the  Northern  Cheyenne. 

"Medicine"  is  at  once  a  symbol  and  an  invocation  of  what  white  men  call  luck. 
Places,  things,  or  actions  that  have  brought  misfortune  are  "bad  medicine."  Tribes 
have  a  big  medicine,  families  and  individuals  lesser  ones. 

The  sacred  cap  is  big  medicine  that  honors  the  buffalo,  once  the  chief  source  of 
food.  The  cap  is  made  of  the  skin  of  a  buffalo  cow.  Attached  to  it  are  two  carved 
and  painted  horns.  The  keeper  of  the  cap,  like  the  medicine  arrow  keeper,  is  one 
of  the  most  important  men  in  the  tribe. 

A  Cheyenne  myth  says  that  the  Great  Medicine  (Creator)  made  three  kinds  of 
people:  men  covered  with  hair;  white  men  with  hair  on  their  heads,  faces,  and  legs; 
red  men  with  long  hair  on  their  heads  only.  The  hairy  men  were  strong,  the  white 
men  cunning,  the  red  men  swift.  Long  ago  the  hairy  men  left  their  home  in  the 
north,  and  the  red  men  followed.  The  hairy  ones  disappeared,  and  when  the  red 
men  returned  the  white  men  were  gone.  Included  in  the  story  are  descriptions  of 
great  floods,  earthquakes,  volcanic  eruptions,  and  climatic  changes — in  effect  a  his- 
tory of  North  American  geology  in  legendary  form. 

FORSYTH,  164  m.  (2,515  alt.,  1,591  pop.),  the  seat  of  Rosebud 
County,  was  named  for  Gen.  James  W.  Forsyth,  who  landed  here  from  a 
river  steamer  before  there  was  a  town  and  later  wrote  A  Report  of  an 
Expedition  up  the  Yellowstone  River  in  1875.  Indians  from  the  Tongue 
River  reservation  come  here  to  trade  and  visit. 

At  170.5  m.  is  the  junction  with  an  improved  road. 

Left  on  this  road  is  COLSTRIP,  36  m.  (2,540  alt.,  160  pop.).  The  coal-mining 
operations  here  are  very  impressive.  A  3o-foot  vein  of  lignite  lies  only  a  few  feet 
underground.  A  gigantic  dragline  scrapes  the  overburden,  then  a  steam  shovel  takes 
up  the  coal  at  the  rate  of  five  to  seven  tons  at  each  "bite."  The  machinery  is  elec- 
trically operated,  and  all  the  coal  is  dumped  directly  into  railroad  cars  as  it  comes 
from  the  vein.  If  this  work  were  done  by  ordinary  coal-mining  methods,  an  army  of 
men  would  be  employed.  Colstrip  supplies  much  of  the  coal  used  for  operation  of 
Northern  Pacific  locomotives. 

SANDERS,  185.1  m.  (2,678  alt.,  50  pop.),  consists  chiefly  of  stock- 
loading  pens  on  the  wicTe  flat  along  the  Yellowstone. 

HYSHAM,  191.5  m.  (2,667  alt->  258  P°P-)>  seat  of  Treasure  County, 
was  named  for  Charles  Hysham,  owner  of  the  Flying  E  brand,  whose 
cattle  range  extended  more  than  70  miles  across  the  county. 

Large  fossil  beds  lie  on  both  sides  of  the  river  here.  Moss  agates  found 
in  the  vicinity  are  for  sale  in  the  town. 

US  10  now  winds  through  lonely  badlands.  Under  an  uncompromising 
sun  the  sides  of  the  buttes  are  mottled  with  brown,  buff,  and  gray.  After 
sundown,  as  twilight  shades  into  dusk,  the  masses  of  guttered  rock  take 
on  eerie  tones  of  purple  and  black.  Only  the  bark  and  scurry  of  prairie 
dogs  by  day,  and  the  dismal  howl  of  coyotes  by  night,  indicate  the  pres- 
ence of  living  things. 

BIG  HORN,  208.1  m.  (2,712  alt.,  50  pop.),  is  on  ground  occupied 


TOUR    I  193 

almost  continuously  by  white  men  since  Lt.  William  Clark  camped  here 
on  July  26,  1806.  Manuel  Lisa  built  a  trading  post  here  in  1807.  In  1822 
Col.  W.  H.  Ashley  built  another  post,  Fort  Van  Buren,  two  miles  below 
the  mouth  of  the  Big  Horn  River  (see  HISTORY).  Many  who  followed 
the  old  trails  or  wore  new  ones  to  the  "Shining  Mountains,"  stopped  to 
rest  at  this  settlement,  which  remained  small  but  contributed  much  to  the 
comfort  of  travelers  and  adventurers  who  came  by  waterway  and  trail. 

General  Gibbon  with  450  men  crossed  the  Yellowstone  at  this  point  in 
June  1876,  as  he  hurried  south  to  aid  General  Custer  in  a  battle  that  had 
already  been  lost. 

The  BIG  HORN  RIVER,  209.5  m.,  a  tributary  of  the  Yellowstone, 
rises  in  the  Big  Horn  Mountains  of  Wyoming.  Both  the  river  and  the 
mountains  were  named  for  the  bighorn  or  Rocky  Mountain  sheep. 

CUSTER,  214.4  m.  (2,749  alt.,  150  pop.),  was  named  for  Gen.  George 
A.  Custer,  killed  in  the  Battle  of  the  Little  Big  Horn  (see  Tour  3). 

Junction,  a  former  village  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Yellowstone,  was 
washed  away  by  the  river.  It  was  a  freighting  station  for  the  Crow  Indian 
Reservation.  Earlier,  it  had  been  a  campground  for  those  traveling  to  and 
from  Fort  Custer  at  the  mouth  of  the  Little  Horn. 

Several  years  ago  the  skeleton  of  a  Triceratops,  a  giant  dinosaur,  was 
found  in  the  Lance  formation  that  forms  the  bluff  on  the  left  riverbank. 

The  D  R  RANCH,  226.2  m.  (R),  is  a  typical  modern  "spread"  (cattle 
ranch). 

POMPEY'S  PILLAR,  238.7  m.  (2,849  alt->  I3°  P°P-)>  a  Valle7  vil' 
lage,  was  named  for  the  nearby  natural  monument. 

POMPEY'S  PILLAR,  241.2  m.  (R),  is  an  isolated  rock  200  feet  high  on 
the  south  bank  of  the  Yellowstone  River.  Clark  climbed  it,  July  25,  1806, 
and  carved  his  name  on  it.  He  named  the  rock  in  honor  of  little  Pomp, 
son  of  Charbonneau  and  Sacajawea,  chief  guides  and  interpreters  of  the 
Lewis  and  Clark  expedition.  It  had  long  been  used  by  the  Indians  as  a 
lookout  and  as  a  point  from  which  to  send  up  smoke  signals. 

WORDEN,  247  m.  (2,971  alt.,  250  pop.),  is  a  shipping  point  for 
sugar  beets,  Great  Northern  beans,  seed  peas,  and  vegetables. 

Between  Worden  and  Huntley  on  both  sides  of  the  highway  are  pro- 
ductive farms  watered  by  the  HUNTLEY  IRRIGATION  PROJECT  (see  AGRI- 
CULTURE). Crops  yielding  more  than  $100  net  profit  an  acre  have  been 
harvested  year  after  year.  The  project  has  been  a  material  factor  in  the 
expansion  of  the  sugar-beet  industry. 

HUNTLEY,  255.6  m.  (3,038  alt.,  150  pop.),  is  the  administrative 
center  for  the  Huntley  Irrigation  Project. 

US  10  crosses  the  Yellowstone;  the  BIG  HORN  MOUNTAINS  are 
visible  (L)  ;  southwest  are  the  BEARTOOTHS. 

At  266.1  m.  is  the  junction  (R)  with  US  87  (see  Tour  3).  Between 
this  point  and  270.5  m.  US  10  and  US  87  are  one  route. 

Vertical  SACRIFICE  CLIFF  (see  BILLINGS),  269.3  m.  (L),  rises  200 
feet  above  the  river.  Back  of  Sacrifice  Cliff  is  SIGNAL  POINT,  where  In- 
dians built  their  signal  fires. 

At  270.5  m.  is  the  junction  (L)  with  US  87  (see  Tour  3). 


194  TOURS 

BILLINGS,  271  m.  (3,117  alt,  16,380  pop.)  (see  BILLINGS). 

Points  of  Interest:  Normal  School,  Polytechnic  Institute,  Orthopedic  Hospital- 
School,  Parmly  Billings  Memorial  Library,  Sugar  Refinery,  and  others. 

Billings  is  at  the  junction  (L)  with  US  87  (see  Tour  3). 

Section  b.  BILLINGS  to  junction  with  US  10  N  and  US  10  S, 
178  m.,  US  10. 

Between  Billings  and  Livingston  US  10  follows  the  tortuous  course  of 
Yellowstone  River  between  mountain  ranges.  A  large  part  of  the  valley 
is  irrigated.  The  road  swings  northwest  through  some  of  the  highest  and 
most  rugged  of  the  northern  Rockies. 

West  of  BILLINGS,  0  m.,  at  10  m.  is  the  junction  with  an  unimproved 
road. 

Right  on  this  road  to  BASELINE  SCHOOL,  5  m.;  L.  over  a  very  narrow  dirt  road 
that  rises  sharply  (dangerous  R.R.  crossing  at  7  m.)  to  an  abandoned  schoolhouse, 
11  m.,  at  the  base  of  an  unnamed  timbered  butte;  L.  across  Canyon  Creek  on  a  nar- 
row bridge,  11.5  m.;  R.  at  12  m.  to  a  bend  in  the  road  where  stands  (L)  a  vacant 
house  with  pointed  roof,  14  m.  Back  of  this  building  is  the  SITE  OF  THE  "HOLING- 
UP"  SHANTY  of  Calamity  Jane — Martha  Canary. 

Born  in  Princeton,  Mo.,  May  i,  1852,  she  came  with  her  parents  to  Virginia  City 
in  1865  at  the  height  of  the  Alder  Gulch  stampede.  Few  women  took  any  part  in 
the  roaring,  dangerous  life  of  these  camps.  The  woman  who  could  engage  in  it 
actively,  and  not  only  compete  with  men  in  their  own  field  but  actually  surpass 
many  of  them,  gained  their  unstinted  admiration.  Calamity  Jane  became  a  scout 
for  the  U.  S.  Army  in  Indian  campaigns,  a  prospector,  a  crack  shot,  and  an  expert 
horsewoman.  No  chronicler  has  drawn  Calamity  as  a  great  lover,  though  sentimental 
journalists  have  tried  to  make  something  of  her  friendship  with  Wild  Bill  Hickok. 
Certainly  she  was  not  the  "calico  cat"  type  of  female  camp  follower.  She  was  given 
to  shooting  up  saloons,  and  to  raising  hell  with  tongue  and  quirt.  Old-timers  in 
Castle,  where  she  kept  a  restaurant  in  her  later  years,  and  in  Harlowton,  Big  Tim- 
ber, and  other  towns,  remember  little  good  of  her.  But  in  fiction  she  lives  on  as  the 
keen-eyed,  courageous,  riproaring  daughter  of  the  old  West. 

HORSETHIEF  CACHE,  a  high  tableland  surrounded  by  steep  bluffs,  is  on  the  south 
side  of  the  canyon,  across  from  the  site  of  Calamity  Jane's  house.  It  has  but  one 
approach,  and  that  is  well  concealed. 

In  this  hide-out  cattle  rustlers  of  the  i88o's  corral ed  stolen  stock  while  waiting 
for  a  market.  The  lusty  outlaws  Charles  (Rattlesnake  Jake)  Fallon  and  Edward 
(Longhair)  Owen  used  it  for  a  long  period.  Both  were  killed  in  a  Lewistown  gun 
battle  in  1884  (see  Tour  3). 

LAUREL,  15.1  m.  (3,311  alt.,  2,558  pop.),  straggles  on  both  sides  of 
an  intricate  pattern  of  railroad  tracks.  Products  from  many  parts  of  the 
world  pass  over  the  joint  trackage  here  of  the  Northern  Pacific,  the  Great 
Northern,  and  the  Chicago,  Burlington  &  Quincy.  From  here  much  of 
Montana's  wheat,  hay,  copper,  zinc,  livestock,  wool,  lumber,  poles,  and 
other  products  are  routed  directly  east  to  midwestern  towns;  southeast  to 
St.  Louis,  Kansas  City,  and  Gulf  points;  and  west  for  ocean  shipment. 
Long  drags  (ordinary  trains,  or  strings  of  empty  cars),  redballs  (special 
merchandise  trains,  with  sealed  cars),  and  hotshots  (trains  that  travel  at 
excess  speed  from  terminal  to  terminal)  arrive  here,  are  "broke  up"  and 
"made  up,"  and  depart  at  all  hours  of  the  day  and  night. 

The  large  ASSEMBLY  YARDS  and  CAR  REPAIR  SHOPS  of  the  Northern 


CALAMITY  JANE 


196  TOURS 

Pacific  Ry.  are  L.  The  Beartooth  Range  and  the  Pryor  Mountains  are 
visible  beyond  them. 

At  Laurel  is  the  junction  with  US  310  (see  Tour  13). 

KLAN  BUTTE,  21.1  m.  (R),  is  200  yards  from  the  road,  its  top  ac- 
cessible by  two  narrow  trails.  Some  years  ago  members  of  the  Ku  Klux 
Klan  used  it  as  a  meeting  place.  Rumor  has  it  that  Klan  ceremonials  on 
the  high  rock  came  to  a  sudden  end  when,  in  the  course  of  an  evening's 
ritual  beneath  a  fiery  cross,  a  rattlesnake  bit  the  Grand  Kleagle. 

A  CLARK  CAMP  SITE  is  at  22.1  m.  (L).  Here  on  the  riverbank  the  ex- 
plorer and  his  followers  camped  from  July  19  to  July  24,  1806. 

PARK  CITY,  23.9  m.  (3,410  alt,  350  pop.),  was  first  called  Rim 
Rock.  Settlers  planted  elm,  maple,  and  evergreens  on  the  prairie,  to  the 
north  of  the  town ;  the  grove  is  used  as  a  tourist  camp.  Farmers  from  sur- 
rounding ranches  sell  fruits  and  vegetables  at  roadside  stands  near  the 
village  throughout  the  summer. 

COLUMBUS,  41.9  m.  (3,624  alt,  835  pop.),  seat  of  Stillwater  County, 
began  as  a  stage  station  on  the  Yellowstone  Trail.  Lying  between  the 
large  sheep  and  cattle  ranches  to  the  south,  and  the  wheat  farms  to  the 
north,  it  developed  as  a  trade  center  and  shipping  point. 

This  is  the  railroad  station  nearest  to  a  comparatively  uncommercialized 
mountain  recreational  region  on  the  headwaters  of  the  Stillwater  River. 

Left  from  Columbus  on  an  improved  road  is  ABSAROKEE,  14  m.  (4,000  alt., 
353  P0P-),  in  a  dude  ranch  area.  There  is  fine  trout  fishing  in  Stillwater  River  and 
in  mountain  streams  nearby.  Country  dances  are  held  every  Saturday  night  in  sum- 
mer. The  town  and  the  Absaroka  Range  bear  the  Crow's  own  name  for  themselves, 
the  exact  meaning  of  which  is  not  known.  According  to  some  interpretations,  early 
French  traders  erred  in  translating  the  Crow  word  "Apsaruke"  as  gens  de  cor  beaux 
(the  raven  people).  The  older  Crow  declare  it  was  their  enemy,  the  Sioux,  who  per- 
petuated this  error  and  fastened  the  name  "Crow"  on  them. 

REEDPOINT,  58.8  m.  (3,767  alt.,  158  pop.),  lies  below  the  point  of 
a  ridge  named  for  a  family  that  homesteaded  here.  The  Absaroka  Range 
is  visible  (L),  tinted  at  sunset  with  rose  and  gold,  its  foothills  touched 
with  purple  shadows  cast  by  the  CRAZY  MOUNTAINS  (R). 

GREYCLIFF,  72  m.  (3,980  alt.,  85  pop.),  is  named  for  a  gray-tinted 
cliff  3  miles  east. 

BIG  TIMBER,  82.3  m.  (4,072  alt.,  1,224  pop.),  seat  of  Sweet  Grass 
County,  was  named  for  the  creek  that  rises  in  the  Crazy  Mountains  and 
flows  into  the  Yellowstone  opposite  the  town.  Little  remains  of  the  tim- 
ber, chiefly  large  cottonwoods,  that  at  the  time  of  settlement  grew  in  the 
Yellowstone  Valley  near  the  old  stage  station  at  the  mouth  of  Big  Timber 
Creek.  The  point  was  called  Rivers  Across  by  Lieutenant  Clark,  because 
not  only  Big  Timber  Creek  but  Boulder  River  flow  into  the  Yellowstone 
here. 

Almost  dormant  in  winter,  Big  Timber  bustles  in  summer,  its  wide 
streets  thronged  with  tourist  cars,  for  it  is  the  center  of  one  of  the  prin- 
cipal recreational  regions  in  the  State.  Montana's  first  dude  ranch  was 
started  at  the  base  of  the  Crazy  Mountains  about  1911. 

The  abundance  of  sweet-scented  grasses  and  flowering  plants  in  the 
valley  spurred  the  development  of  livestock  ranches  and  made  honey  pro- 


TOUR    I  197 

duction  profitable.  In  the  1890'$  Big  Timber  was  one  of  the  largest 
wool-shipping  centers  in  the  United  States.  From  the  vast  ranges  that 
extend  northward,  ox  teams  brought  load  after  huge  load  to  town.  In 
1901,  Montana's  first  woolen  mill  was  established  here  in  a  stone  build- 
ing that  stands  on  McLeod  St. 

In  early  Big  Timber,  as  in  other  frontier  towns,  justice  was  informal 
but  effective.  A  character  remembered  only  as  the  Bad  Swede,  a  chronic 
disturber  of  the  peace,  was  once  sentenced  to  spend  three  days  in  jail.  The 
nearest  jail  was  at  Bozeman.  As  the  sheriff  had  no  desire  to  ride  60  miles1, 
with  his  cantankerous  prisoner,  he  lowered  him  into  a  3o-foot  prospect 
hole.  Bad  Swede,  it  is  said,  emerged  from  this  form  of  "solitary"  a 
changed  man. 

The  FISH  HATCHERY  (open)  produces  annually  more  than  3,500,000 
finger  lings — native,  rainbow,  and  Loch  Leven  trout,  and  silver  salmon. 

Left  from  Big  Timber  on  McLeod  St.,  which  becomes  a  dirt  road,  to  McLEOD 
HOT  SPRINGS  (recreation  ball  and  warm-water  plunge,  open  May  15— Sept.  15), 
17  m. 

At  20  m.  is  a  junction  with  a  dirt  road;  R.  15  m.  on  this  road  to  ANDERSON  HOT 
SPRINGS,  where  is  a  warm  lithia-water  plunge. 

CONTACT,  27  m.  (5,400  alt.),  on  the  main  dirt  road,  was  once  a  stage  station 
notorious  in  its  day  for  the  gambling  that  went  on  there.  It  was  named  for  its  posi- 
tion at  the  point  of  contact  between  a  limestone  formation  and  quartz  lodes. 

INDEPENDENCE,  40  m.  (8,800  alt.),  was  a  booming  camp  in  the  last  years  of 
the  nineteenth  century.  Its  boom  is  said  to  have  been  based  largely  on  a  stock- 
promotion  scheme.  It  had  500  inhabitants  when  the  crash  came  in  1893.  Nothing 
remains  but  a  few  wrecked  buildings  and  pieces  of  rusted  machinery.  In  winter 
trappers  live  in  the  deserted  buildings,  and  run  their  lines  into  the  nearby  hills. 

West  of  Big  Timber  the  highway  is  hemmed  in  by  mountains — the 
Absarokas  (L),  the  high  Crazy  Mountains  (R),  the  Bridger  Range 
straight  ahead. 

The  foothills  and  higher  valleys  provide  feed  for  large  bands  of  sheep. 
Some  belong  to  ranchers  in  the  dry  lower  valleys  who  must  drive  their 
herds  to  the  national  forests  every  summer  for  green  forage,  cool  weather, 
and  pure,  fresh  water. 

At  shearing  time — late  May  and  early  June — the  big  sheds  on  sheep 
ranches  are  busy  places.  In  preparation  for  the  shearing,  the  rancher 
builds  jugs  (pens)  of  boards  wired  together,  and  arranges  a  runway 
through  which  a  few  sheep  at  a  time  are  passed  on  their  way  to  and 
from  the  pens.  Large  ranches  use  power-driven  clippers,  which  shear  the 
sheep  more  closely  and  rapidly  than  do  hand  shears.  On  the  average 
small  ranch,  however,  hand  shears  continue  in  favor. 

Professional  shearers  travel  in  crews  from  ranch  to  ranch.  Many  start 
out  early  in  the  year  and  follow  the  season  from  Mexico  to  Montana. 

Shearing  weather  is  usually  hot,  and  the  wool  is  oily  and  heavy.  Wran- 
glers shove,  tug,  and  whoop  as  they  drive  five  or  six  sheep  at  a  time  down 
the  runway  to  each  pen.  Sometimes  the  frightened  creatures  resist  so 
stoutly  that  they  have  to  be  dragged  or  half  carried;  sometimes  wranglers 
"fox"  them  by  leading  a  trained  wether  before  them  down  the  runway. 

As  the  sheep  enter  the  jug,  each  shearer  catches  a  ewe  by  a  hindleg  and 

uls  her  to  a  sitting  position.  He  begins  shearing  at  the  head,  going 


198  TOURS 

down  the  throat  or  between  the  ears.  If  the  ewe  is  a  yearling,  she  is  apt  to 
struggle  and  to  be  nicked  by  the  shears.  If  old,  she  sits  quietly,  knowing 
what  a  great  relief  it  is  to  be  sheared.  Rams  always  fight,  and  shearers 
receive  extra  pay  for  working  on  them.  Only  the  most  expert  shearer  can 
take  fleece  after  fleece  without  nicking  a  sheep.  A  man  in  a  hurry  occa- 
sionally kills  one  that  plunges.  The  sheared  sheep  are  cleared  out  and 
the  pen  refilled  while  the  shearer  has  his  last  ewe  on  the  floor.  At  times 
almost  all  the  pens  are  empty  at  once;  shearers  call  for  more  woolies 
while  they  briefly  hone  their  shears;  wranglers  sweat  and  whoop  and 
curse. 

As  the  dirty  gray  fleece  folds  off,  leaving  the  sheep  a  clean  white  or 
whitish  yellow  the  shearer  bunches  the  wool  with  his  feet  and  hands,  ties 
it  with  a  string,  drops  it  over  the  side  of  his  jug,  with  almost  a  single 
motion.  At  the  end  of  the  day  he  knows  how  many  sheep  he  has  sheared 
and  how  much  he  has  earned  by  the  number  of  strings  remaining  in  his 
belt.  A  shearer  who  can  clip  200  sheep  a  day  with  the  power  shears,  or 
100  with  the  hand  shears,  is  the  object  of  considerable  admiration  to 
neighbors,  buyers,  idle  herders,  and  other  spectators. 

While  the  shearer  straightens  his  back  and  smokes  a  cigarette,  his  helper 
sweeps  the  tags  out  of  the  pen.  The  tags — fragments  of  wool  matted  with 
dirt  and  manure — follow  the  fleeces  into  an  8-foot  wool  sack  suspended 
from  a  12 -foot  platform,  and  packed  solidly — but  not  too  solidly — by  a 
"stamper"  who  emerges  from  the  sack  as  it  fills.  His  is  very  hard  work, 
for  the  wool,  full  of  dirt  and  ticks,  rolls  in  on  him;  his  spot  is  the 
hottest  and  grimiest  place  in  the  shed.  When  the  sack  is  full,  he  sews  the 
mouth  with  twine ;  it  is  then  loaded  on  a  truck  or  placed  in  a  warehouse 
to  await  the  buyer's  inspection. 

In  the  heat  the  odors  of  men  and  sheep  blend  into  one  master  stench 
compounded  of  sweat,  oily  wool,  sheep  manure,  and  tobacco. 

The  denuded  sheep  are  lank  and  awkward,  many  of  them  bloody;  a 
glance  at  them  explains  why  "homelier'n  a  sheared  sheep"  has  become  an 
everyday  westernism.  They  are  run  through  a  tank  of  creosote  solution  for 
disinfection,  then  marked  with  the  owner's  symbol  in  red,  green  or  black 
paint,  and  taken  to  the  summer  range. 

SPRINGDALE,  97.5  m.  (4,324  alt.,  75  pop.),  is  near  the  point  where 
Indians  stole  Clark's  horses  in  1806,  and  forced  him  and  his  party  to 
travel  down  the  Yellowstone  in  bullboats. 

Right  from  Springdale  on  a  dirt  road  to  HUNTER'S  HOT  SPRINGS,  1  m.,  which 
flow  at  the  rate  of  90,000  gallons  an  hour.  J.  A.  Hunter,  a  physician,  came  here  in 
1864,  on  his  way  to  the  gold  fields  in  Emigrant  Gulch,  and  decided  to  stay.  The 
springs  had  long  been  a  popular  bathing  place  of  Indians,  who  tried  to  drive  Hunter 
away.  On  several  occasions  soldiers  were  sent  to  help  hold  the  springs  against  their 
attacks.  The  buildings  were  destroyed  by  fire  in  1930. 

The  SITE  OF  THE  SLAYING  OF  JOHN  M.  BOZEMAN,  103.2  m.,  is  (R)  in 
a  narrow  part  of  the  valley.  Bozeman  was  killed  by  Piegan  Indians  in 
April  1867  (see  HISTORY),  and  buried  here.  In  1870  his  body  was  re- 
moved to  the  city  that  bears  his  name. 


TOUR    I  199 

At  115.7  m.  is  the  junction  (R)  with  US  89  (see  Tour  4).  Between 
this  point  and  Livingston,  US  10  and  US  89  are  one  route. 

LIVINGSTON,  116.5  m.  (4,490  alt.,  6,391  pop.),  lies  near  the  point 
where  the  Yellowstone,  flowing  northward  from  its  source  in  Wyoming, 
makes  a  great  bend  eastward.  As  a  railroad  and  trade  center  in  a  farming 
and  stockraising  county,  the  town  has  an  air  of  bustle  and  enterprise. 
Stockmen  and  farmers  in  work  clothes  walk  its  streets;  many  trucks  and 
trailers  loaded  with  pigs,  sheep,  calves,  or  horses  are  seen  in  the  streets,  on 
their  way  to  market  or  from  one  ranch  to  another. 

Livingston  is  also  the  outfitting  point  in  a  large  recreational  area  and 
its  citizens  try  to  keep  alive  the  spirit  of  the  old  West  for  visitors.  Its 
hotels  and  cafes  display  copies  of  the  paintings  of  Russell  and  other  west- 
ern artists,  and  photographs  of  ranch  life,  rodeos,  and  Indians  in  parade 
dress.  The  automobiles  on  its  streets  bear  license  plates  from  half  the 
Union.  In  January  when  herds  of  elk  come  down  from  the  snow-bound 
high  country  to  the  south,  the  town  is  filled  with  hunters. 

Like  all  Montana  cities  founded  during  the  frantic  boom  days  of  the 
1870'$  and  i88o's,  Livingston  has  its  share  of  old  houses  with  Gothic 
and  Romanesque  windows  and  gingerbread  ornamentation. 

At  the  annual  Frontier  Celebration,  held  early  in  July,  riders  from  every 
part  of  the  stock  country  compete  in  bronco-busting  and  other  rodeo  ac- 
tivities, and  Indians  stage  the  "celebration  of  the  conqueror,"  which  con- 
sists largely  of  dances  and  races.  In  keeping  with  the  city's  consciousness 
of  its  position  as  host  and  entertainer  to  easterners,  a  touch  of  Hollywood 
is  usually  present  in  the  atmosphere  of  the  Wild  West  show. 

The  history  of  Livingston  is  studded  with  the  names  and  deeds  of  such 
pioneers  and  pathfinders  as  John  Bozeman  and  Jim  Bridger  (see  Tour  13). 
Many  an  old-timer  has  settled  down  here  to  pass  his  remaining  days  re- 
membering the  life  that  was.  Such  a  veteran  was  the  late  Patrick  T. 
(Tommy)  Tucker,  dean  of  cowpunchers  and  author  of  Riding  the  High 
Country  (see  LITERATURE).  Tucker  was  an  expert  yarn  spinner  and 
sold  many  copies  of  his  book  by  starting  a  tale  of  "way  back  when,"  and 
then  producing  the  volume,  with  the  explanation  that  the  rest  of  the 
story  could  be  found  there. 

Lieutenant  Clark  and  his  men  came  down  Billman  Creek  and  arrived  at 
the  Yellowstone,  just  south  of  town,  on  July  15,  1806.  The  first  settle- 
ment in  the  vicinity  was  made  about  1873,  when  Benson's  Landing  came 
into  being  at  a  ferry  crossing  4  miles  north  of  this  place.  Livingston  began 
its  existence  on  July  14,  1882,  when  railroad  surveyors  camped  on  its  site 
and  called  it  Clark  City  for  William  Clark.  Late  in  the  same  year  North- 
ern Pacific  rails  reached  the  town.  Throughout  its  development  it  has 
depended  greatly  upon  the  railroad.  Even  its  name  was  changed  to  honor 
a  director  of  the  Northern  Pacific,  Crawford  Livingston  of  St.  Paul. 

During  the  railroad  strike  of  June  and  July  1894,  when  service  was 
interrupted  for  two  weeks,  Federal  troops  were  brought  in  to  protect  rail- 
road property.  A  drunken  captain  stabbed  a  townsman  with  a  sword,  and 
President  Cleveland  declared  martial  law  to  maintain  order.  The  strike 
was  unsuccessful. 


200  TOURS 

MILES  and  SACAJAWEA  PARKS  are  on  islands  in  the  Yellowstone  River. 
A  third  park,  STERLING  PLAZA,  is  near  the  river  on  S.  Main  St.  Band  con- 
certs are  given  here  in  summer. 

On  McLEOD  ISLAND,  opposite  Sacajawea  Park,  is  a  9-hole  golf 
course  (open). 

The  HARDING  COLLECTION  OF  INDIAN  RELICS  (open  on  request),  107 
Eighth  Ave.  N.,  consists  chiefly  of  objects  recovered  from  burial  places 
and  from  piskuns  (see  BEFORE  THE  WHITE  MAN). 

The  old  BUCKET  OF  BLOOD,  113  Park  St.,  one  of  many  old-time  Mon- 
tana saloons  so  named,  was  probably  a  little  rougher  than  most.  It  was 
not  only  a  tough  place  in  its  own  right  but  was  the  center  of  a  group  of 
resorts  of  the  same  kind  including  a  gambling  dive  run  by  Tex  Rickard, 
Kid  Brown,  and  Soapy  Smith  until  the  Klondike  rush  took  them  off  to  the 
Yukon.  Madame  Bulldog,  once  Kitty  O'Leary,  ran  what  was  euphemis- 
tically known  as  a  dance  hall.  Her  joint,  she  said,  was  a  decent  one.  An- 
nouncing that  she  would  stand  for  no  damfoolishness,  she  saved  the 
wages  of  a  bouncer  by  polishing  off  roughnecks  herself.  Her  dimensions, 
like  her  sensibilities,  were  pachydermal;  she  tipped  the  scales  at  190, 
stripped.  And  stripped  she  was  most  of  the  time.  Calamity  Jane  was  one 
of  her  associates  for  a  time,  but  legend  has  it  that  they  fell  out,  where- 
upon Madame  Bulldog  tossed  Calamity  into  the  street,  "as  easy  as  licking 
three  men."  When  asked  whether  Calamity  Jane  really  tried  to  fight  back, 
one  who  knew  both  women  replied  succinctly,  "Calamity  was  tougher 'n 
hell,  but  she  wasn't  crazy!" 

The  SITE  OF  CALAMITY  JANE'S  CABIN,  213  Main  St.,  is  in  a  weed- 
grown  square  called  the  Plaza,  which  contains  a  bandstand.  She  lived 
here  several  years,  suffering  increasing  poverty  and  unhappiness  with  the 
years.  (See  above.) 

At  117.3  m.  (yth  St.  N.)  is  the  junction  with  US  89  (see  Tour  4). 
US  10  follows  Globe  St.  (R). 

Between  Livingston  and  Bozeman  the  route  roughly  parallels  the  old 
BOZEMAN  TRAIL  (see  HISTORY). 

OLD  BALDY  (8,640  alt.),  visible  (L)  at  118  m.,  is  a  prominent  moun- 
tain in  the  Absaroka  Range  known  to  immigrants  and  early  settlers  as 
Crow  Test  Peak.  Young  Crow  braves  proved  their  strength  and  endur- 
ance by  keeping  lonely  winter  vigils  on  its  summit.  Naked  and  weapon- 
less, they  spent  their  days  in  sacrifice  and  prayer  to  the  Great  Spirit.  Those 
who  endured  the  test  were  admitted  to  the  tribal  council. 

Behind  and  above  Old  Baldy  tower  EMIGRANT  PEAK  (10,950  alt.) 
and  MOUNT  COWAN  (11,190  alt.),  irregular  pyramids  streaked  with 
snow. 

At  123  m.  the  highway  crosses  the  eastern  boundary  of  the  GALLA- 
TIN  NATIONAL  FOREST.  The  cover  is  largely  lodgepole  pine  and 
Douglas  fir,  with  limited  numbers  of  Engelmann  spruce. 

A  series  of  sharp  switchbacks  begins  at  128  m.,  and  continues  to  the 
summit  of  BOZEMAN  PASS  (6,003  alt),  130  m.  The  high  mountains 
(R)  are  the  BRIDGER  RANGE,  named  for  Jim  Bridger  (see  Tour  13). 


TOUR    I  201 

The  highway  descends  the  narrow,  rocky  canyon  of  the  East  Gallatin 
River  into  the  Gallatin  Valley. 

At  141.8  m.  is  the  junction  with  a  graveled  road. 

Left  on  this  road  to  SUNSET  HILLS  CEMETERY,  0.3  m.,  which  overlooks  the  city. 
Its  use  as  a  burial  ground  dates  back  to  1864.  In  1872  Lord  and  Lady  Blackmore, 
English  visitors,  stopped  in  Bozeman  on  their  way  to  the  Yellowstone  geyser  region 
with  a  party  of  geologists.  Lady  Blackmore  died.  Her  husband  bought  five  acres  of 
land  here  and  gave  it  to  the  city  as  a  cemetery.  Here  he  buried  his  wife,  and  placed 
a  pyramidal  monument  over  her  grave.  MOUNT  BLACKMORE  (10,196  alt.),  which 
rises  in  the  distance,  directly  south,  is  said  to  have  been  so  named  because  its  form 
resembles  that  of  the  monument. 

When  the  body  of  John  M.  Bozeman  was  brought  here  in  1870,  the  grave  was 
marked  with  a  pine  headboard.  Cattle  grazing  on  the  burial  ground  leveled  the 
board,  and  the  grave  remained  unmarked  until  1883,  when  a  marble  monument  was 
erected. 

Nearby  is  the  grave  of  Henry  T.  P.  Comstock,  who  committed  suicide  on  Sep- 
tember 27,  1870,  after  he  had  run  through  the  $10,000  he  received  as  his  share  in 
the  discovery  of  the  Comstock  Lode  of  Nevada.  In  Lot  71,  Block  31,  is  the  un- 
marked grave  of  Prof.  Willis  G.  Nash,  Montana  State  College  music  instructor  who 
had  been  the  prototype  of  the  lame  boy  in  Dinah  Maria  (Mulock)  Craik's  The 
Little  Lame  Prince. 

BOZEMAN,  142.6  m.  (4,754  alt.,  6,855  P°P-)»  seat  of  Gallatin 
County,  is,  for  Montana,  an  old  and  decorous  town.  Local  ordinances 
prohibit  dancing  anywhere  after  midnight  and  in  beer  halls  at  any  time. 
It  is  illegal  to  drink  beer  while  standing,  so  all  Bozeman  bars  are 
equipped  with  stools.  On  the  city's  wide  streets,  shaded  by  cutleaf  birch, 
there  is  little  of  the  restless  activity  of  industrial  centers.  Its  quiet  reflects 
a  sense  of  security  based  on  the  prosperity  of  the  surrounding  farms.  Yet 
its  rural  characteristics  are  modified  by  the  thousands  of  visitors  who  every 
year  pass  through  Bozeman  on  their  way  to  Yellowstone  Park.  An  air  of 
youthful  liveliness  is  contributed  by  the  students  of  Montana  State  College. 

The  Gallatin  Valley  extends  westward  from  the  town.  It  is  one  of  the 
most  productive  agricultural  and  stock-raising  regions  in  the  State.  To  the 
south  the  snow-capped  Gallatin  and  Madison  ranges  rim  the  narrowing 
valley.  On  the  north  the  Bridger  and  flanking  ranges  of  the  Rockies  pro- 
tect it  from  severe  cold  winds. 

In  1864  John  M.  Bozeman,  traveling  the  trail  he  had  blazed  from 
Wyoming  (see  HISTORY),  guided  the  first  train  of  immigrants  into  the 
Gallatin  Valley.  Jim  Bridger  guided  another  train  in  the  same  year.  The 
passes  the  leaders  used  now  bear  their  names.  US  10  follows  Bozeman's 
route.  Bridger's  trail  passes  through  the  Bridger  Canyon  and  Range  to  the 
north  (see  below).  Trappers  of  the  middle  nineteenth  century  apparently 
preferred  Bridger's  route.  Bridger  and  Bozeman  were  friends  and  rivals. 
A  story  often  told  relates  how  they  once  led  wagon  trains  through  their 
respective  passes  in  a  race  to  Virginia  City,  and  arrived  within  a  few 
hours  of  each  other. 

Six  cabins  and  a  two-story  hotel  huddled  at  the  eastern  end  of  Gallatin 
Valley  by  the  end  of  1864.  During  a  flour  famine  that  winter,  the  settlers 
lived  on  "meat  straight."  Bozeman  gave  his  name  to  the  settlement,  but 
for  many  years  it  was  known  locally  as  Missouri  from  the  number  of  Mis- 


202  TOURS 

sourians  among  the  settlers.  The  city  has  never  depended  on  mining 
booms  for  its  growth,  except  insofar  as  the  mining  camps  provided  mar- 
kets for  foodstuffs. 

In  1867  it  became  the  seat  of  Gallatin  County,  one  of  the  nine  Terri- 
torial counties  of  Montana. 

MONTANA  STATE  COLLEGE,  Harrison  St.  and  8th  Ave.,  estab- 
lished February  16,  1893,  is  the  oldest  operating  unit  of  the  University  of 
Montana  (see  EDUCATION).  It  shares  its  9 5 -acre  campus  and  buildings 
with  the  U.  S.  Bureau  of  Entomology,  the  Agricultural  Extension  Service, 
and  the  State  Agricultural  Experiment  Station.  It  offers  courses  leading  to 
the  Bachelor  of  Science  degree,  and  carries  on  wide  research  in  agricul- 
ture and  engineering,  doing  agricultural  extension  work  through  county 
agents.  The  student  enrollment  averages  1,200. 

The  LIBRARY  of  30,000  volumes  (weekdays  9-5)  is  on  the  second  floor 
of  MONTANA  HALL,  a  three-story  brick  structure  of  Tudor  design.  The 
BIOLOGICAL  MUSEUM  (open  8-5  daily)  in  LEWIS  HALL  has  a  collection 
of  50,000  plant  specimens,  large  groups  of  fossils*  and  many  mounted 
birds  and  animals.  A  GREENHOUSE,  devoted  to  experimental  work  with 
flowers  and  vegetables,  contains  many  tropical  and  subtropical  plants. 
An  OUTDOOR  MUSEUM,  in  the  southwest  corner  of  the  campus,  has  petri- 
fied stumps  4  feet  in  diameter,  and  a  spring- fed  pool  stocked  with  mutant 
rainbow  trout. 

BE  ALL  PARK,  Bozeman  and  Villard  Sts.,  a  pleasant  village  green,  has 
tennis  courts  and  a  playground,  as  well  as  MILLSTONES  of  Bozeman's  first 
flour  mill  (1865). 

The  CITY  HALL,  Main  and  Rouse  Sts.,  was  once  the  Opera  House,  as 
the  name  over  the  entrance  indicates.  As  such,  it  opened  in  1890  with  the 
Mendelssohn  Quintette  of  Boston.  For  years  it  was  one  of  a  chain  op- 
erated by  John  Maguire,  pioneer  impresario  of  Butte.  The  walls  of  the 
stage  and  auditorium  on  the  second  floor  display  advertisements,  cob- 
webbed  and  yellow,  and  faded  posters  announcing  Joseph  Jefferson  in 
Rip  Van  Winkle,  Eddie  Foy  in  A  Night  in  Town,  Clay  Clement  in 
Faust. 

The  SEED  PEA  WAREHOUSES,  Babcock  and  Wallace  Sts.,  are  among 
the  largest  of  their  kind  in  the  West.  Here  seed  peas  produced  in  the 
Gallatin  Valley  and  elsewhere  in  Montana  and  the  West,  are  sorted  for 
quality  and  size,  packed,  and  stored  to  await  shipment. 

Bozeman  is  at  the  junction  with  US  191  (see  Tour  5). 

1.  Right  from  Bozeman  on  Rouse  Ave.,  which  skirts  the  Gallatin  County  Fair- 
grounds (L),  to  a  CANNERY,  1.9  m.,  where  about  250,000  cases  of  canned  goods- 
(mostly  peas  and  string  beans  from  Gallatin  Valley  farms)  are  annually  packed. 

2.  Right  from  Bozeman  on  State  187,  which  follows  Wallace  Ave.  and  becomes 
a  dirt  road,  to  a  junction  with  an  unimproved  road,  2  m.;  R.  here  1  m.  to  the  SITE 
OF  FORT  ELLIS.  Here  William  Clark  and  his  party  camped  on  July  14,  1806;  and 
here,  on  August  27,  1867,  Fort  Ellis,  named  for  Col.  Augustus  Van  Horn  Ellis  of 
the  1 24th  New  York  Volunteers,  was  established.  For  19  years  it  played  an  impor- 
tant part  in  the  taming  of  the  Gallatin  frontier.  The  Washburn-Langford  expedition, 
whose  report  of  the  geysers,  hot  springs,  terraces,  paint  pots,  and  other  marvels 
the  Yellowstone  region  led  to  the  creation  of  Yellowstone  National  Park,  outfitted 
at  Fort  Ellis  in  August  1870. 


TOUR    I  203 

At  5  m.  State  187  enters  BRIDGER  CANYON.  The  granite  pinnacle  above  the 
road  (L),  known  locally  as  the  Stone  Maiden,  is  the  subject  of  a  Crow  legend.  Black 
Eagle,  the  lover  of  comely  Evening  Star,  once  led  a  war  party  to  drive  off  an  enemy 
of  the  tribe.  Evening  Star  came  daily  to  this  point  to  watch  for  his  return.  He  came 
back  with  honor  but  without  life,  and  grief  turned  Evening  Star  to  stone.  The  stars^ 
of  evening  are  said  to  linger  in  compassion  over  her. 

Between  Bozeman  and  Three  Forks,  US  10  follows  an  almost  straight 
course  through  the  lower  Gallatin  Valley. 

BELGRADE,  153.3  m.  (4,467  alt.,  533  pop.),  a  milling  center  with 
towering  grain  elevators,  was  named  by  a  Serbian  who  was  on  the  special 
train  that  took  President  Villard  of  the  Northern  Pacific  to  Gold  Creek 
for  the  ceremony  of  driving  the  last  spike. 

MANHATTAN,  162.4  m.  (4,258  alt.,  501  pop.),  is  a  one-street  town 
with  a  few  business  buildings  facing  a  tree-enclosed  park.  It  was  named 
by  a  group  of  New  Yorkers  who  operated  under  the  name  of  the  Man- 
hattan Co.  and  owned  land  here.  The  George  Sinton  ranches,  one  of  the 
largest  cattle  spreads  north  of  Texas,  has  headquarters  here. 

The  outline  of  the  Continental  Divide  comes  into  view  straight  ahead 
at  164  m. 

LOGAN,  167.9  m.  (4,114  alt,  126  pop.),  formerly  a  stage  station 
known  as  Cannon  House,  was  renamed  after  the  Northern  Pacific  Ry.  ac- 
quired the  right-of-way  from  Odelia  Logan  in  1885. 

The  steep  cliff,  168.4  m.  (L),  was  once  a  piskun  (see  BEFORE  THE 
WHITE  MAN). 

At  172.2  m.  is  a  junction  with  a  graveled  road. 

Right  on  this  road  to  the  THREE  FORKS  OF  THE  MISSOURI  3.5  m.,  where 
the  Gallatin  unites  with  the  Madison  and  Jefferson  Rivers.  Lewis  and  Clark  named 
the  forks  in  1805.  The  actual  point  of  confluence  of  the  Madison  and  Jefferson  is 
obscured  by  thick  willow  growth. 

THREE  FORKS,  174.4  m.  (4,081  alt.,  884  pop.),  has  an  air  of  order 
and  dignity.  The  homes  and  business  houses  are  particularly  well  kept 
and  many  have  been  painted  white. 

The  site  of  Three  Forks,  an  ancient  battleground  of  Crow  and  Black- 
feet,  was  visited  by  Lewis  and  Clark  on  July  27,  1805.  It  was  here  that 
Sacajawea  felt  she  was  at  last  in  the  land  of  her  own  people,  from  whom 
she  had  been  stolen  in  childhood. 

Trappers  sent  out  by  the  Missouri  Fur  Company  made  the  first  attempt 
to  establish  a  trading  post  here  in  1810.  They  built  a  stockade  on  a  neck 
of  land  between  the  Jefferson  and  Madison  Rivers  about  2  miles  above 
the  confluence,  but  the  Blackfeet  drove  them  out  with  severe  losses  before 
the  year  ended  (see  HISTORY).  Father  De  Smet  spent  a  short  time  in 
the  Three  Forks  region  in  1840.  No  attempt  to  establish  a  town  near  here 
was  made  until  1864,  when  a  group  of  Missourians  laid  out  Gallatin  City 
at  what  they  believed  was  the  head  of  navigation  on  the  Missouri.  When 
they  learned  that  the  Great  Falls  of  the  Missouri  stood  between  their  site 
and  the  head  of  navigation,  they  abandoned  it.  In  1908  the  railroad  came 
through  and  established  a  town  here  as  a  division  point. 

At  178  m.  US  10  divides  into  US  10  S  and  US  loN  (see  Tour  1A), 
alternate  routes  between  this  place  and  Garrison. 


204  TOURS 

Section  c.  JUNCTION  US  10  S-US  10  N  to  GARRISON,  109.6  m., 

US  10  S. 

Much  of  US  10  S  winds  among  mountain  ranges  and  through  canyons, 
in  many  places  both  deep  and  narrow.  It  crosses  the  Continental  Divide 
through  Pipestone  Pass,  offering  spine-tingling  views  of  forested  moun- 
tains and  boulder-strewn  valleys.  In  its  western  descent  it  passes  through 
Montana's  richest  mining  region,  skirting  the  thousand  smokes  of  Butte. 
At  the  western  end,  in  Deer  Lodge  Valley,  though  never  out  of  sight  of 
lofty  mountains,  it  traverses  rich  fields  and  grazing  lands. 

US  10  S  runs  southwest  from  the  junction  with  US  loN  (see  Tour 
1A),  0  m.,  along  the  Jefferson  River  (L). 

At  9-3  m.  is  the  junction  with  State  i  (see  Tour  15). 

At  14.4  m.  is  the  junction  with  a  dirt  road. 

Right  on  this  road  to  its  end,  3.3  m.;  straight  ahead  from  here  0.6  m.  on  a  foot 
trail  to  LEWIS  AND  CLARK  CAVERN  (guides),  a  National  Monument  in  Jefferson 
Canyon.  The  cave  is  in  the  Madison  limestone  formation  at  the  base  of  a  high  cliff. 
It  was  discovered  and  partly  equipped  with  stairways  in  1902  by  Daniel  Morrison, 
a  surveyor,  and  is  known  locally  as  Morrison  Cave. 

Exceeded  in  size  in  the  United  States  only  by  Mammoth  Cave  in  Kentucky  and 
the  Carlsbad  Caverns  in  New  Mexico,  this  cavern  is  a  succession  of  vaulted  cham- 
bers and  passageways  thickly  hung  with  stalactites  and  studded  with  stalagmites. 
Surface  water  seeping  down  the  bedding  planes  of  the  Madison  limestone,  here 
tilted  about  53°,  hollowed  out  the  cave  by  gradually  dissolving  the  limestone  at  suc- 
cessive levels.  The  cave  is  dry,  except  at  its  lowest  point,  about  300  feet  below  the 
entrance.  But  the  dripping  of  water  during  past  centuries  has  carved  out  crypts  and 
corridors  curtained  in  places  with  translucent  stone  that  varies  in  color  from  pure 
white  to  deep  amber. 

The  entrance  from  the  trail  is  an  artificial  one  made  by  the  former  owner.  From 
it  a  wooden  stairway  mounts  a  2o-foot  rise  in  the  rock  floor  of  the  passage.  Beyond 
the  stairway  is  the  natural  entrance,  25  feet  above  the  trail  and  about  60  feet  north- 
west of  the  newer  entrance.  It  can  be  reached  only  with  the  aid  of  a  rope.  Three 
hundred  and  eighty-five  steps  are  descended  to  reach  the  FIRST  LARGE  CHAMBER. 
Here  stalagmites  and  stalactites,  opaque  and  almost  flawless,  form  fluted  pillars.  A 
form  of  stalactite  with  curved  and  branching  arms  (helictite)  is  beautifully  de- 
veloped. 

From  this  large  room  a  tortuous  path  descends  to  the  DEEPEST  ROOM.  A  great 
number  of  stalactites,  fallen  to  the  floor  and  cemented  to  it  by  flowstone,  furnish 
toeholds  for  scrambling  up  and  down  the  steep  incline.  In  this  room  is  one  large 
stalagmite  in  process  of  formation,  with  water  dripping  onto  it.  A  spring  makes  a 
clear  pool  in  the  center  of  the  floor,  and,  above,  the  ceiling  rises  to  a  dome  that 
looks  like  rough  mosaic  work. 

From  the  foot  of  the  stairway  narrow  corridors  lead  to  other  chambers,  of  which 
the  first  is  the  CATHEDRAL  ROOM.  From  its  ledged  floor  great  spires  rise  toward 
the  domed  ceiling,  in  sepia  hues  and  lighter  shades  of  brown. 

Beyond  and  below  is  the  BROWN  WATERFALL.  From  a  rocky  ledge  above  the 
floor  a  cascade  of  rock  seems  to  spill  down  the  chamber  wall  like  a  plunging  brown 
river. 

A  rough  corridor  known  as  HELL'S  HIGHWAY  is  traveled  with  the  aid  of  ropes 
and  leads  into  the  ORGAN  ROOM.  The  stillness  of  this  room,  with  its  mass  of  pipe- 
like  columns,  faintly  golden,  gleaming  amber,  and  rich  brown,  is  impressive.  The 
columns  give  off  musical  sounds  when  struck  with  pieces  of  broken  rock,  as  do 
many  of  the  stalactites  and  stalagmites  in  other  chambers. 

The  smaller  corridors  and  chambers  vary  in  formation  and  coloring.  The  walls  of 
some  are  intricately  filigreed,  others  seem  hung  with  draperies  of  weird  pattern.  At 
one  place  a  COFFIN  is  surmounted  by  a  stalagmite  candle;  the  LION'S  DEN,  enclosed 


JEFFERSON  CANYON 


by  joined    tites    and  "mites,"  is  strewn  with  pieces  of  fallen  stalactites  that  suggest 
the  bones  of  victims. 

The  full  journey  requires  vigor,   sure-footedness,  and  a  readiness   to  cling  and 
sometimes  to  crawl  by  the  light  of  a  miner's  lantern.  The  air  is  good. 

•At  15  m.  is  the  Canyon  of  the  Jefferson  River,  known  locally  as  Six- 
nmile  Canyon.  The  TOBACCO  ROOT  MOUNTAINS  are.L.  in  the  Gal- 
latin  National  Forest,  the  Bull  Mountains  R.  in  the  Deer  Lodge  National 
"orest. 


avjii 

*• 


206  TOURS 

WHITEHALL,  28  m.  (4,371  alt.,  553  pop.),  is  a  long,  narrow,  quiet 
town,  the  trading  center  for  the  southern  part  of  Jefferson  County,  one 
of  the  original  Territorial  counties.  It  is  apparently  merely  a  line  of  stores 
and  houses  strung  out  along  US  10  S  but  actually,  most  of  it  sits  back 
among  shade  trees  and  shrubbery.  Before  1863  fur  traders  were  the  only 
white  inhabitants  in  this  region.  About  that  time  Thomas  Brooks  built  a 
stage  station  4  miles  north  of  this  place  on  the  route  between  Virginia 
City  and  Fort  Benton,  naming  it  Old  Whitehall  for  his  former  home  in 
England.  The  number  of  settlers  in  the  region  increased  slowly  but  White- 
hall did  not  have  much  importance  until  1889  when  the  Northern  Pacific 
branch  between  Logan  and  Garrison  was  built. 

At  33.5  m.  is  the  junction  with  a  dirt  road. 

Right  on  this  road  to  PIPESTONE  HOT  SPRINGS,  4  m.  (hotel,  cabins,  free 
campgrounds;  vapor  baths;  large  plunge,  adm.,  children  25$,  adults  35$;  saddle 
horses).  Marine  shells  and  bones  of  prehistoric  animals  have  been  found  in  a  mixed 
shale  and  limestone  deposit  nearby. 

At  37.8  m.  is  the  junction  with  State  41  (see  Tour  16). 

US  10  S  here  begins  the  gradual  climb  to  Pipestone  Pass,  following  the 
course  of  Pipestone  Creek.  The  eastern  slope  is  arid,  with  much  sage- 
brush and  prickly  pear,  interspersed  in  early  summer  with  the  brilliant 
blossoms  of  Indian  paintbrush,  larkspur,  bitterroot,  lupine,  and  yellow 
monkeyflower. 

At  47.4  m.  the  highway  crosses  the  CONTINENTAL  DIVIDE 
(6,418  alt.)  through  PIPESTONE  PASS.  At  the  summit,  only  a  few  yards 
from  the  source  of  Pipestone  Creek,  are  the  beginnings  of  small  spring- 
fed  streams  that  flow  down  the  west  slope  into  Silver  Bow  Creek. 

THOMPSON  PARK  (trail  picnicking  facilities,  campgrounds),  be- 
tween 47.9  m.  and  51  m.  (L),  is  an  attractive  3,4OO-acre  mountain  play- 
ground covered  with  lodgepole  pine  and  Douglas  fir.  Near  timber  line 
are  alpine  fir  and  limber  pine.  In  part  a  gift  to  the  city  of  Butte  from 
William  Boyce  Thompson,  the  park  was  rounded  out  by  the  addition  of 
several  thousand  acres  of  Deer  Lodge  National  Forest  land.  There  is  an 
amphitheater  in  a  natural  bowl,  and  also  a  toboggan  slide,  a  bobsled  run, 
and  a  ski  jump  610  feet  long,  with  a  descent  of  229  feet. 

West  of  Pipestone  Pass  US  10  S  is  known  as  Harding  Way.  At  one  of 
the  wider  curves,  84.4  m.,  is  a  view  of  Butte,  especially  spectacular  at 
night  when  the  lights  glow  against  the  mountain  behind  the  city. 

From  this  highway  is  seen  BIG  BUTTE  (6,310  alt.),  for  which  the 
mining  city  was  named;  the  large  white  "M"  on  it  is  the  work  of  students 
at  the  Montana  School  of  Mines.  Indians  called  this  Evil  Mountain,  say- 
ing that  long  ago  Big  Butte  was  the  highest  peak  of  the  main  range.  One 
time  a  young  chief  was  killed  there  by  an  enemy  and  the  medicine  man 
of  his  tribe  cursed  it,  and  ordered  it  removed.  During  the  night  the  great 
mountain  was  torn  apart  and  the  largest  piece  was  hurled  toward  the 
valley.  It  struck  where  Walkerville  stands  (see  BUTTE)  and  slid  along 
to  its  present  position,  leaving  in  its  path  the  ridge  that  connects  it  with 
the  high  ground  at  Walkerville.  No  trees  grew  on  it  thereafter.  Indians 
intent  on  suicide  often  took  their  last  view  of  earth  from  its  summit. 


TOUR    I  207 

At  49.8  m.  is  the  junction  with  Roosevelt  Drive. 

Left  on  Roosevelt  Drive  through  Thompson  Park,  4  m.;  L.  on  a  dirt  road  to 
HIGHLAND  CITY,  21  m.  This  ghost  gold  camp  at  the  base  of  RED  MOUNTAIN 
(10,000  alt.)  was  once  larger  than  Butte,  crude  in  appearance  and  equally  crude 
in  its  way  of  life.  For  diversion,  men  quarreled  and  killed;  then  others  banded 
together  to  hunt  down  and  kill  the  killers. 

After  seven  years  the  stream  of  gold  came  suddenly  to  an  end;  in  another  year 
the  town  was  almost  deserted.  Most  of  the  600  log  structures,  many  of  them  two 
stories  high,  rapidly  decayed.  Trees  took  root  where  hearth  fires  had  burned,  and 
dropped  their  needles  over  the  debris.  Streets  were  obliterated  by  the  cross  trails  of 
later  prospectors.  A  few  buildings  still  stand,  the  cellars  of  others  are  buried  in  the 
sagebrush.  Though  few  people  stayed  here  long,  the  graveyard  is  the  most  tangible 
of  the  city's  remains.  Here  is  buried  Shotgun  Liz,  sharpshooting  hurdy-gurdy  girl 
of  frontier  dance  halls. 

Much  gold  came  out  of  Highland  Gulch.  Evidence  of  large  placer  workings  re- 
main, and  in  adjacent  gulches  men  still  scrape  a  scanty  existence  from  reluctant 
gravel.  Occasionally  someone  finds  a  pocket  or  a  nugget,  and  hopes  briefly  to  see  a 
new  Highland  City  on  the  ruins  of  the  old.  In  1916  John  Kearn,  sole  resident  at 
that  time,  picked  up  a  nugget  worth  $1,200. 

US  10  S  approaches  Butte  from  the  south. 

At  58.1  m.  is  the  junction  with  an  oiled  road  (Holmes  Ave.). 

Left  on  Holmes  Ave.  for  an  alternate  route  that  skirts  the  city  on  the  south. 
Holmes  Ave.  runs  west  to  the  Milwaukee  tracks;  R.  here  on  Rowe  Road  to  Mon- 
tana St.;  R.  on  Montana  St.  to  Front  St.;  L.  on  Front  St.,  which  crosses  the  Mil- 
waukee tracks  and  bends  R.  to  join  the  combined  route  of  US  10  S  and  US  91,  3.6  m. 

BUTTE,  61.2  m.  (5,755  alt,  39,532  pop.)  (see  BUTTE). 

Points  of  Interest:  Marcus  Daly  Statue,  Smithers  Historical  Photographs  Collec- 
tion, Chinatown,  Meaderville,  Leonard  Mine,  State  School  of  Mines,  Columbia 
Gardens,  and  others. 

In  Butte  is  the  junction  with  US  91  (see  Tour  6,  sec.  b) ;  for  5.7  miles 
US  10  S  and  US  91  are  one  route. 

ROCKER,  65.1  m.  (5,395  alt.,  96  pop.),  virtually  a  suburb  of  Butte, 
is  an  industrial  town  through  which  pass  long  trains  of  gondola  cars 
loaded  with  ore  bound  for  the  reduction  works  at  Anaconda  ( see  Tour 
18).  Oil  refineries  and  a  plant  for  treating  mine  timbers  are  here. 

SILVER  BOW  CREEK  (L),  named  in  1864  when  three  prospectors 
saw  the  sun  shining  on  it  through  a  rift  in  the  clouds,  is  muddied  with 
the  refuse  of  Butte  mines,  though  in  places  it  is  intensely  blue  from  dis- 
solved copper  salts. 

Between  Rocker  and  Garrison  the  southern  horizon  (L)  is  banked  with 
the  dramatic,  barren  peaks  of  the  highly  glaciated  Anaconda  Mountains. 
Streams  rise  in  broad  amphitheaters  with  steep,  rocky  back  walls  and  level 
floors  on  which  lakes  and  parklike  meadows  alternate  with  stands  of 
spired  evergreens.  MOUNT  EVANS  (10,630  alt.),  the  highest  summit, 
rises  bare  and  deeply  furrowed  above  a  host  of  lesser  peaks. 

At  66.9  m.  is  the  junction  (L)  with  US  91  (see  Tour  6). 

At74m.  is  the  junction  with  a  graveled  road. 

Left  on  this  road  to  GREGSON  HOT  SPRINGS,  2  m.  (campgrounds,  natural 
steam  baths,  dance  pavilion;  warm  plunge,  adm.  40$). 


208  TOURS 

At  76  m.,  the  junction  with  US  10  A  (see  Tour  18),  the  high  smoke- 
stack of  the  Anaconda  smelter  is  visible  (L). 
At  84  #2.  is  the  junction  with  a  dirt  road. 

Left  on  this  road  0.2  m.  to  WARMSPRINGS  (4,852  alt.,  no  pop.),  in  which  is  the 
STATE  HOSPITAL  FOR  THE  INSANE  (open  9-11  and  1-4  daily).  Its  trim  brick  build- 
ings, in  modern  functional  style,  and  its  neatly  kept  grounds  contribute  much  to  the 
air  of  sanctuary  that  characterizes  the  town. 

Just  south  of  the  hospital  buildings  are  the  springs  for  which  the  place  was 
named.  A  conical  mound,  built  up  by  the  springs'  mineral  deposits,  resembles  an 
Indian  lodge  with  smoke  ascending  from  it.  Here  came  herds  of  white-tailed  deer 
to  graze  on  the  abundant  grass  around  the  mound,  and  obtain  salt  by  licking  the 
rocks  at  its  base.  Indians  named  it  It-soo-ke-en-car-ne  (lodge  of  the  white-tailed 
deer).  Poetic  French  voyageurs  called  it  la  loge  du  chevreuil  (the  lodge  of  the  roe- 
buck) ;  this  the  laconic  ranchers  of  a  later  day  contracted  to  Deer  Lodge  (see  below) . 

South  of  the  State  Hospital  is  the  15 -acre  STATE  GAME  FARM  (open),  estab- 
lished in  1929.  Small  herds  of  elk  and  buffalo  are  maintained  here;  propagation  of 
Chinese  pheasants,  Hungarian  partridges,  California  quail,  and  Oregon  mountain 
quail  is  carried  on.  Showbirds  of  brilliant  plumage  include  the  melanistic  mutant, 
and  the  golden,  silver,  Reeves,  and  Lady  Amherst  pheasants. 

At  90  m.  is  the  junction  with  an  oiled  road. 

Left  1  m.  on  this  road  to  GALEN,  the  STATE  TUBERCULOSIS  SANITARIUM  (open 
daily  3:30-5:30).  This  plant,  founded  in  1912,  has  grown  slowly  until  it  consists 
of  ten  main  buildings  and  six  cottages.  Preference  is  given  to  county  charges  and 
ex-service  men,  and,  because  of  the  limited  facilities,  they  are  almost  the  only  per- 
sons admitted.  More  than  half  the  patients  are  women.  One-fifth  of  the  men  ad- 
mitted are  victims  of  silicosis. 

DEER  LODGE,  98.8  m.  (4,530  alt,  3,510  pop.),  seat  of  Powell 
County,  is  bisected  by  Clark  Fork  of  the  Columbia,  here  called  the  Deer 
Lodge  River.  On  the  west  side  of  the  town  are  the  somber  stone  walls  and 
guard  towers  of  the  State  penitentiary,  and  the  yards  and  shops  of  the 
C.M.  St.  P  &  P  R.R.,  the  town's  leading  industrial  unit,  which  employs 
250  men.  On  the  east  side,  which  has  broad  streets,  are  many  sturdy 
square  houses  popular  in  the  West  during  the  1870*5  and  i88o's.  Castles 
built  with  the  wealth  of  mines  and  ranches  and  log  cabin  homes  survive 
almost  side  by  side. 

In  1862,  when  the  first  important  gold  strikes  in  this  area  attracted  at- 
tention (see  HISTORY),  a  shack  town  sprang  up  here,  called  variously, 
Cottonwood,  Spanish  Forks,  and  La  Barge.  Deer  Lodge  was  the  name  offi- 
cially adopted  in  1864.  An  important  stop  on  the  Mullan  Wagon  Road,  it 
was  listed  by  Captain  Mullan  in  his  Miner's  and  Traveler's  Guide.  It  was 
one  of  the  few  places  along  the  route  where  immigrants  could  obtain  fresh 
beef  and  vegetables,  and  the  services  of  a  blacksmith.  Prospectors  coming 
up  from  the  south  called  it  the  "good  little  town  on  the  road  to  Bear" 
because  it  was  a  pleasant  place  to  break  the  journey  on  the  trail  to  Bear- 
mouth,  a  mining  camp  50  miles  farther  down  the  Clark  Fork  (see  Tour 
1,  sec.  d). 

The  W.  A.  CLARK  HOUSE  (open),  311  Clark  Ave.,  once  the  residence 
of  W.  A.  Clark  (see  HISTORY),  dates  from  the  i86o's.  The  front  of  the 
T-shaped  one-story  structure  is  frame  with  a  wide  porch.  The  shank  of 
the  T  is  built  of  logs. 

The  STATE  PENITENTIARY  (open  2-4  Fri.),  south  end  of  Main  St.,  was 


I 


TOUR    I  209 

built  in  1871.  Its  walls  and  older  buildings  are  constructed  of  stone,  the 
newer  of  brick  and  reinforced  concrete.  More  than  one-fifth  of  the  600 
convicts  are  employed  on  ranches  and  in  other  work  outside  the  walls. 
Those  inside  work  in  a  sawmill,  weave  rag  rugs,  or  manufacture  automo- 
bile license  plates.  The  prison  has  a  bakery  and  a  laundry,  and  conducts 
barber,  carpenter,  shoe  repair,  plumbing,  and  vulcanizing  shops.  Much  of 
the  food  is  produced  on  prison  farms. 

The  WARDEN'S  RESIDENCE  is  directly  opposite  the  penitentiary.  The 
outside  is  finished  with  varnished  Oregon  spliced  fir,  the  inside  with  oak, 
curly  birch,  and  Circassian  walnut.  The  living  room  and  dining  room 
floors  are  bordered  with  zigzag  inlay. 

A  GOLD  NUGGET  COLLECTION  (open  on  application),  Main  St.  and 
Milwaukee  Ave.,  contains  specimens  taken  from  the  streams  of  Powell 
County,  including  Gold  Creek,  site  of  the  earliest  placer  finds  in  the  State. 
The  nuggets  have  an  aggregate  weight  of  1401/2  ounces,  and  are  worth 
$3,707.  The  largest  has  a  Troy  weight  of  23.18  ounces. 

MOUNT  POWELL  (10,300  alt.),  visible  (L)  at  104.6  m.,  was  named 
for  John  W.  Powell,  a  rancher  who  homesteaded  at  its  base  and  was  the 
first  white  man  to  scale  it. 

The  SITE  OF  THE  GRANT  HOUSE  is  commemorated  by  a  monument  at 
109-3  m.  (R).  This  log  structure  was  erected  by  John  F.  Grant,  a  rancher, 
about  1855,  near  the  mouth  of  the  Little  Blackfoot  River.  It  became 
known  far  and  wide  as  a  stop-over  for  prospectors  and  as  a  place  to  trade, 
gather  news,  and  forget  frontier  hardships  in  fiddle-inspired  revelry.  If  a 
blizzard  swooped  down  while  a  dance  was  in  progress,  hospitable  Johnny 
Grant  would  tell  his  visitors  to  stay  until  it  was  over.  They  usually  danced 
all  night,  slept  on  buffalo  robes  on  the  floor,  and  awoke  to  eat  and 
dance  again.  As  Johnny  was  a  squaw  man,  the  cabin  was  also  frequented 
by  Indians,  many  of  whom  claimed  relationship  with  their  host. 

At  109.6  m.  is  the  western  junction  US  10  N  (see  Tour  1A).  Near  this 
point  (L)  the  Little  Blackfoot  River  flows  into  the  Clark  Fork  of  the 
Columbia. 


Section  d.  GARRISON  to  IDAHO  LINE,  .783.2  m.,  US  10. 

Between  Garrison  and  the  Idaho  Line  US  10  winds  through  the  canyons 
of  the  Clark  Fork  and  the  St.  Regis  River.  At  Missoula,  where  the  Bitter- 
root,  Flathead,  Blackfoot,  and  Clark  Fork  Valleys  meet,  horizons  recede 
to  distant  peaks  and  ranges;  but  they  soon  narrow  again.  In  many  places 
the  Clark  Fork  is  broad  and  calm,  and,  except  after  heavy  rains,  green ;  in 
other  places  it  spills  violently  through  rocky  channels.  In  the  St.  Regis 
Valley,  near  the  Idaho  Line,  the  mountain  slopes  are  steep  and  rocky, 
denuded  by  forest  fires. 

Pioneers  bound  for  the  Washington  Territory  followed  the  Mullan 
Wagon  Road  (see  HISTORY),  which  entered  the  valley  of  the  Clark 
Fork  not  far  from  its  junction  with  the  Little  Blackfoot  River.  Its  course 
between  Garrison  and  Lookout  Pass  on  the  Idaho  Line  was  roughly  that 


210  TOURS 

of  US  10.  The  building  of  the  road  from  Fort  Benton  to  Walla  Walla 
took  four  years  though  it  was  never  more  than  a  crude  trail.  Loaded 
wagons  required  47  days  to  make  the  624-mile  journey,  pack  animals  35 
days. 

US  10  goes  northwest  from  the  junction  of  US  10  S  (see  Tour  1, 
sec.  c)  and  US  10  N  (see  Tour  1A),  0  m. 

GARRISON,  0.6  m.  (4,344  alt.,  100  pop.),  named  for  William  Lloyd 
Garrison,  is  a  grimy  railroad  town  on  the  bank  of  Clark  Fork,  sheltered 
on  the  north  by  a  high  bluff. 

A  PHOSPHATE  MILL  (R),  4.5  m.,  of  100  tons  capacity,  grinds  rock  of 
high  phosphate  content  brought  by  truck  from  several  small  mines  in  the 
nearby  mountains.  The  product  is  used  for  fertilizer. 

At  9.3  m.  is  a  junction  with  a  dirt  road. 

Left  on  this  road  is  the  village  of  GOLD  CREEK,  0.2  m.  (4,201  alt.,  35  pop.). 
Just  L.  of  the  settlement  is  the  confluence  of  Clark  Fork  and  Gold  Creek.  Near  the 
source  of  the  latter  gold  was  first  discovered  in  Montana  (see  HISTORY).  Gold 
Creek  village  was  the  scene  of  the  ceremony  celebrating  completion  of  the  Northern 
Pacific  Ry.  in  1883  (see  TRANSPORTATION). 

A  MINING  DREDGE  (visitors'  passes  obtainable  except  Mon.  at  offices  in  Gold 
Creek)  5  m.,  operates  to  bedrock,  with  a  daily  capacity  of  5,000  cubic  yards  of 
gravel.  The  operators  control  seven  miles  of  the  stream  between  Gold  Creek  and 
Pioneer. 

PIONEER,  9  m.,  is  the  small  group  of  cabins  built  in  the  spring  of  1862  just 
before  the  Gold  Creek  diggings  were  abandoned  for  those  at  Bannack.  Because  of 
the  lack  of  transportation,  the  miners  had  trouble  in  obtaining  tools  with  which  to 
work,  and  yields  of  metal  were  low;  James  and  Granville  Stuart  made  only  $17.60 
on  their  best  day  here. 

At  19.3  m.  is  the  junction  with  State  31  (see  Tour  8). 

DRUMMOND,  20.9  m.  (3,967  alt.,  300  pop.),  scattered  on  both  sides 
of  US  10,  is  on  the  site  of  a  trapper's  camp.  The  Northern  Pacific  water 
tank  seems  to  dominate  the  town.  In  the  SAPPHIRE  MOUNTAINS 
(L)  are  valuable  deposits  of  silver,  sapphire,  and  phosphate. 

At  Drummond  is  the  junction  with  US  10  A  (see  Tour  18). 

At  32.6  m.  is  a  junction  with  a  dirt  road. 

1.  Left  on  this  road,  crossing  a  bridge,  to  BEARMOUTH,  0.5  m.   (3,813  alt., 
510  pop.),  formerly  Bear's  Mouth,  a  stage  stop  on  the  Mullan  Road.  Prospectors 
turned  oft  here  to  reach  the  Blackfoot  River  country  (R).  It  is  the  main  shipping 
point  for  ore  trucked  down  from  the  Garnet  region. 

2.  Right  over  a  narrow  mountain  road  that  winds  up  Bear  Gulch  to  BEAR- 
TOWN,  6  m.   (4,583  alt.,  3  pop.).  Stamping  ground  of  the  notorious  "Beartown 
Roughs,"  and  one-time  runner-up  for  State  capital,  Beartown  is  said  to  have  yielded 
$1,000,000  in  silver  and  gold  in  1866  and  1867. 

At  9  m.  is  the  base  of  the  steeply  rising  "Chinee  Grade."  In  this  vicinity  is  sup- 
posedly a  Chinaman's  cache  of  considerable  amount.  Many  have  searched  in  vain  for 
the  5 -pound  baking-powder  can  filled  with  gold  that  is  said  to  have  been  buried 
under  a  tree. 

GARNET,  11/7?.  (5,904  alt.,  25  pop.),  a  few  years  ago  a  ghost  town,  is  a  busy 
mining  camp.  Many  of  the  old-timers  are  still  here,  prospecting  and  spinning  yarns. 
One  of  the  yarns  is  of  a  winter  when,  because  of  deep  snow,  supplies  could  not  be 
brought  in  and  men  could  not  get  out.  At  length  one  man,  equipped  with  a  miner's 
lamp  and  laden  with  carbide,  worked  his  way  down  to  Bearmouth  through  the  mine 
tunnels  and  arranged  for  supplies  to  be  brought  in. 


GOLD  DREDGE  AT  GOLD  CREEK 


fc?*&   «*.  s:<  *  Xi      ^ 


BEAVER  DAM 


At  35.6  m.  is  the  eastern  end  of  HELL  GATE  CANYON,  through  which 
Clark  Fork  flows  for  36  miles.  High  timbered  slopes  rise  steeply  beside 
the  road.  The  canyon  was  named  La  Porte  de  I'Enfer  by  French  trappers, 
who  knew  it  as  a  place  of  ambush. 

NIMROD  HOT  SPRINGS,  39.8  m.,  has  an  outdoor  plunge  (adm. 
250).  In  the  river  swamps  (L)  large  beds  of  tender  watercress  are  kept 
green  throughout  the  winter  by  the  warm  spring  water. 

At  50.7  m.  is  the  junction  with  the  Rock  Creek  Road. 

Left  on  this  forest  road  through  a  winding  canyon  along  Rock  Creek  to  ROCK 
CREEK  LAKE,  40  m.,  the  source  of  the  creek.  There  is  good  trout  fishing  through- 
out the  length  of  the  stream,  and  several  improved  campgrounds  lie  near  its  banks. 

CLINTON,  56.3  m.  (3,490  alt,  50  pop.),  rests  like  a  red  and  gray 
bird  in  the  middle  of  a  neat  landscape. 

At  66.1  m.  is  the  junction  with  State  20  (see  Tour  8). 

MILLTOWN,  66.4  m.  (3,521  alt,  552  pop.),  exists  chiefly  because  of 
the  sawmill  (see  Tour  8)  whose  yards  stretch  along  the  highway  and  give 
the  town  its  character.  When  the  mill  is  in  operation,  a  clean  smell  of 
freshly  sawed  timber  re-enforces  the  visual  impression. 

At  71.1  m.,  near  the  western  end  of  Hell  Gate  Canyon,  is  a  curved  un- 
derpass on  a  hill  (drive  with  great  care).  In  winter  northeasterly  storms 
sometimes  sweep  down  through  the  "wind  tunnel"  here  and  burst  upon 


TOUR    I  213 

Missoula  with  the  force  and  penetrating  power  of  Arctic  blizzards.  The 
bald  knob  (R)  is  MOUNT  JUMBO  which,  viewed  from  the  west — by  per- 
sons with  sufficiently  vivid  imaginations — has  the  appearance  of  a  re- 
cumbent elephant.  The  rocky,  forested  slope  of  MOUNT  SENTINEL  (L) 
rises  above  the  winding  river  and  the  campus  of  Montana  State  University 
(see  MISSOULA). 
MISSOULA,  73.4  m.  (3,233  alt.,  14,657  pop.)  (see  MISSOULA). 

Points  of  Interest:  Montana  State  University,  Missoula  County  Courthouse,  Cath- 
olic Group,  Free  Library,  Bonner  House,  Greenough  Park,  Waterworks  Hill,  and 
others. 

In  Missoula  is  the  junction  with  US  93  (see  Tour  7);  between  Mis- 
soula and  a  junction  9.5  miles  west  US  10  and  US  93  are  one  route. 
At  74.5  m.  is  the  junction  with  the  old  Yellowstone  Trail. 

Left  on  this  improved  road  to  the  SUGAR  REFINERY  (open  on  application  at  office 
anytime  except  Oct.  1-15),  0.6  m.  (R).  This  plant,  completed  in  1928,  produces 
more  than  300,000  hundredweight  of  sugar  annually  and  employs  200  persons  when 
operating  at  capacity.  The  two-story  mill  of  pressed  brick  and  steel  rises  to  four 
stories  at  the  east  end.  The  eight  other  buildings,  all  of  brick,  steel,  and  concrete, 
are  shops,  warehouses,  and  the  like.  The  operating  season — "campaign"  in  refining 
jargon — begins  in  October,  and  lasts  85  to  100  days,  each  day  divided  into  three 
eight-hour  shifts.  On  the  factory  grounds  are  several  small  plots  devoted  to  experi- 
mental beet  growing. 

At  3.1  m.  is  a  junction  with  a  dirt  road;  L.  0.2  m.  on  this  road  to  the  old  HELL 
GATE  STORE,  a  small  log  cabin  used  as  a  chicken  house  and  surrounded  on  three 
sides  by  pigpens.  It  sheltered  Montana's  first  mercantile  establishment  not  classified 
as  a  trading  post.  In  August,  1860,  Frank  L.  Worden  and  Christopher  P.  Higgins 
brought  a  pack  train  of  merchandise  for  this  store  over  the  new  Mullan  Road  from 
Walla  Walla.  Loaded  on  one  of  their  mules  was  the  first  safe  brought  into  the  re- 
gion. A  little  settlement  that  grew  up  around  the  store  was  called  Hell  Gate  Ronde; 
Mullan  listed  it  in  his  Miners'  and  Travelers'  Guide:  "28th  day  (from  Walla 
Walla).  Move  to  Higgins'  and  Worden's  store  at  Hell-gate,  distance  i2l/2  miles. 
Road  excellent;  wood,  water  and  grass  here.  Good  place  to  rest  animals  for  a  day 
or  two;  blacksmith  shop  at  Van  Dorn's  and  supplies  of  all  kinds  can  be  obtained, 
dry  goods,  groceries,  beef,  vegetables  and  fresh  animals,  if  needed."  But  the  "sup- 
plies of  all  kinds"  were  extremely  expensive  at  Hell  Gate.  Sugar  was  60  cents  a 
pound,  coffee  80  cents,  and  whiskey  $8  a  gallon. 

In  the  winter  of  1863-64  several  of  Henry  Plummer's  gang  of  road  agents,  led 
by  Cyrus  Skinner,  began  a  reign  of  terror  in  Hell  Gate.  They  loafed  in  the  store, 
where  Skinner  preferred  to  sit  on  the  safe.  Worden,  Higgins,  and  everyone  in  the 
village  believed  the  gang  was  intent  on  rifling  the  safe,  which  contained  $65,000  in 
gold  dust. 

On  the  night  of  January  27,  1864,  a  posse  of  21  citizens  from  Alder  Gulch  rode 
into  town,  and  rounded  up  the  gang.  Brief  trials  were  held  in  the  store;  Cyrus 
Skinner  sat  on  the  safe  as  usual  during  the  proceedings.  Six  men  were  sentenced  to 
hang,  and  died  with  the  password  of  Plummer's  gang,  "I  am  innocent,"  upon  their 
lips. 

George  Shears,  Skinner's  lieutenant,  was  hanged  in  a  barn  near  the  store.  The 
rope  was  thrown  over  a  beam,  and  he  was  asked  to  walk  up  a  ladder  to  save  the 
trouble  of  preparing  a  drop  for  him.  "Gentlemen,"  he  said,  "I  am  not  used  to  this 
business.  Shall  I  jump  off  or  slide  off?"  He  was  told  to  jump. 

Whiskey  Bill  Graves  was  led  outside.  One  end  of  a  lariat  was  fastened  about  his 
neck,  the  other  thrown  over  a  stout  limb.  One  of  the  vigilantes  mounted  a  horse 
and  Graves  was  lifted  up  behind  him.  "Good-bye,  Bill,"  said  the  rider,  and  drove 
his  spurs  into  the  horse's  flanks. 

Hell  Gate  survived  five  years;  then  Worden  and  Co.  moved  the  store  four  miles 
cast,  and  erected  a  sawmill  and  flourmill  (see  MISSOULA). 


214  TOURS 

COUNCIL  GROVE,  7.9  m.  (L)  on  the  old  Yellowstone  Trail,  is  the  poplar  and 
cottonwood  thicket  in  which  Gov.  Isaac  Stevens  of  Washington  Territory  in  1855 
negotiated  the  first  treaty  with  the  Flathead  Indians.  By  this  treaty  the  Jocko  Reser- 
vation, carved  out  of  the  Mission  Mountains  and  the  Flathead  Valley,  was  set  aside 
for  the  Confederated  Tribes  of  the  Flathead  (see  Tour  7).  All  other  lands  occupied 
by  the  tribes  were  ceded  to  the  Government.  The  treaty  authorized  the  Salish  to  oc- 
cupy the  Bitterroot  Valley,  their  long-time  home,  for  an  indefinite  period.  The  con- 
cession was  temporary,  and  Chief  Victor,  the  spokesman  for  the  Salish,  probably 
did  not  fully  understand  its  terms.  It  was  the  cause  of  later  misunderstandings.  Rem- 
nants of  the  Salish  continued  to  live  in  the  Bitterroot  Valley  until  1891. 

DESMET,  79.4  m.  (3,237  alt.,  25  pop.),  a  shipping  point  for  Grass 
Valley  stock,  has  large  loading  pens  (R).  The  town  was  named  in  honor 
of  Father  Pierre  Jean  De  Smet,  the  first  missionary  in  this  region  (see 
HISTORY,  RELIGION). 

Northwest  of  Desmet  the  Northern  Pacific  Ry.  turns  sharply  R.  and 
passes  through  the  CORIACAN  DEFILE,  the  gateway  between  the  Missoula 
and  Flathead  Valleys. 

In  the  distance  (R)  conical  SQUAW  PEAK  (7,978  alt.)  points  its  im- 
pudent mammilla  at  the  sky.  Known  locally  as  Squaw  Teat  Peak,  it  is  the 
most  symmetrical  of  the  mountains  visible  in  this  area. 

At  82.9  m.  is  the  junction  (R)  with  US  93  (see  Tour  1 ,  sec.  b). 

FRENCHTOWN,  89.7  m.  (3,027  alt.,  187  pop.),  lies  (L)  in  a  rich 
valley.  The  spire  and  cross  of  its  weather-beaten  old  church  are  its  most 
prominent  landmarks.  It  has  an  appearance  of  calm  that  is  belied  by  the 
vigor  and  aggressiveness  of  its  inhabitants,  who  are  mostly  of  French- 
Canadian  descent.  Local  children  still  begin  their  schooling  with  little 
understanding  of  the  English  language.  St.  Jean  is  the  patron  saint  of  the 
parish,  and  his  day,  June  24th,  is  noisily  celebrated. 

At  95.8  m.  US  10  climbs  over  sharp  curves  to  a  bench,  from  which  is  a 
view  of  the  Clark  Fork  Valley.  An  observation  point  at  97.3  m.  provides 
an  equally  good  view  westward.  The  rugged  slopes  of  the  Bitterroot 
Mountains  are  L. ;  the  Coeur  d'Alenes  are  on  the  opposite  side. 

The  highway  descends  into  a  narrow  canyon  lined  with  outcroppings 
of  rock — rusty  red,  yellow,  and  brown.  Above,  the  receding  green  hills 
and  gulches  are  topped  with  pine,  larch,  and  Douglas  fir. 

ALBERTON,  104.3  m.  (3,040  alt.,  278  pop.),  a  railroad  men's  town, 
is  named  for  the  pioneer  family  of  Alberts,  who  homesteaded  here  when 
Indian  trails  were  the  only  routes  of  travel. 

Between  Alberton  and  St.  Regis  the  route  is  through  the  LOLO  NA- 
TIONAL FOREST. 

At  106  m.  is  a  junction  with  a  dirt  road. 

Left  on  this  narrow  mountain  road  to  LOLO  HOT  SPRINGS,  26  m.  (4,171  alt.) 
(see  Tour  7,  sec.  c).  This  route  is  part  of  a  popular  loop-trip  from  Missoula. 

ELK  LODGE,  113.3  m.  (3,000  alt.),  consists  of  cabins,  a  store,  and 
a  service  station.  Furrowed  cliffs  (R)  present  purple  and  gold  faces  in 
striking  contrast  with  the  predominating  greens  and  browns  of  the  sur- 
rounding country. 

At  114.4  m.  the  Clark  Fork  flows  through  a  deep  and  narrow  gorge. 
The  highway  crosses  SCENIC  BRIDGE. 


TOUR  i  215 

SUPERIOR,  133.9  m.  (2,725  alt.,  350  pop.),  is  divided  by  the  Clark 
Fork.  The  log  and  frame  buildings  of  the  iSyo's  and  i88o's,  mostly 
abandoned,  lie  at  the  base  of  a  steep  grade  on  the  right  bank.  On  the  flat 
across  the  river  are  the  buildings  of  the  newer  town. 

The  town's  name  was  used  in  1869  by  a  settlement  at  the  mouth  oF 
Cedar  Creek,  i  mile  east,  whose  first  citizen  came  from  Superior,  Wis. 
When  this  settlement  was  abandoned,  the  name  was  appropriated  by  the 
new  town. 

The  ORDEAN  HOTEL,  with  gabled  roof  and  a  two-story  veranda,  was 
once  a  favorite  stopping  place  of  prospectors  who  came  in  from  the  gulch 
with  a  "load  in  their  pokes."  They  felt  that  its  plush  and  gilt,  mirrors  and 
marble,  justified  the  high  cost  of  the  otherwise  meager  accommodations. 
The  drunker  a  man  became,  the  more  elegant  the  place  seemed. 

1.  Left  from  Superior  to  the  old  Yellowstone  Trail;   1   m.  L.  on  this  graveled 
road  to  Cedar  Creek  Road,  2  m.;  R.  on  Cedar  Creek  Road  to  LOUISVILLE,  16  m. 
(4,100  alt.),  a  ghost  town  that  was  a  roaring  gold  camp  in  the  1870*5. 

In  1869  a  French  Canadian  named  Barrette,  drawn  by  the  lure  of  gold,  was  trav- 
eling overland  from  California  to  St.  Joe,  Idaho.  Pickings  were  poor  there,  however, 
and  he  swung  over  the  Bitterroot  Divide  and  struck  the  Mullan  Road.  In  the  fall 
he  reached  the  rocky  defile  of  a  creek  and  noted  a  basin  that  appealed  to  him  as  a 
good  place  to  prospect.  He  went  to  Frenchtown  for  supplies,  and  returned  to  the 
basin  with  a  partner,  B.  Lanthier.  They  camped  on  a  small  tributary  of  Cedar  Creek, 
15  miles  upstream  from  the  confluence  of  the  latter  with  the  Clark  Fork.  Barrette 
named  the  small  stream  Cayuse  Creek.  While  Lanthier  cooked  supper,  Barrette 
panned  $4  in  gold. 

The  pair  immediately  staked  claims.  Short  rations  compelled  them  to  return  to 
Lozeau's  Ranch  on  the  Clark  Fork,  where  they  intended  to  spend  the  winter.  Lan- 
thier went  into  Frenchtown  to  arrange  for  supplies,  and  the  news  of  the  discovery 
leaked  out.  Although  it  was  mid-January,  a  stampede  broke  for  Cayuse  Creek. 
Within  2  days  the  frantic  gold  seekers  staked  more  than  200  claims,  and  started 
panning  the  stream  despite  bitter  cold  weather.  Few  heeded  the  practical  need  of 
supplies;  even  after  scurvy  struck  the  camp,  the  next  load  of  freight  to  come  in  on 
pack  mules  was  whiskey.  Ten  thousand  people  were  drawn  to  the  camp  in  the  first 
year,  but  the  boom  continued  only  until  1871.  Interest  then  shifted  upstream  and  a 
new  camp,  Forest  City,  was  made.  By  the  winter  of  1872  Forest  City  was  deserted 
in  favor  of  Mayville,  still  farther  up  Cedar  Creek.  In  two  years  Mayville  also  played 
out;  but  this  time,  because  of  the  difficulty  of  moving  equipment  by  pack  train,  the 
residents  simply  walked  away,  leaving  tools,  stoves,  billiard  tables,  pianos,  bar  fix- 
tures, and  all  the  other  things  that  they  could  not  conveniently  carry.  After  they 
had  deserted  Cedar  Creek,  Chinese  miners  drifted  in  to  live  in  the  crumbling  shacks 
of  Louisville,  content  to  glean  what  the  white  men  had  passed  by. 

2.  Right  from  Superior  on  the  unimproved  Flat  Creek  Road  to  IRON  MOUNTAIN 
MINE,  3  m.  Ore  was  discovered  here  in  1886,  and  soon  the  town  of  Pardee  sprang 
up  around  it.  The  surface  gold  and  silver  ores  were  rich  enough  to  justify  packing 
them  on  mules  over  high  mountain  passes  to  Paradise,  on  the  Northern  Pacific  Ry. 
When  the  Coeur  d'Alene  branch  of  the  Northern  Pacific  was  built  through  Superior 
in  1891,  the  mine  began  to  operate  on  a  large  scale.  A  mill  was  erected  at  Iron 
Mountain,  as  the  station  at  Superior  was  then  called,  and  an  aerial  tram  connected 
it  with  the  workings.  Except  for  occasional  operations  by  lessees,  the  mine  has  been 
idle  for  many  years,  and  Pardee  abandoned. 

ST.  REGIS,  141.4  m.  (2,678  alt,  300  pop.),  is  composed  of  straggling 
clumps  of  buildings  amid  convergent  railroad  tracks.  Its  center  is  a  bridge 
across  the  Clark  Fork.  Once  an  important  sawmill  town,  it  dwindled  to  a 
supply  point  for  small  logging  operators  after  the  great  forest  fire  that 
swept  western  Montana  in  August  1910. 


2l6  TOURS 

The  St.  Regis  River,  which  comes  from  the  west  to  join  the  Clark  Fork 
here,  was  named  by  Father  De  Smet  in  1842,  in  honor  of  St.  Regis,  a 
brother  Jesuit. 

At  St.  Regis  is  the  junction  with  the  St.  Regis  Cut-Off  (see  Tour  12). 

US  10  goes  west  along  the  St.  Regis  River.  At  150.7  m.  US  10  enters 
the  CABINET  NATIONAL  FOREST  and  begins  the  ascent  of  the  Cam- 
el's Hump  through  dense  stands  of  virgin  white  pine,  feathery  tamarack, 
and  fir. 

CAMEL'S  HUMP,  155.4  m.  (3,951  alt.),  is  supposedly  named  for  its 
form.  Coincidentally,  camel  pack  trains  were  once  briefly  used  on  the 
Mullan  Road,  which  followed  this  route  (see  TRANSPORTATION). 
The  first  camel  train  to  freight  goods  into  Montana  came  toiling  out  of 
the  Nevada  desert  in  the  summer  of  1864.  It  was  a  source  of  wonder  to 
whites  and  Indians  alike.  Each  camel  carried  1,000  pounds,  twice  the 
load  of  a  mule,  found  his  own  forage,  and  ate  food  a  mule  would  reject. 
But  mules  and  horses  became  unmanageable  when  they  scented  the  strange 
beasts,  and  the  men  who  handled  them  did  not  like  them  much  better. 

The  road  descends  the  west  slope  by  a  succession  of  curves  and  turns. 

CABIN  CITY,  158.8  m.  (3,100  alt.),  is  a  post  office,  restaurant,  store, 
and  service  station. 

At  CANTONMENT  JORDAN,  161.9  m.,  Capt.  John  Mullan  camped  dur- 
ing the  winter  and  spring  of  1859-60,  while  the  difficult  grade  over  the 
Camel's  Hump  was  built.  It  was  mentioned  in  Mullan's  Guide:  "2ist 
day  (from  Walla  Walla).  Move  to  Cantonment  Jordan,  $y2  miles  dis- 
tant. Grass  one-half  mile  above  camp;  wood  and  water  everywhere." 

DEBORGIA,  162.5  m.  (3,035  alt.,  125  pop.)  named  for  St.  Francis  De 
Borgia,  clings  to  the  rocky  land. 

The  SAVENAC  FOREST  NURSERY  (L),  167  m.,  the  largest  in  the  United 
States  for  the  development  of  trees  for  reforestation,  was  established  by 
the  U.  S.  Forest  Service  in  1909.  Its  annual  capacity  is  6,000,000  trees; 
the  major  species  grown  from  seeds  include  western  white  and  yellow 
pine,  and  Engelmann  spruce.  Many  small  plots  are  used  for  experimental 
work.  The  trees  remain  in  the  seed  beds  from  i  to  2  years,  are  trans- 
planted once,  and  kept  until  they  reach  a  height  of  6  to  10  inches.  They 
are  then  shipped  for  permanent  planting  on  Montana  and  Idaho  forest 
lands,  usually  in  areas  that  have  been  twice  swept  by  fires.  On  such  "dou- 
ble burns,"  natural  reforestation  is  improbable. 

SALTESE,  172.1  m.  (3,476  alt.,  200  pop.),  strung  out  along  the  high- 
way and  railroad  tracks  in  a  narrow  canyon,  is  a  supply  point  for  small 
silver  and  gold  mines  in  the  nearby  mountains.  During  the  World  War, 
copper  mines  to  the  southwest  were  very  active.  High  above  the  town  the 
electrified  Milwaukee  Road  clings  to  a  narrow,  winding  shelf  carved  from 
the  rocky  mountainside.  With  old-fashioned  western  hospitality,  Saltese 
keeps  the  door  of  its  small  jail  (R)  always  open,  a  gesture  of  welcome  to 
weary  hoboes. 

The  town,  first  known  as  Silver  City,  was  renamed  in  1891  to  honor  a 
Nez  Perce  chieftain.  Its  site  was  earlier  known  to  packers,  trappers,  and 
prospectors,  who  called  it  Packer's  Meadow,  as  a  good  campground  on 


TOUR    IA  217 

the  difficult  trail;  later  it  became  a  stop  for  west-bound  travelers  on  the 
Mullan  Road,  for  Lookout  Pass,  12  miles  W.,  could  hardly  be  crossed 
before  nightfall. 

BOOTHILL  (R)  is  a  cemetery  in  which  are  buried  9  men  and  women 
who  died  with  their  boots  on.  The  first  was  Chris  Daggett,  who  froze  to 
death  on  the  trail  while  carrying  the  mail  to  Mullan,  Idaho.  The  others 
met  death  in  more  turbulent  ways  in  the  days  before  Silver  City  had  any 
other  law  than  a  quick  draw  and  an  easy  trigger.  Burials  on  Boothill  were 
informal  and  not  very  solemn.  Graves  were  usually  dug  after  the  coffins, 
rude  boxes  hastily  made,  had  been  carried  to  the  plot.  The  gravediggers 
amused  themselves  by  pitching  pennies  at  the  chinks  between  the  rough 
pine  boards.  Once  the  sport  was  begun,  the  digging  could  not  proceed 
until  he  who  made  the  fewest  hits  walked  back  to  town  to  fetch  beer  for 
the  others. 

TAFT,  176.6  m.  (3,625  alt.),  is  a  ghost  camp  of  3  or  4  unoccupied 
frame  buildings.  In  1908,  when  the  Milwaukee  Road  was  driving  its  St. 
Paul  Pass  Tunnel  through  the  Bitterroot  Mountains  (see  TRANSPOR- 
TATION), it  was  a  town  of  2,000  inhabitants  whose  many  saloons,  gam- 
bling houses,  dance  halls,  and  flimsy  buildings  crowded  the  narrow  valley. 
In  the  winter  of  1909-10  the  town  was  almost  entirely  destroyed  by  fire. 
When  Idaho  and  Washington  were  dry  and  Montana  wet,  Taft  was  one  of 
the  supply  points  for  bootleggers  operating  in  the  dry  States,  and  was 
visited  frequently  by  residents  of  such  towns  as  Mullan,  Wallace,  and  Kel- 
logg, Idaho.  But  even  that  could  not  keep  it  alive.  It  saw  its  last  real 
activity  in  1916,  when  an  electric  power  line  was  built  across  the  Coeur 
d'Alene  Mountains  (R)  to  connect  the  railroad  substation  at  East  Portal, 
2  miles  west  with  Thompson  Falls. 

West  of  Taft  the  gulch  divides.  US  10  keeps  to  the  R.,  along  the 
North  Fork  of  the  St.  Regis  River. 

At  179.5  m.  the  winding  ascent  through  Lookout  Canyon  begins.  There 
is  a  sharp  curve  and  underpass  at  181  m.,  and  near  the  summit  are  further 
sharp  curves,  some  without  guard  rails  (drive  carefully). 

At  LOOKOUT  PASS  SUMMIT,  183.2  m.  (4,738  alt.),  US  10  crosses  the 
Idaho  Line,  13  miles  east  of  Wallace,  Idaho  (see  Idaho  Tour  10). 


Tour  lA 


Junction  with  US  10  S — Townsend — Helena — Garrison;  US  loN. 
Junction  US  10  S  to  Garrison,  107.1  m. 

Route  roughly  paralleled  by  Chicago,  Milwaukee,  St.  Paul  &  Pacific  R.R.  between 


2l8  TOURS 

Three  Forks  and  a  point  south  of  Toston;  by  Northern  Pacific  Ry.  between  Toston 

and  Garrison;  and  by  Northwest  Airlines  throughout. 

Many  tourist  camps  and  hotels. 

Oiled  roadbed  throughout,  open  all  seasons.  MacDonald  Pass  dangerous  during  wet 

or  icy  weather;  in  winter  occasionally  closed  a  few  hours  while  snow  plows  work. 

Good  route  for  trailers. 

Between  Three  Forks  and  Helena  US  loN  runs  through  the  broad 
valley  of  the  upper  Missouri  River,  a  fairly  level,  thinly  populated  area. 
From  dry  uplands  it  descends  to  irrigated  fields  and  meadows.  On  both 
sides  rise  mountains,  brown  and  purple  in  the  clear  air. 

In  1805  Lewis  and  Clark  made  a  careful  report  of  what  they  saw  along 
the  Missouri  but,  careful  as  they  were  to  report  on  the  presence  of  fur- 
bearing  animals  and  other  sources  of  wealth  they  apparently  saw  nothing 
to  indicate  the  mineral  wealth  revealed  half  a  century  later  in  Confeder- 
ate, Last  Chance,  and  other  gulches. 

West  of  Helena  US  10  N  runs  through  narrow  valleys,  thickly  for- 
ested with  pine  and  pointed  fir.  It  crosses  the  Continental  Divide  through 
MacDonald  Pass. 

US  10  N  branches  north  from  the  point,  0  m.,  where  US  10  divides 
into  alternate  routes,  3.6  miles  west  of  Three  Forks. 

From  the  hill  (R)  just  north  of  the  junction  is  a  bird's-eye  view  (L) 
of  the  cottonwood  bottoms  in  which  the  Jefferson,  Gallatin,  and  Madison 
Rivers  join  to  form  the  Missouri  (see  Tour  1,  sec.  b).  Some  authorities 
say  that  the  Missouri  was  named  for  a  tribe  of  Sioux  living  near  the  river 
whom  the  Illinois  called  Emessourita  (dwellers  on  the  Big  Muddy).  On 
early  French  maps  it  appears  as  "Emossouritsu,"  "Oumossourits,"  and 
even  "le  Missouri  ou  R.  de  Peketanoui." 

The  range  along  the  road,  unfenced  and  bare  of  any  vegetation  other 
than  sparse  grass  and  sagebrush,  is  dull  sepia  and  brown. 

At  6.9  m.  the  foothills  of  the  main  range  of  the  Rockies  are  visible 
(L).  Straight  ahead  are  the  Big  Belt  Mountains,  so  named  because  of  a 
prominent  girdle  of  outcropping  limestone. 

TOSTON,  20.2  m.  (3,925  alt.,  200  pop.),  is  a  farmers'  town  on  the 
riverbank,  shaded  by  cottonwoods  and  surrounded  by  irrigated  bottoms 
planted  with  alfalfa  and  timothy.  Cattle  graze  on  the  low  hills. 

Left  from  Toston  on  a  dirt  road  to  PARKER,  8  m.,  a  ghost  mining  camp. 
RADERSBURG,  13  m.  (4,567  alt.,  152  pop.),  is  an  old  mining  town  that  to  some 
extent  came  back.  It  sprang  up  in  1866,  when  John  Keating  opened  the  Keating 
Mine,  and  boomed  the  following  year,  when  the  East  Pacific  claim  was  discovered 
north  of  town.  The  two  mines  together  produced  more  than  $3,000,000  in  gold  and 
silver  up  to  1904,  but  were  worked  only  intermittently  during  the  following  thirty 
years.  Rising  prices  after  1933  brought  a  brisk  revival  of  activity. 

Radersburg  is  the  birthplace  of  Myrna  Loy,  christened  Myrna  Williams,  the  movie 
actress. 

TOWNSEND,  30.5  m.  (3,833  alt.,  740  pop.),  the  seat  of  Broadwater 
County  and  once  a  busy  place,  lost  much  of  its  liveliness  when  automo- 
biles and  good  roads  brought  Helena  within  easy  travel  distance  of  the 
inhabitants  of  the  valley  ranches.  There  are  only  a  few  business  establish- 
ments, and  drab  frame  and  log  buildings  are  neglected  and  weather- 


TOUR    IA  219 

beaten.  A  few  well-kept  dwellings  still  face  the  wide  tree-shaded  streets. 
At  Townsend  is  the  junction  with  State  6  (see  Tour  11). 

1.  Left  from  Townsend  on  a  dirt  road  is  HASSEL,  5  m.,  the  ghost  of  a  noted 
mining  camp  of  the  1890*5.  A  few  lessees  still  work  the  gold  and  silver  properties 
of  the  district.  Though  unusual  faulting  makes  Hassel  ore  veins  hard  to  follow,  the 
mines  are  credited  with  a  production  of  about  $100,000  since  1934. 

2.  Right  from  Townsend  on  a  dirt  road  to  another  road,  15  m.;  R.  here  to  DIA- 
MOND CITY,  23  m.   (4,000  alt.),  formerly  one  of  the  richest  camps  in  CON- 
FEDERATE GULCH. 

Confederate  soldiers  captured  in  Civil  War  battles  near  Lexington,  Mo.,  were 
banished  up  the  Missouri  by  the  Union  commander.  Two  of  the  exiles,  Washington 
Baker  and  Pomp  Dennis,  intent  on  staking  claims  in  Last  Chance  Gulch,  came  up 
from  Fort  Benton  in  the  autumn  of  1864,  prospecting  as  they  went.  Here  at  the 
mouth  of  one  of  the  gulches  in  the  Big  Belt  Mountains,  they  found  unusual  amounts 
of  detritus  and  wash.  The  first  pans  yielded  io0  each,  but  later  returns  were  greater. 

By  spring  a  double  line  of  houses  straggled  along  the  single  street  which  fol- 
lowed the  bends  of  the  gulch.  Prospectors  of  all  kinds  poured  in — veterans  of  the 
gold  rushes  to  California,  Colorado,  and  Idaho,  and  amateurs  who  did  not  even 
know  how  to  begin  to  hunt  for  the  precious  metal.  One  of  the  amateurs  naively 
asked  an  old-timer  to  suggest  a  place  where  he  could  "do  some  digging."  The  older 
man,  in  true  frontier  style,  pointed  out  the  most  unpromising  spot  in  sight  and  sug- 
gested, "Try  that  bar  up  there;  you  might  find  something."  The  novice,  following 
the  advice,  staked  the  claim.  His  MONTANA  BAR,  placer  ground  covering  less 
than  2  acres,  was  one  of  the  richest  ever  found.  Occasional  yields  of  $180  a  pan  on 
other  claims  seemed  small  when  compared  with  the  incredible  recoveries  made  on 
Montana  Bar,  where  pans  worth  $1,000  were  common.  The  last  of  the  pay  dirt  on 
the  bar  was  sluiced  off  in  one  big  clean-up  that  yielded  two  and  one-half  tons  of 
gold,  worth  more  than  $1,000,000. 

During  the  boom  years  the  streets  seethed  with  excitement  and  activity.  Crews 
labored  night  and  day  to  build  a  flume  that  brought  water  7  miles  for  hydraulic 
work.  Houses  had  to  be  raised  15  feet  to  save  them  from  burial  beneath  the  ava- 
lanche of  tailings  and  boulders  that  was  washed  down  the  gulch.  For  a  time  Dia- 
mond City  had  a  population  of  more  than  10,000.  But  as  soon  as  the  cream  had 
been  skimmed,  the  prospectors  who  had  not  struck  it  rich  moved  on.  In  1870  the 
town  had  255  people;  in  another  12  months,  64;  by  1883  four  families  remained. 
At  length  these,  too,  departed,  and  only  a  few  foundations  remain  among  mounds 
and  ridges  of  sifted  tailings.  The  total  yield  of  Confederate  Gulch  is  estimated  to 
have  been  15  to  17  millions,  of  which  90  percent  was  produced  before  1870. 

Much  of  the  irrigated  land  between  Townsend  and  Helena  is  used  for 
growing  grain  and  hay.  There  are  also  stock  ranches  here,  some  with  inter- 
national reputations  as  producers  of  fine  horses.  Local  sales  of  registered 
stallions  bring  buyers  from  the  important  markets  of  the  United  States, 
Canada,  and  Europe. 

The  highway  crosses  numerous  tributaries  of  the  Missouri ;  along  them 
are  thick  growths  of  huckleberries,  chokecherries,  gooseberries,  service- 
berries,  and,  in  places,  wild  strawberries  and  raspberries.  Rattlesnakes  in- 
habit the  rocky  slopes  of  the  hills,  but  are  seldom  encountered  at  elevations 
of  more  than  4,500  feet.  Snake  stories  with  a  Paul  Bunyan  flavor  are  often 
heard  in  this  neighborhood. 

At  31.7  m.  US  10  crosses  the  Missouri  River,  veers  L.,  and  follows 
easier  grades. 

OLD  BEDFORD  MILL  (L),  33.9  m.,  is  on  the  site  of  the  Bedford  stage 
station  of  the  old  Helena- Virginia  City  line.  The  mill  was  active  when 
more  grain  was  grown  in  this  valley.  A  hot  spring  is  near  the  mill. 


220  TOURS 

Confederate  Gulch  (see  above)  is  visible  (R)  at  35.2  m.  The  Elkhorn 
Range  looms  (L)  above  the  broad  expanse  of  grass  and  sage.  Threaded 
with  gullies  and  canyons  that  once  contained  active  placers,  it  still  lures 
prospectors.  Like  the  Big  Belts  (R),  it  is  in  the  Helena  National  Forest. 

WINSTON,  42.8  m.  (4,375  alt,  165  pop.),  is  a  group  of  small  build- 
ings, dull  red  and  brilliant  yellow,  against  barren,  grayish  brown  moun- 
tains. 

MOUNT  HELENA  (5,462  alt.)  dominates  the  western  sky  line  at 
54.7  m.  ahead. 

At  55.3  m.  the  high  smokestack  of  the  East  Helena  smelter  is  vis- 
ible (L). 

EAST  HELENA,  57.6  m.  (3,901  alt.,  1,039  P°P-)>  *s  a  smelter  town 
with  many  foreign-born  inhabitants,  most  of  whom  came  from  the  Bal- 
kans shortly  after  1900.  During  prohibition  many  turned  to  the  home- 
brewing  practiced  in  their  native  lands;  their  products  became  so  popular 
that  a  number  left  their  jobs  at  the  smelter  to  devote  their  entire  time  to 
easing  the  dry  throats  of  the  nearby  capital.  Legislative  sessions  brought 
miniature  booms.  With  the  repeal  of  prohibition,  however,  smelting  again 
became  East  Helena's  chief  industry. 

The  LEAD  SMELTER  and  the  ZINC  RECOVERY  PLANT  (both  open  on 
application  at  office),  connected  by  a  slag  conveyor,  are  operated  jointly. 
Zinc,  lead,  gold,  and  silver  ores  from  Idaho  and  Montana  are  reduced  in 
4  furnaces  whose  united  annual  capacity  is  300,000  tons  of  ore  and  con- 
centrates. 

At  59  m.  (L)  the  twin  spires  of  St.  Helena  Cathedral  and  the  dome  of 
the  State  CAPITOL  are  seen.  Mount  Helena,  straight  ahead,  is  identified 
by  the  H  of  white  painted  rocks  on  its  eastern  slope. 

At  61.2  m.  is  a  junction  with  US  91  (see  Tour  6),  which  unites  briefly 
with  US  10  N. 

HELENA,  63.1  m.  (4,214  alt.,  11,803  pop-)  (see  HELENA). 

Points  of  Interest:  State  Capitol,  St.  Helena  Cathedral,  Lewis  and  Clark  County 
Courthouse,  Public  Library,  Carroll  College,  Algeria  Shrine  Temple,  Hill  Park, 
placer  diggings. 

Helena  is  at  the  western  junction  with  US  91  (see  Tour  6). 
At  66.4  m.  is  the  junction  with  a  graveled  road. 

1.  Right  on  this  road  to  FORT  HARRISON  (open  daily  9-7),  1  m.   (4,006  alt.), 
abandoned  in  1910,  but  reopened  as  a  training  camp  for  Montana  troops  during  the 
World  War.  The  earthquakes  of  1935-37  seriously  damaged  10  of  the  41  brick 
buildings.  About  20  of  those  remaining  are  used  by  the  National  Guard,  the  rest 
belong  to  the  Veterans  Administration  Facility.  The  main  building  has  been  made 
earthquake-resistant. 

2.  Left  from  US  loN  on  the  one-way  road,  which  circles  Mount  Helena  as  Le 
Grand  Cannon  Blvd.  and  enters  Helena  at  the  head  of  Holter  St.,  4  m.  The  route 
provides  far-reaching  views  and  along  it  are  several  picnicking  spots. 

BROADWATER  RESORT  (R),  66.5  m.,  built  in  1889  by  Col.  C.  A. 
Broadwater,  is  a  rambling  two-story  frame  structure  with  wide  porches. 
The  large  pool  (open  June  1-Sept.  1 ;  adm.  250)  is  sheltered  by  a  wooden 
structure  of  Moorish  design ;  water  is  piped  to  it  from  hot  springs  nearby. 
The  spacious  grounds  are  landscaped.  In  the  1890*5  Broadwater  was  fre- 


^  '• 


A  THRESHER 


quented  by  the  local  elite  but  in  the  following  decades  it  had  a  checkered 
career.  For  long  periods  it  stood  unused;  several  hopeful  lessees  found  it 
unprofitable;  but  after  1935  it  again  became  a  popular  roadhouse  in  Mon- 
tana. 

Right  from  Broadwater  on  an  unimproved  road  to  GREENHORN  GULCH, 
11  m.,  which  many  years  ago  held  a  populous,  important,  and  somewhat  excitable 
placer  camp.  In  April  1883  the  Territorial  Governor  telegraphed  the  postal  authori- 
ties at  Washington:  "Vigilantes  at  Greenhorn,  Montana,  have  removed  postmaster 
by  hanging  .  .  .  Office  .  .  .  now  vacant  .  .  ."  The  Northern  Pacific  flag  station, 
AUSTIN  (4,771  alt.,  78  pop.)  is  all  that  remains  of  the  settlement. 

The  GREENHOUSES  AND  NURSERY  (open  to  public),  67.2  m.,  special- 
ize in  the  development  of  flowers,  shrubs,  vegetables,  and  ornamental 
trees  suitable  for  use  in  high  land.  Plants  bloom  in  the  greenhouses  the 
year  around. 

By  the  nursery  is  Tenmile  Creek,  which  provides  most  of  Helena's 
water  supply. 

The  HELENA  TOWN  AND  COUNTRY  CLUB  (visitors'  cards  obtainable 
at  Placer  Hotel;  greens  jee  $1),  71.7  m.,  has  a  clubhouse  and  an  i8-hole 
golf  course. 

At  73.2  m.  is  the  junction  with  an  improved  road. 


222"  TOURS 

Left  on  this  gulch  road  into  the  heavily  timbered  TENMILE  CANYON,  dotted 
with  the  summer  homes  of  Helena  residents.  Some  of  the  houses  are  hidden  by  thick 
growths  of  fir,  tamarack,  and  lodgepole  pine. 

At  3  m.  is  an  improved  public  campground  (R). 

RIMINI,  7  m.  (5,192  alt.,  85  pop.),  is  the  trade  center  of  a  district  that  has 
produced  gold,  silver,  and  lead  to  the  value  of  $3,000,000.  A  few  mines  are  still 
worked  by  lessees. 

Shortly  after  the  discovery  of  its  silverlead  lodes  in  the  early  i88o's,  the  citizens 
saw  the  drama  of  Paolo  and  Francesca  da  Rimini  performed  by  a  road  company; 
they  recorded  their  approval  in  the  new  camp's  name.  Montanans  pronounce  it 
"Rim'-in-eye." 

Left  2  m.  from  Rimini  on  a  trail  to  CHESSMAN  RESERVOIR,  a  part  of  the  Helena 
water  system.  In  early  summer  the  trail  is  bordered  with  a  mass  of  wild  flowers — 
lupine,  bluebell,  shooting  star,  phlox,  aster,  wild  rose,  and  many  others. 

The  MONTANA  LEAD  MINE,  7.5  m.,  owned  by  the  estate  of  James  J.  Hill,  the 
railroad  builder,  now  makes  only  occasional  shipments  to  the  East  Helena  smelter. 
The  manager's  residence,  a  log  chalet  with  charming  grounds  bordering  the  creek, 
is  one  of  the  show  places  of  the  Helena  region. 

The  road  ascends  a  steep  grade  to  a  bench  between  tall  walls  of  lodgepole  pine. 
Red  Mountain  rises  impressively  in  the  southwest. 

The  PORPHYRY  DIKE  MINE,  12  m.,  is  in  a  region  where  great  rhyolite  flows  hold 
low-grade  gold  ore.  Only  large-scale  milling  is  profitable. 

Right  0.5  m.  from  the  Porphyry  Dike  on  a  footpath  to  the  summit  of  RED 
MOUNTAIN  (8,802  alt.),  which  gives  a  sweeping  view  westward  of  a  rugged, 
uninhabited  wilderness  that  rises  to  the  Continental  Divide. 

MAcDONALD  PASS  in  the  Continental  Divide,  79  m.  (6,323  alt.), 
was  named  for  Alexander  MacDonald,  who  until  1885,  maintained  a  toll 
road  there.  He  had  to  employ  a  full-time  crew  to  keep  the  road  in  con- 
dition; where  underground  seepage  created  bogs,  he  found  it  necessary 
to  corduroy  considerable  stretches.  The  stages  between  Helena  and  Deer 
Lodge  used  this  pass  and  it  was  the  scene  of  several  bold  mail  robberies. 

A  spring  of  clear,  cold  water  is  near  the  summit  (R)  on  the  east  slope. 
Both  slopes  are  long  and  steep  (drive  with  care).  The  views  are  dramatic. 

Left  from  MacDonald  Pass  on  a  dirt  road  to  MACDONALD  CAMPGROUND  (stoves, 
picnic  tables,  water),  0.5  m.,  in  a  forest  clearing. 

ELLISTON,  85.5  m.  (5,061  alt,  225  pop.),  is  a  trade  town  in  a  gold 
quartz-  and  placer-mining  district.  A  lime  quarry  and  a  mill  are  at  the 
base  of  a  high  hill  near  the  eastern  limits  of  town.  MOUNT  BISON 
(8,0 1 8  alt.)  rises  (L)  in  the  distance. 

Between  Elliston  and  the  junction  with  US  10  S,  the  route  follows  the 
Little  Blackfoot  River. 

AVON,  94.1  m.  (4,702  alt.,  162  pop.),  is  a  supply  point  where  cat- 
tle and  sheep  ranchers  rub  elbows  with  prospectors  and  miners. 

Right  from  Avon  on  a  graveled  road  is  FINN,  14  m.  (4,691  alt.,  17  pop.),  whose 
small  general  store  sells  almost  entirely  to  miners;  for  the  most  part  they  pay  in 
gold  dust. 

The  road  skirts  the  southern  end  and  southeastern  slopes  of  the  Flathead  Range. 

HELMVILLE,  23  m.  (4,305  alt.,  202  pop.)  (see  Tour  8),  is  at  the  junction  with 
State  31  (see  Tour  8). 

At  107.1  m.  US  10  N  and  US  10  S  join  to  become  US  10  (see  Tour  1), 
on  the  eastern  outskirts  of  GARRISON  (see  Tour  1,  sec.  d). 


TOUR   2  223 

•^  ^  -rt-  yyyyyyyyy^  ^  ^  ^  ^  ^  y  ^  ^» 


Tour  2 


(Williston,    N.    D.)—  Glasgow— Malta— Havre— Shelby— Glacier    Park 
Station — Kalispell — Libby — (Bonners  Ferry,  Idaho)  ;  US  2. 
North  Dakota  Line  to  Idaho  Line,  701.7  m. 

Great  Northern  Ry.  parallels  route  between  North  Dakota  Line  and  Columbia  Falls, 
and  between  Libby  and  Idaho  Line. 

All  types  of  accommodations  in  larger  towns.  Modern  tourist-cabin  camps  and  camp- 
grounds at  long  intervals. 

Oiled  roadbed  between  North  Dakota  Line  and  Kalispell;  between  Kalispell  and 
Idaho  Line  some  untreated  stretches  where  travel  is  difficult  in  winter  and  early 
spring.  Marias  Pass  between  Glacier  Park  Station  and  Belton  sometimes  closed  by 
drifted  snow  in  winter;  dangerous  in  all  weather  because  of  sharp  curves  and  pre- 
cipitous, unguarded  edges. 

Section  a.  NORTH  DAKOTA  LINE  to  HAVRE,  293  m.,  US  2. 

US  2,  following  the  Missouri  and  Milk  Rivers  across  the  windswept 
glaciated  plains  and  shallow  valleys  of  northern  Montana,  is  locally 
known  as  the  High-line,  and  semiofficially  as  the  Roosevelt  International 
Highway.  It  crosses  what  was  the  open  range  in  Montana's  spectacular 
cattle-raising  days.  In  recent  decades  some  high-grade  wheat  and  other 
grain  have  been  grown  here,  but  this  is  still  primarily  a  grazing  region. 
The  impressiveness  of  the  landscape  comes  from  its  sweep  of  vast  plain, 
from  which  low  buttes  rise  here  and  there  with  sharp  silhouettes. 

Between  the  towns  few  dwellings  are  seen. 

US  2  crosses  the  North  Dakota  Line,  0  m.,  19  miles  west  of  Willis- 
ton,  N.  D. 

BAINVILLE,  8.7  m.  (1,962  alt.,  400  pop.),  in  earlier  days  was  merely 
a  trading  post.  The  town,  which  was  platted  in  1906,  is  a  cluster  of  dusty 
frame  houses  and  a  brick  structure  or  two.  It,  like  many  other  towns  of 
the  region,  has  suffered  severely  during  the  years  of  drought  and  de- 
pression. 

SIGNAL  BUTTE  (L)  is  an  observation  point  that  has  been  used  by 
Indians,  trappers,  and  stockmen. 

Left  from  Bainville  11  m.  on  a  dirt  road  to  the  SITE  OF  FORT  UNION,  near  the 
junction  of  the  Missouri  and  Yellowstone  Rivers.  In  1805  the  Lewis  and  Clark  ex- 
pedition passed  this  point  in  pirogues.  Twenty-three  years  later  the  American  Fur 
Company  built  Fort  Floyd,  later  known  as  Fort  Union,  as  a  center  for  its  trade  with 
the  Assiniboine.  The  Indians  came  long  distances  by  trail  and  water  to  exchange 
beaver,  mink,  marten,  and  other  pelts  for  whiskey,  beads,  calico,  tobacco,  and — 
most  prized  of  all — smooth-bore  rifles  and  black  powder.  The  liquor  was  sold  to 
them  in  defiance  of  Federal  law,  but  greatly  helped  to  win  the  trade  that  might 
otherwise  have  gone  to  the  Hudson's  Bay  post  in  Canada.  For  protection  against 
drunken  or  marauding  tribesmen,  Fort  Union's  great  log  buildings  were  enclosed 
by  a  2o-foot  stockade  with  blockhouses  at  two  corners. 


224  TOURS 

Until  the  great  days  of  the  fur  trade  had  passed,  Fort  Union  was  eminent  among 
frontier  outposts.  From  it  Kenneth  McKenzie,  its  first  factor,  developed  and  directed 
activities  covering  a  large  region;  here,  on  June  17,  1832,  the  Yellowstone,  first 
steamboat  to  come  this  far  up  the  river,  arrived  from  St.  Louis.  Prince  Paul  of 
Wiirttemberg ;  Maximilian,  Prince  of  Wied;  Audubon,  the  naturalist;  Jim  Bridger, 
the  scout;  and  Father  De  Smet,  the  Jesuit  missionary,  were  among  those  who  visited 
the  populous  post.  In  1868  the  U.  S.  Government  purchased  and  dismantled  it,  using 
its  materials  in  the  construction  of  Fort  Buford,  8  miles  down  the  Missouri  River. 

West  of  Bainville  massive  gray  buttes  rise  from  the  river  flat,  but  they 
are  often  hidden  by  low  mists  from  the  Missouri.  Sunlight  is  bright  and 
winds  are  strong  in  this  region.  A  breeze  that  makes  a  long  chain  stand 
out  like  the  tail  of  a  kite  isn't  so  bad,  say  old-timers;  but  when  the  end 
links  start  snapping  off,  one  after  another,  it  is  safe  to  assume  that  a 
good,  stiff  blow  is  about  to  begin.  During  the  World  War  the  prairie 
here  produced  enormous  crops  of  wheat.  Some  farms  were  so  mechanized 
that  they  had  not  a  single  animal.  Huge  unwieldy  tractors  were  brought 
in  to  make  their  slow,  grinding,  and  explosive  ways  across  the  land,  plow- 
ing, harrowing,  and  sowing  in  one  operation.  The  farmers,  too  busy  with 
their  hundreds  of  acres  of  grain  to  keep  cows  or  to  garden,  bought  their 
milk  and  vegetables  in  cans.  When  grain  prices  fell  after  the  war,  the  use 
of  the  huge  tractors  was  discontinued.  Later  smaller  and  more  efficient 
ones  were  acquired. 

CULBERTSON,  22.7  m.  (1,921  alt.,  536  pop.),  is  a  grain-shipping 
point,  as  its  large  elevators  indicate  to  newcomers.  It  is  named  for  Alex- 
ander Culbertson,  who  in  1839  succeeded  Kenneth  McKenzie  as  factor  at 
Fort  Union  (see  above).  In  1879  n*s  son  Jac^  established  a  ranch  near 
here.  Just  when  or  how  the  town  came  into  existence  is  not  known,  but 
the  theory  that  there  was  a  town  gained  currency  between  1888  and  1892. 
In  the  latter  year,  however,  a  certain  Lucy  A.  Isbel  stepped  off  the  train 
and  spent  some  time  looking  for  it.  Two  log  buildings  were  not  regarded 
as  a  town  where  she  came  from. 

At  the  western  edge  of  the  village  is  a  junction  with  State  16. 

1.  Left  on  State  16  to  the  MISSOURI  RIVER  BRIDGE  (1934),  2.7  m.  From  this  steel 
structure   1,169  feet  long  and  one  of  the  finest  in  the  State,  is  viewed  a  great 
bend  of  the  tree-lined  river,  with  typical  breaks  along  the  edges  of  the  river  flat. 

2.  Right  on  State  16,  a  graveled  road  that  parallels  Big  Muddy  Creek,  is  FROID, 
13  m.  (2,026  alt.,  434  pop.),  formerly  the  home  of  John  W.  Schnitzler,  whose  wheat 
fields  covered  thousands  of  acres.  His  enthusiasm  for  aviation  obtained  an  excellent 
landing  field  for  Froid  and  the  honor  of  being  the  only  small  town  formally  visited 
by  the  great  group  flight  around  the  Nation  in  July  1928.  He  was  killed,  in  1932, 
when  his  private  plane  crashed  against  a  high  butte  near  Glasgow. 

MEDICINE  LAKE  (boats  available),  24  m.  (R),  is  a  Federal  migratory  water- 
fowl reserve.  The  village  of  MEDICINE  LAKE,  26  m.  (1,948  alt.,  384  pop.),  was 
once  Plentywood's  rival  for  the  business  of  Sheridan  County. 

At  34  m.  is  the  junction  with  a  dirt  road;  R.  here  10  m.  is  DAGMAR,  the  trade 
center  of  a  Danish  community  that  has  for  a  long  time  successfully  conducted  vari- 
ous cooperative  enterprises.  These  include  a  store,  a  coal  mine,  a  telephone  exchange, 
a  fire  insurance  company,  and  a  burial  association  providing  funerals  for  $45. 

PLENTYWOOD,  49  m.  (2,024  alt.,  1,226  pop.),  seat,  of  Sheridan  County,  is 
said  to  have  been  named,  before  it  was  settled,  by  the  foreman'of  a  cattle  outfit  who 
found  an  unexpected  hoard  of  wood  on  the  bare  prairie.  No  wood  grows  near  here 
except  small  boxelder  and  poplar. 

Plentywood  is  the  capital  of  a  grain-producing  area  whose  development  has  been 


II 


FARM  FAMILY,  NORTH  OF  MEDICINE  LAKE 


rapid  and  boisterous.  It  has  experienced  prosperity,  drought  and  starvation,  pros- 
perity, and  drought  again. 

The  people  here  have  been  notably  independent  in  politics.  They  began,  mildly 
enough,  by  supporting  the  Bull  Moose  ticket  in  1912.  In  1918  the  Non-partisan 
League  established  the  Producers  News  here,  which  under  the  editorship  of  Charles 
E.  Taylor,  helped  to  build  up  an  organization  that  on  several  occasions  attracted 
national  attention.  From  1920  to  1926  nearly  the  entire  population  of  Sheridan 
County  belonged  to  the  Farmer-Labor  Party;  in  1922  and  1924  its  ticket  filled  the 
county  offices.  The  Producers  News  had  a  staff  of  editors,  contributors,  and  collabo- 
rators that  at  one  time  included  such  people  as  Ella  Reeve  (Mother)  Bloor  and  Tom 
O'Flaherty,  brother  of  Liam  O'Flaherty,  the  Irish  author.  Between  heated  political 
campaigns  it  found  time  to  discuss  contemporary  cultural  issues,  and  made  Plenty- 
wood  for  several  years  one  of  the  best-informed  small  towns  in  the  Northwest;  but 
it  gathered  its  opposition  as  it  went  along.  The  Republicans  and  the  Democrats 
consolidated  their  forces  and  in  1926  took  advantage  of  the  theft  of  $106,000  from 
the  county  treasurer's  office  to  throw  suspicion  upon  those  in  office.  In  the  1928 
elections  the  Farmer-Labor  ticket  was  defeated;  conservatives  have  controlled  the 
county  since  then.  Nevertheless,  the  non-conformist  minority  has  been  active  from 
time  to  time  through  the  depression  years.  In  1930  about  500  citizens  of  the  county 
voted  the  Communist  Party  ticket  straight;  in  the  winter  of  1932-33  a  group  of 
militant  malcontents  took  clothing  by  force  from  the  Red  Cross  headquarters  here. 
Partly  because  of  such  occurrences,  Alfred  Miller,  an  editor  of  the  Producers  News, 
was  later  arrested  and  threatened  with  deportation  to  Germany,  his  birthplace.  In 
i937»  after  the  Producers  News  suspended  publication,  many  of  the  former  lead- 
ers left. 

Left  from  Plentywood  (straight  ahead)  on  State  5,  crossing  the  Big  Muddy  Flat 
and  passing  fantastically  carved  badlands  (R)  near  ARCHER,  63  m.  (2,064  alt., 


226  TOURS 

22  pop.).  The  EAGLE'S  NEST  (L),  82  m.,  is  a  low  basin  below  a  piskun  (see 
BEFORE  THE  WHITE  MAN). 

State  5  continues  through  level  farmland. 

SCOBEY,  94  m.  (2,450  alt.,  1,259  pop.),  is  the  seat  of  Daniels  County.  Six 
large  grain  elevators  rising  from  the  prairie  are  evidence  of  the  fertility  of  the  sur- 
rounding country.  During  the  World  War  and  the  following  boom  times,  especially 
the  years  1927-28,  Scobey  was  one  of  the  most  important  primary  wheat  markets 
in  the  Northwest.  Since  the  drought  began  the  lines  of  wagons  waiting  by  the  ele- 
vators have  been  much  shorter  than  formerly. 

Left  from  Scobey  on  State  13,  an  oiled  road  traversing  grain-  and  cattle-raising 
country  with  many  good  duck-hunting  areas. 

At  141  m.  is  a  junction  with  US  2,  7  miles  east  of  Wolf  Point  (see  below). 

At  28.5  m.  is  the  eastern  boundary  of  the  Fort  Peck  Indian  Reservation, 
home  of  the  Assiniboine  and  the  Yankton  Sioux.  The  road  here  runs 
along  the  Missouri  River  bottom  lands,  in  springtime  fragrant  with  the 
scent  of  chokecherry  blossoms  and  in  summer  shaded  by  cottonwoods. 

BROCKTON,  42.9  m.  (1,955  a^->  3°°  P°P-)>  *s  a  wind-swept  village 
on  the  prairie. 

POPLAR,  56.7  m.  (1,963  alt,  1,046  pop.),  grew  up  around  Fort  Peck, 
which  was  maintained  until  1887  to  protect  cattle  ranchers  from  hostile 
Indians.  The  town  and  the  river  that  skirts  it  were  so  named  because  of 
the  trees  along  the  banks  of  the  stream.  Before  a  bridge  spanned  the 
river,  swains  from  the  town  swam  their  horses  through  the  spring  ice 
floes,  when  going  to  court  girls  living  on  the  northern  ranches. 

In  Poplar  is  the  agency  of  the  FORT  PECK  INDIAN  RESERVATION  of 
1,525,537  acres,  created  in  1872.  Subagencies  are  at  Frazer  and  Wolf 
Point. 

The  Assiniboine,  though  they  are  now  only  two-fifths  of  the  popula- 
tion, were  the  owners  of  the  original  reservation.  Of  Siouan  stock,  they 
were  separated  from  the  Sioux  after  a  battle  near  Devils  Lake  in  legendary 
times.  The  Assiniboine  hunted  from  the  Missouri  River  to  the  Saskatch- 
ewan, and  from  the  Assiniboine  to  the  Milk.  They  felt  that  the  Yankton 
Sioux,  who  arrived  from  South  Dakota  in  1886,  were  intruders,  and 
fought  them  fiercely. 

Gauche  (Left  Hand),  chief  of  the  Assiniboine,  described  by  Father  De 
Smet  as  "crafty,  cruel,  deceitful,"  kept  his  people  at  war  with  all  their 
neighbors.  They  were  not  unfriendly  to  the  whites.  Under  Left  Hand's 
leadership  the  Indians  burned  Fort  Piegan  in  the  course  of  hostilities  with 
the  Blackfeet,  but  Gov.  Isaac  Stevens,  during  his  railroad  survey,  found 
them  friendly  and  helpful.  The  Indians  said  Stevens  "talked  straight." 

The  Sioux,  on  the  other  hand,  were  always  enemies  of  the  whites.  They 
murdered  settlers,  harassed  river  boats,  and  shot  woodcutters  along  the 
Missouri  and  the  Yellowstone.  In  its  last  years,  they  avoided  Fort  Union 
as  "bad  medicine"  and  prevented  other  tribes  from  trading  there.  Under 
their  great  chiefs,  Sitting  Bull  and  Gall,  they  were  continuously  on  the 
warpath  until  the  United  States  finally  forced  them  to  surrender. 

Of  the  2,900  Indians  on  the  reservation  half  are  full-bloods.  The  mem- 
bers of  the  two  tribes  live  in  separate  communities,  and  their  languages 
are  so  different  that  intertribal  communication  is  in  English. 

For  years  the  Assiniboine  filed  claims  against  the  Government  for  tak- 


AN  EASTERN  MONTANA  FARMER 


228  TOURS 

ing  their  land  and  were  eventually  awarded  $4,000,000.  Both  tribes  are 
moderately  well-to-do  and  progressive.  Their  chief  income  is  rental  from 
grazing  lands.  Under  the  original  allotments  each  Indian  received  320 
acres  of  grazing  land,  40  of  irrigable  land,  and  20  of  timber,  mostly 
along  streams.  When  the  reservation  was  opened  to  settlers,  homestead 
fees  went  into  the  tribal  funds.  About  150  earn  money  by  making  moc- 
casins, beadwork,  baskets,  willow  canes,  and  the  like.  About  900  chil- 
dren are  (1939)  in  the  public  schools,  and  25  youths  are  in  college. 

In  1935  the  Sioux  and  Assiniboine  rejected  the  Wheeler-Howard  self- 
governing  act,  preferring  the  rule  of  an  executive  board  under  the  direc- 
tion of  the  Indian  agent.  Two  board  members  are  elected  from  each  of 
six  districts,  a  chairman  and  other  officials  at  large. 

The  Assiniboine,  like  other  Indians,  have  suffered  seriously  from  white 
men's  diseases.  In  1837-38  an  epidemic  of  smallpox  nearly  wiped  out  the 
tribe.  It  is  said  that  the  infection  was  carried  to  them  by  a  blanket  a  tribes- 
man stole  from  a  white  sufferer  on  a  river  steamer.  Today  less  than  5  per- 
cent have  tuberculosis  (about  1890  the  most  dreaded  disease)  but  badly 
balanced  diets,  composed  chiefly  of  "store  food"  have  lowered  the  re- 
sistance of  many.  A  Government  hospital  and  two  physicians  furnish 
medical  care. 

The  ancient  grass,  victory,  and  rain  dances  are  performed  whenever  the 
council  decides,  but  the  sun  dance  is  held  annually,  June  3O-July  4.  Like 
all  Indian  dances  (see  sec.  b),  this  one  has  religious  significance.  Most  of 
the  dancers  wear  the  feathered  headdress  and  beaded  garments,  but  a 
few,  brightly  painted,  wear  only  a  G  string.  They  dance  facing  the  sun 
and  a  pole  carved  with  symbols  of  forked  lightning,  sunrays,  and  moon- 
beams. Nearby  are  the  sun-dance  poles  of  past  years.  The  Federal  Gov- 
ernment has  forbidden  the  extreme  self-torture  formerly  indulged  in,  but 
the  participants  still  dance  all  day  without  taking  food  or  water.  (Visitors 
with  cameras  permitted  to  witness  dance;  no  set  admittance  fee,  but  gifts 
of  money  are  expected.) 

At  71.5  m.  US  2  intersects  State  13  (see  above). 

WOLF  POINT,  78.6  m.  (2,004  alt.,  1,539  P°P-)>  seat  of  Roosevelt 
County,  still  exhibits  the  vigor  of  its  early  days,  when  it  was  a  cattle  town. 
It  was  named  for  a  high  hill  (R)  that  was  a  landmark  for  steamboat 
pilots.  The  Wolf  Point  Stampede,  a  first-rate  rodeo,  is  held  each  year  in 
July.  The  town  has  a  radio  broadcasting  station,  KGCX  (1310  kc.). 

West  of  Wolf  Point  US  2  traverses  rolling  moraines,  debris  left  by  the 
Wisconsin  ice  sheet  (see  NATURAL  SETTING). 

OSWEGO,  90.6  m.  (2,026  alt,  150  pop.),  was  named  by  early  set- 
tlers from  Oswego,  N.  Y.  It  consists  of  scattered  buildings  that  escaped 
the  flames  of  a  devastating  fire.  Old-timers'  reunions  are  popular  summer 
events  here.  The  oldsters,  wearing  the  garb  of  the  i88o's  and  1 890*5, 
mingle  with  members  of  the  third  generation.  In  the  evening  all  dance 
the  lively  two-step  and  polka,  to  music  furnished  by  local  fiddlers.  Be- 
tween dances  the  settlers  swap  yarns  of  the  days  when  they  rode  the  range. 

Just  west  of  Oswego  is  an  INDIAN  CEMETERY  with  graves  above  the 
ground. 


TOUR    2  229 

By  day,  FRAZER,  98.2  m.  (2,068  alt,  300  pop.),  is  announced  by  tall 
grain  elevators  that  indicate  the  reason  for  its  existence.  At  night  a  few 
neon  signs  break  the  intense  darkness  of  the  prairie.  Ancient  horse-drawn 
rigs  move  down  the  street  beside  streamlined  automobiles. 

The  observation  tower  above  Fort  Peck  Dam  is  visible  (L)  at  107  m. 

US  2  here  leaves  the  Missouri  to  follow  Milk  River,  the  most  impor- 
tant stream  of  north  central  Montana.  It  was  so  named  by  Capt.  Meri- 
wether  Lewis  because  of  the  whiteness  of  its  waters. 

NASHUA,  114.5  m.  (2,068  alt,  351  pop.),  is  sheltered  by  a  high 
butte  (R)  that  in  winter  provides  excellent  opportunities  for  skiing  and 
tobogganing.  The  town,  at  the  confluence  of  Milk  River  and  Porcupine 
Creek,  is  at  the  western  boundary  of  the  Fort  Peck  Indian  Reservation.  Its 
population  has  doubled  since  1933  because  of  construction  work  on  Fort 
Peck  Dam. 

Nashua  is  the  junction  with  the  improved  dirt  Fort  Peck  Dam  road 
(see  Tour  10A). 

GLASGOW,  129  m.  (2,095  alt->  2>2I6  pop.),  the  seat  of  Valley 
County,  is  one  of  the  oldest  communities  in  northeastern  Montana;  since 
the  beginning  of  construction  at  Fort  Peck  Dam,  it  has  been  one  of  the 
busiest.  Everywhere  is  evidence  of  prosperity;  the  population  more  than 
doubled  between  1933  and  1937.  Streams  of  people  arrive  and  depart 
daily  on  business  connected  with  the  dam  development.  Hotels  and  tourist 
cabins  are  crowded. 

The  town  came  into  existence  in  1887  during  the  building  of  the  Great 
Northern  Ry.,  which  at  first  called  it  Siding  45 — it  had  the  forty-fifth  sid- 
ing west  of  Minot,  N.  D.  When  it  was  platted  in  the  following  year  it 
was  named  in  honor  of  Glasgow,  Scotland.  By  July  1888  it  consisted  of 
8  saloons,  3  restaurants,  and  i  store — all  but  2  housed  in  tents.  During 
this  rather  feverish  period  Charles  Hall,  the  first  settler,  sold  most  of  the 
town  site  without  the  formality  of  ownership. 

In  time  Glasgow  became  the  cattle-,  sheep-,  and  grain-shipping  center 
of  an  extensive  area  but  it  did  not  have  much  other  importance  until 
September  1932,  when  two  U.  S.  Army  engineers  took  its  mayor  out  along 
the  Missouri  River,  and  spoke  casually  about  building  a  dam.  "Why,  it 
would  cost  a  million  dollars!"  gasped  the  mayor.  "Yes,"  said  the  engi- 
neers, "probably  75  million."  The  project  was  approved,  a  half  dozen 
shanty  towns  mushroomed  nearby,  and  Glasgow  shook  itself  awake  to  the 
fact  that  it  was  to  be,  for  a  few  years  at  least,  a  small  metropolis.  The  life 
that  immediately  began  fermenting  in  and  around  it  almost  put  to  shame 
the  hell-roaring  activities  of  its  frontier  days.  The  magazine  Life,  in  its 
first  issue  (1936),  presented  a  pictorial  record  of  the  revival  of  a  wild 
west  atmosphere.  (Frequent  bus  service  to  dam;  two  planes  make  flights 
over  dam  area.) 

At  Glasgow  is  the  junction  with  State  22  (see  Tour  10). 

HINSDALE,  158.8  m.  (2,182  alt,  359  pop.),  like  many  High-line 
towns,  has  a  brick  school  on  Main  St.  that  is  its  most  imposing  structure 
and  the  center  of  civic  and  social  activities. 


230  TOURS 

SACO,  172.7  m.  (2,184  a^-»  5°°  P°P-)>  owns  its  own  natural  gas  sys- 
tem. Its  gas  rate  is  the  lowest  in  the  State. 

The  irrigated  loam  of  Milk  River  Valley  produces  sugar  beets,  alfalfa, 
bluejoint  hay,  and  small  grains. 

LAKE  BOWDOIN  (L),  184.7  m.,  is  in  a  widespreading  area  of 
swamps  and  pools  that  formerly  provided  the  best  duck-hunting  in  the 
State.  In  1936  it  became  a  Federal  refuge  for  migratory  birds. 

The  brushlahds  of  Milk  River  Valley  shelter  Chinese  pheasants,  Hun- 
garian partridges,  grouse,  sage  hens,  and  cottontail  and  snowshoe  rabbits. 
Deer  live  in  the  breaks  of  the  larger  streams  and  antelope  range  on  the 
south  side  of  Milk  River.  Jack  rabbits  and  prairie  dogs  are  so  numerous 
that  they  are  farm  and  ranch  pests ;  coyotes  maintain  their  number  despite 
a  bounty  offered  for  their  destruction. 

At  186.7  m.  is  the  junction  with  a  dirt  road. 

Right  on  this  road  to  the  AMERICAN  LEGION  HEALTH  POOL,  4  m.,  on  the  storage 
grounds  of  the  Milk  River  irrigation  project.  It  has  a  warm  plunge,  60  feet  wide,  and 
80  long,  and  hot  baths  (open  8  a.m.  to  midnight;  adm.  10$).  While  drilling  an  oil 
well  in  1924,  workmen  struck  highly  mineralized  water  at  3,200  feet;  gas  bubbling 
up  through  the  water  became  ignited;  and  for  6  years  visitors  saw  "burning  water." 
In  1930  the  local  American  Legion  post  obtained  authority  from  Congress  to  use 
the  water  for  curative  and  recreational  purposes. 

Throughout  this  region  the  "sodbuster"  tradition  is  of  relatively  recent 
origin.  As  late  as  1916  homesteaders  arrived  with  horses,  wagons,  plows, 
stoves,  bedding,  and  small  grubstakes.  Since  there  was  no  timber  and  they 
could  not  afford  to  buy  lumber,  the  newcomers  plowed  up  sod  and  laid 
slabs  of  it  in  tiers  over  pole  frameworks  to  form  dwellings.  Some  sod  huts 
still  stand  in  outlying  districts,  though  they  are  seldom  used  for  human 
habitation. 

MALTA,  200.6  m.  (2,254  alt.,  1,342  pop.),  seat  of  Phillips  County, 
was  named  for  the  island  in  the  Mediterranean.  Its  present  drabness  and 
apathy  give  no  hint  that  from  1870  to  1900  it  was  the  center  of  a  cattle 
empire  that  reached  from  Glasgow  to  Havre,  and  from  the  Missouri  River 
breaks  to  the  Canadian  Border.  Owners  of  four  famous  brands — Phillips, 
Coburn,  Matador,  and  Phelps — controlled  this  range  and  the  Bearpaw 
pool. 

A  ranch  at  Brookside,  about  30  miles  southwest  of  Malta,  was  the  home 
of  two  brothers,  Wallace  and  Walt  Coburn.  Wallace,  a  friend  of  Charles 
M.  Russell  (see  THE  ARTS),  published  a  book  of  cowboy  poems  that 
Russell  illustrated.  Walt  is  a  writer  of  western  yarns. 

The  large  boulder  in  Malta's  city  park,  opposite  the  Great  Northern  Ry. 
station,  resembles  a  sleeping  buffalo.  Until  1934  it  was  a  prominent  land- 
mark of  a  place  25  miles  northeast  of  here.  Generations  of  Assiniboine 
revered  it;  the  curious  markings  on  it  played  a  part  in  their  tribal  ritual. 

Many  of  Charles  M.  Russell's  pictures  were  produced  in  and  near  this 
town. 

DODSON,  219-9  m.  (2,291  alt.,  249  pop.),  was  named  for  a  merchant 
who  conducted  a  well-patronized  trading  post  and  saloon  here,  before  the 
building  of  the  Great  Northern  Ry.  Local  legend  commemorates  "Peanut" 
Parson,  a  bachelor  who  ate  his  peas  with  a  knife  ground  to  the  keenness 


TOUR    2  231 

of  a  razor  blade.  An  easterner  who  spent  two  weeks  with  Peanut  in  1911, 
was  about  to  object  to  this  dangerous  habit,  when  Peanut  leaned  apolo- 
getically across  the  table:  "Pardner,"  he  protested  mildly,  "every  time 
you  put  that  there  fork  in  your  mouth  I  shiver  in  my  boots  for  fear  you'll 
punch  a  hole  plumb  through  your  tongue." 

Between  Dodson  and  Fort  Belknap,  US  2  traverses  the  northern  end  of 
the  FORT  BELKNAP  INDIAN  RESERVATION  (620,330  acres;  created  1887). 

At  245.2  m.  (L)  is  the  FORT  BELKNAP  AGENCY.  The  Gros  Ventre 
and  the  Assiniboine,  formerly  enemies,  have  lived  amicably  together  for 
many  years  on  this  reservation,  and  have  had  no  external  conflicts  since 
1887,  when  they  made  peace  with  the  Canadian  Bloods.  The  758  Gros 
Ventre  (Big  Bellies)  and  672  Assiniboine,  or  Mountain  Sioux,  are  thrifty 
and  industrious. 

The  present  Gros  Ventre  are  remnants  of  the  Gros  Ventre  of  the 
Prairie,  a  branch  of  the  Arapahoe  that  came  into  Montana  in  the  early 
nineteenth  century.  They  lived  along  the  north  bank  of  the  Missouri  River 
until  driven  across  it  by  the  Cree  in  1872.  The  Assiniboine  take  pride  in 
their  Sioux  origin,  but  intermarry  with  the  adaptable  Gros  Ventre. 

Members  of  both  tribes  raise  excellent  cattle,  including  some  blooded 
stock,  and  are  among  the  most  successful  Indian  stock  growers  in  Mon- 
tana. Surplus  grazing  land  is  leased  to  sheep-growers.  Late  June  is  shear- 
ing time  (see  Tour  1).  Some  communal  activities  are  carried  on,  though 
the  land  is  held  and  exploited  under  individual  allotments. 

Fort  Belknap  Indians  have  abandoned  such  ancient  customs  as  arbi- 
trary rule  by  a  chief,  and  the  servitude  of  women.  They  are  deeply  re- 
ligious and,  though  many  are  Protestants  or  Roman  Catholics,  they  con- 
tinue to  perform  a  modified  Sun  Dance  annually  at  the  agency  (July  1-2; 
visitors  permitted).  At  their  annual  fair,  usually  held  in  September  at 
Hays  ( see  Tour  2 A)  these  Indians  exhibit  splendid  horsemanship. 

About  300  Chippewa-Cree  who  have  never  surrendered  their  land 
rights  to  the  Government,  live  on  and  near  the  Fort  Belknap  Reserva- 
tion. Poor,  unrecognized  as  a  tribe,  a  perplexing  problem  to  social  and 
relief  agencies,  these  Indians  are  making  a  claim  of  usurpation  against 
the  Government  and  asking  compensation  for  the  loss  of  their  lands. 
Smaller  remnants  of  various  tribes  are  scattered  over  the  State ;  some  have 
been  given  homes  on  the  Rocky  Boy  Reservation  (see  Tour  14). 

A  favorite  among  Fort  Belknap  Indians  is  Coming  Day,  who  in  1937 
was  more  than  eighty  years  old  and  still  maintained  his  reputation  for 
fearlessness.  In  his  prime  he  rode  joyously  in  the  white  man's  "devil-bug," 
that  sputtered  and  smoked  and  traveled  like  wind  without  the  use  of 
ponies.  In  August  1936  he  boarded  the  white  man's  "thunder  bird"  dur- 
ing the  reservation  fair  and  waved  gaily  to  his  quaking  comrades.  When 
the  plane  was  at  an  altitude  of  several  thousand  feet  he  exhorted  the 
pilot  in  the  Gros  Ventre  tongue  to  go  higher.  "As  yet,"  he  shouted  scorn- 
fully, "we  are  not  to  the  height  where  flies  the  common  magpie!" 

At  Fort  Belknap  Agency  is  the  junction  with  the  Zortman  Road  (see 
Tour  2 A). 

HARLEM,  249.4  m.  (2,371  alt.,  708  pop.),  lies  in  a  coulee  (valley) 


232  TOURS 

shaded  and  sheltered  by  cottonwoods.  Modern  brick  buildings  intrude 
among  the  wooden  structures  of  pioneer  times.  It  is  said  that  its  first 
post  office  was  a  shoe  box  on  the  counter  of  a  general  store.  When  the 
volume  of  mail  became  too  great  for  the  shoe  box,  an  empty  beer  case 
fitted  with  pigeonholes  took  its  place. 

Harlem  is  the  trading  center  for  the  Fort  Belknap  Reservation,  and  its 
streets  are  often  enlivened  by  the  presence  of  Indians  in  bright  and 
complicated  mixtures  of  white  and  native  dress.  Under  an  unbuttoned 
vest,  a  buck  may  wear  a  rose-decorated  corset  with  dangling  straps  and 
buckles.  Some  squaws  drape  their  shoulders  with  yards  of  brilliant  calico. 
These,  however,  are  the  costumes  of  individualists.  A  buck  usually  wears 
a  broad-brimmed  hat  over  his  braids,  a  faded  shirt,  corduroy  trousers,  and 
boots,  shoes,  or  moccasins.  Bright  hair  ribbons  are  worn  by  both  buck 
and  squaw. 

Formerly  a  sheepherders'  convention  was  held  here  annually.  At  the 
last  one  (1922)  the  herders  organized  a  union. 

ZURICH,  261.3  m.  (2,410  alt.,  305  pop.),  is  a  small  trading  center 
and  shipping  point  in  the  sugar-beet  area. 

The  CHINOOK  SUGAR  REFINERY,  270.3  m.  (L),  the  fourth  largest  in 
Montana,  has,  since  1925,  introduced  a  thriving  industry  into  this  region 
(see  INDUSTRY  AND  COMMERCE).  The  Mexican  and  Filipino  labor- 
ers employed  in  the  beet  fields  as  thinners  and  toppers  gather  about  the 
nearby  shacks  after  the  day's  work  to  play  guitars  and  sing. 

CHINOOK,  271.3  m.  (2,310  alt.,  1,320  pop.),  seat  of  Blaine  County, 
bears  the  Indian  name  for  the  winds  that,  by  melting  the  snow  in  January 
or  February  and  letting  cattle  through  to  the  rich  bunch  grass,  have  saved 
many  a  stockman  from  disaster.  It  was  Charles  M.  Russell's  postcard  pic- 
ture of  a  starving  range  cow,  Waiting  for  a  Chinook  (The  Last  of  Five 
Thousand),  that  first  won  him  recognition  as  an  artist  (see  THE  ARTS). 

The  PUBLIC  LIBRARY,  Ohio  Ave.  and  6th  St.,  contains  reproductions  of 
several  Russell  sculptures. 

The  MUNICIPAL  SWIMMING  POOL  (open  fuly-Aug.)  is  at  Pennsylvania 
Ave.  and  8th  St. 

Left  from  Chinook  on  Central  Ave.,  which  becomes  a  dirt  road,  to  the  NEZ 
PERCE  BATTLEGROUND,  16  m.,  north  of  the  low,  isolated  Bearpaw  Mountains.  A 
granite  monument  marks  the  spot  where  Chief  Joseph,  the  Indian  military  genius, 
surrendered  to  Gen.  Nelson  A.  Miles  after  the  Battle  of  the  Bear's  Paw  (October 
1877). 

Joseph  had  led  his  followers  in  a  masterly  retreat  from  Idaho  (see  HISTORY). 
Here  in  the  Bearpaw  country,  which  they  thought  was  in  Canada,  they  made  camp 
with  their  wounded.  The  mistake  was  discovered  when  General  Miles  attacked  on 
September  30.  A  4-day  battle  forced  Joseph  to  make  a  decision — he  must  either 
surrender,  or  abandon  the  wounded,  the  old  women,  and  the  children. 

"Hear  me,"  he  said  to  the  white  commander.  "I  am  tired.  My  heart  is  sick  and 
sad.  Our  chiefs  are  dead;  the  little  children  are  freezing.  My  people  have  no  blan- 
kets, no  food.  From  where  the  sun  stands,  I  will  fight  no  more  forever." 

The  surrender  marked  the  end  of  the  major  Indian  wars  in  the  United  States. 
The  remaining  Nez  Perces  were  taken  first  to  Bismarck,  N.  D.,  then  to  Leavenworth, 
Kans.  In  1884  they  were  placed  on  the  Colville  Reservation  in  Washington. 

LOHMAN,  279.4  m.  (2,445  ait>  63  P°P-)>  is  in  a  section  where  nat- 


prc 

= 


TOUR    2  233 

ural  gas  is  plentiful  and  where  the  seepage  near  springs  is  often  ignited. 
Indian  superstition  once  made  much  of  the  "fire  that  comes  out  of  the 
ground." 

HAVRE,  293  m.  (2,486  alt.,  6,372  pop.),  seat  of  Hill  County,  shows 
what  careful  planning  went  into  its  rebuilding  after  a  great  fire  in  1892. 
The  presence  of  the  students  of  Northern  Montana  College  give  it  an  air 
of  youth  and  sprightliness. 

The  town  came  into  existence  in  1887,  when  James  J.  Hill,  for. whom 
Hill  County  is  named,  sent  his  railroad-construction  camp  westward  to 
this  point;  finding  plenty  of  good  water  here,  he  decided  to  build  a 
branch  southward  to  Great  Falls  from  this  point  rather  than  from  one  in 
the  dry  region  to  the  west,  as  he  had  planned.  Great  Northern  officials 
named  the  town  for  the  French  city  Le  Havre,  but  its  citizens  have  always 
pronounced  it  Hav-ver.  It  developed  as  a  railroad  division  point  and 
stock-shipping  center. 

Havre  is  popularly  known  as  the  coldest  place  in  the  United  States,  but 
local  patriots  declare  this  a  misconception  arising  from  the  publicity  given 
to  the  readings  of  the  U.  S.  Weather  Bureau  station  here.  The  climatic 
extremes  of  the  region,  coupled  with  the  distances  between  towns,  make 
it  easy  to  understand  the  development  of  a  tradition  of  hospitality.  In 
early  days  neighborly  cooperation  was  essential  to  survival. 

NORTHERN  MONTANA  COLLEGE  (1929),  along  State  29  in  the  south- 
western part  of  the  city,  is  a  junior  college  and  a  unit  of  the  University  of 
Montana.  It  offers  two-year  courses  in  the  liberal  arts  and  in  pre- 
professional  studies.  First  housed  in  the  high  school,  in  1932  it  was  moved 
to  a  remodeled  building  on  a  6o-acre  campus.  Between  1932  and  1937 

ree  buildings  were  added  and  the  grounds  were  landscaped,  partly  with 

ief  labor.  The  new  buildings,  of  modern  functional  design,  are  con- 

ructed  of  brick  made  in  Havre.  The  school  has  a  stadium  seating  7,000, 
and  an  open-air  theater  with  a  large  stage. 

At  the  annual  Music  Festival  in  May  more  than  50  bands  and  1,500 

usicians  from  all  parts  of  the  State  compete.  The  event  culminates  in  a 

ncert  held  in  the  stadium. 

The  MUNICIPAL  SWIMMING  POOL  (open  10-8:30;  suits  25$)  is  on 
.th  St.  between  7th  and  8th  Aves. 

The  HILL  COUNTY  FAIRGROUNDS  (fair  in  August)  are  i  mile  north- 
west of  town  on  State  29.  The  race  track,  one  of  the  best  in  Montana,  is 
the  scene  of  races  between  fast  horses  from  several  western  States  and 
from  Canada. 

At  Havre  is  the  junction  with  State  29  (see  Tour  14). 

Section  b.  HAVRE  to  BROWNING  JUNCTION,  777.7  m.,  US  2. 

Between  Havre  and  Browning  Junction  US  2  traverses  plains  that  are 
for  the  most  part  bare  and,  in  dry  years,  desolate.  Stock  range  and  wheat 
farms  fill  the  area  east  of  the  sudden  upthrust  of  the  Rocky  Mountains. 

In  general,  towns  along  the  route  present  hybrid  appearances,  with, 
side  by  side,  the  weather-beaten  buildings  of  the  old  range  days  and  the 


234  TOURS 

cheap  modern  structures  holding  chain  stores  and  filling  stations.  On 
spurs  near  the  railroad  depots  are  grain  elevators  and  cattle- loading  pens. 
Homes  scatter  away  from  a  single  short  business  block,  or  from  the  gen- 
eral store,  the  school,  and  the  church  clustered  at  a  cross  road. 

West  of  HAVRE,  0  m.,  at  4  m.  is  (L)  the  HAVRE  COUNTRY  CLUB 
(greens  fee  weekdays  50$,  Sun.  $1). 

FRESNO,  13.9  m.  (2,690  alt.,  12  pop.),  is,  in  the  Montana  vernacular, 
"a  wide  spot  in  the  road."  It  consists  of  a  general  store,  a  railroad  station, 
and  a  few  houses.  In  the  store  is  a  collection  of  relics  of  pioneer  Montana. 

KREMLIN,  19-4  m.  (2,832  alt,  85  pop.),  is  said  to  have  been  so 
named  by  Russian  settlers  because  they  saw  the  citadel  of  Moscow  in  the 
mirages  that  appear  on  the  surrounding  prairie.  On  the  unplowed  lands 
along  the  highway  grows  short  but  highly  nutritious  buffalo  grass.  Some 
of  the  more  prosperous  ranchers  of  the  vicinity  lease  their  idle  lands; 
others  in  the  fall  buy  up  as  many  cattle  and  sheep  as  they  can  afford  to 
winter  on  the  prairie.  Thus  when  grain  crops  are  poor,  or  prices  low,  they 
are  assured  of  a  moderate  cash  income. 

GILFORD,  30.9  m.  (2,830  alt.,  250  pop.),  and  HINGHAM,  35.9  m. 
(3,036  alt.,  251  pop.),  are  storage  and  shipping  points  for  stock  and 
grain. 

At  41.9  m.  is  the  junction  with  a  graded  road. 

Right  on  this  road  is  RUDYARD,  0.1  m.  (3,112  alt.,  165  pop.),  named  for  Rud- 
yard  Kipling. 

At  48.1  m.  is  the  junction  with  a  graded  road. 

Right  on  this  road  is  INVERNESS,  0.1  m.  (3,306  alt.,  137  pop.),  named  by 
"Scotty"  Watson,  pioneer  stockman,  in  memory  of  his  native  town  in  Scotland. 

CHESTER,  61.7  m.  (3,283  alt.,  387  pop.),  seat  of  Liberty  County,  is 
on  the  bank  of  Cottonwood  Creek  at  the  place  where  ranchers  of  the 
i88o's  paused  to  rest  on  the  long  drive  to  the  railhead  at  Minot,  N.  D. 

West  of  Chester  the  Sweetgrass  Hills  (see  Tour  6,  Sec.  a)  are  prom- 
inent (R)  on  the  horizon. 

LOTHAIR,  74.9  m.  (3,308  alt.,  150  pop.),  is  in  the  midst  of  unde- 
veloped oil  and  natural-gas  fields. 

GALATA,  81.7  m.  (3,096  alt.,  75  pop.),  a  trading  point  and  cattle- 
shipping  station,  has  a  history  somewhat  similar  to  that  of  many  small 
High-line  towns.  In  1901  David  R.  McGinnis,  first  immigration  agent  of 
the  Great  Northern  Ry.,  impressed  by  the  beauty  of  the  spot  where  Galata 
Creek,  a  dry  wash  (stream  bed  without  water)  crossed  the  railroad  tracks, 
filed  claim  to  the  land,  and  engaged  a  surveyor  to  lay  out  a  town.  A  year 
later  he  brought  carpenters  and  lumber  from  Kalispell,  and  built  a  two- 
room  house.  Until  1904,  when  it  burned,  stock  shippers  were  glad  to 
crowd  into  the  tiny  rooms  during  cold  winter  days,  but  no  one  followed 
the  lead  of  the  city's  founder  by  buying  land  or  building  houses.  In  1905 
McGinnis  began  an  earnest  effort  to  make  Galata's  urban  existence  a  real- 
ity. He  built  a  two-room  real  estate  office  and  an  eight-room  hotel ;  he  in- 
duced a  storekeeper  to  come  here  and,  when  the  man  lacked  funds  to  erect 
a  store,  allowed  him  to  use  a  room  in  the  real  estate  office.  In  those  days  a 


TOUR   2  235 

rancher  would  drive  in  with  a  chuck  wagon,  load  up  $500  or  $1,000 
worth  of  supplies,  pay  in  cash,  and  return  home  grubstaked  for  a  long 
winter.  Only  a  few  customers  were  necessary  to  maintain  a  thriving  busi- 
ness. Nevertheless,  Galata's  merchant  closed  his  shop  within  a  few  years 
and  the  hotel  was  abandoned. 

One  day  McGinnis,  living  in  Kalispell,  was  astonished  to  receive  a 
check  for  back  rent  on  the  store.  A  cowhand  had  moved  in,  and  was  do- 
ing a  fair  business  among  the  dry-land  farmers  who  had  settled  on  the 
former  range.  In  1910  Galata  had  four  lumberyards  and  five  stores.  Dur- 
ing the  wartime  boom  settlers  came  into  the  area  in  droves,  but  with  its 
collapse  many  of  them  went  away. 

In  1925  the  town  made  an  effort  to  ride  to  importance  on  the  oilfield 
band  wagon.  A  full-page  advertisement  in  the  achievement  edition  of  the 
Shelby  Promoter  extolled  Galata  as  the  center  of  an  agricultural  paradise, 
and  pointed  out  that  it  was  the  "city"  nearest  the  new  Liberty  oil  dome. 
Unfortunately,  the  Liberty  dome  was  far  out  on  the  east  flank  of  the 
Sweetgrass  Arch,  and  all  the  wells  drilled  into  it  were  dry. 

US  2  winds  down  a  steep  descent  into  Shelby  Coulee,  a  preglacial 
valley. 

SHELBY,  106.8  m.  (3,283  alt.,  2,004  pop-)>  seat  of  Toole  County, 
is  strung  out  along  a  narrow  main  street  that  parallels  the  Great  Northern 
Ry.  tracks.  It  has  developed  through  a  succession  of  booms — the  cattle 
boom  of  the  i88o's,  the  dry-land  boom  of  the  early  2Oth  century,  and  the 
oil  boom  of  the  1920'$. 

The  town  came  into  existence  in  1891,  when  the  builders  of  the  Great 
Northern,  forging  across  the  prairies  toward  Marias  Pass,  threw  off  a  box- 
car at  the  cross  trails  in  the  coulee  and  named  it  Shelby  Junction  for  Peter 
P.  Shelby,  general  manager  of  the  Great  Northern  in  Montana.  The  man- 
ager, thus  honored,  is  said  to  have  remarked:  "That  mudhole,  God- 
forsaken place,  .  .  .  will  never  amount  to  a  damn!" 

But  Shelby  became  the  distributing  center  for  a  trade  area  extending 
50  to  75  miles  in  every  direction.  Chuck  wagons  drove  in  from  the  south, 
from  points  up  and  down  the  Marias  River,  and  from  the  Sweetgrass  Hills 
to  the  north,  and  went  out  loaded  with  supplies.  Cowboys  and  sheep- 
herders,  after  months  on  the  range,  rode  in  for  a  fling  at  the  honky-tonk 
night  life.  In  the  late  1890'$  Shelby  was  the  sort  of  town  that  producers 
of  western  movies  have  ever  since  been  trying  to  reproduce  in  papier- 
mache.  Yet  this  wild  and  woolly  place  with  its  spurs  and  chaps  and  ten- 
gallon  hats  never  had  any  stockyards.  Stock  was  loaded  a  few  miles  down 
the  track  near  Galata — at  a  safe  distance  from  Shelby. 

In  1893  the  town  playboys  were  featured  in  the  Police  Gazette  after 
holding  up  an  opera  troupe  passing  through  on  a  railroad  train.  The 
various  versions  of  the  story  agree  that  they  shot  out  the  engine  head- 
light, the  car  windows,  and  the  red  signal  lights,  and  forced  the  conductor 
to  execute  a  clog  dance. 

In  1921  Gordon  Campbell,  the  geologist  who  discovered  oil  in  Mon- 
tana, drilled  successfully  near  Kevin,  about  8  miles  north  of  the  town 
(see  Tour  6),  and  before  long  the  Kevin-Sunburst  field,  reaching  from 


236  TOURS 

Shelby  to  the  Canadian  Border,  was  notable.  Shelby's  population  increased 
by  leaps  and  bounds  and  money  flowed  freely.  Some  citizens,  yearning  for 
more  front-page  publicity,  suggested  the  promotion  of  a  heavyweight 
championship  fight  between  Jack  Dempsey  and  Tommy  Gibbons.  The 
idea,  first  put  forward  as  a  joke,  struck  Shelby's  fancy.  Negotiations  were 
opened,  and  at  length  the  fight  was  scheduled  for  July  4,  1923.  The  town 
built  an  arena  designed  to  hold  45,000  cash  customers;  unfortunately 
only  7,000  attended.  The  local  promoters  took  it  on  the  chin,  along  with 
Gibbons,  who  didn't  get  a  nickel  for  the  beating.  A  gaudy  signboard 
marks  the  spot  where  the  arena  stood. 

At  Shelby  is  the  junction  with  US  91  (see  lour  6). 

Stockmen  of  this  area  once  boasted  of  driving  cattle  from  Shelby  to  the 
North  Dakota  Line  without  cutting  a  fence.  The  dry-land  settlers,  with 
their  32o-acre  tracts,  changed  this;  the  remaining  unfenced  ranges  are 
few  and  relatively  small. 

The  large  ABSORPTION  PLANT  (not  open  to  visitors),  126.2  m.,  ex- 
tracts high-test  gasoline  from  natural  gas.  Gas  enters  the  plant  at  pipe- 
line pressure — 350  pounds  to  the  square  inch — and  is  heated  in  great 
tanks  and  coils  to  700  pounds  pressure,  at  which  point  the  gasoline  is 
precipitated. 

CUT  BANK,  130.2  m.  (3,740  alt.,  845  pop.),  seat  of  Glacier  County, 
is  the  booming  center  of  Montana's  youngest  oil  and  gas  fields.  Great 
steel  drums  and  stilted  tanks  tower  above  it.  Gas  piped  from  this  region 
is  used  in  the  homes  of  Great  Falls,  Helena,  Butte,  and  Anaconda,  and  has 
replaced  pulverized  coal  in  the  copper-reduction  plants.  The  Blackfeet  de- 
scribed the  stream  that  flows  through  the  town  as  "the  river  that  cuts  into 
the  white  clay  banks."  From  this,  white  men  derived  the  name  Cut  Bank. 

Right  from  Cut  Bank  on  a  dirt  road  to  the  CUT  BANK  OIL  AND  GAS  FIELD  (see 
INDUSTRY  and  COMMERCE).  Wells,  oil  derricks,  and  pumps  are  scattered  over 
the  prairie  for  16  miles.  Gas  comes  out  of  the  ground  so  cold  that  it  forms  inch- 
deep  ice  on  the  piping.  The  flow  is  registered  by  large  meters.  Oil  must  be  pumped 
into  feeder  lines;  as  many  as  6  and  7  wells  are  pumped  from  one  power  plant.  One 
4-inch  pipe  line  leads  to  Sweetgrass  (see  Tour  6,  Sec.  a)  on  the  Canadian  Border, 
where  the  oil  is  sold  for  export  to  Canada. 

US  2  crosses  Cut  Bank  Creek,  130.9  m.,  the  eastern  boundary  of  the 
Blackfeet  Reservation. 

At  131  m.  is  the  junction  with  a  poor  dirt  road. 

Left  on  this  road  to  the  top  of  a  hill,  0.3  m.  (climb  in  low  gear),  an  excellent 
point  from  which  to  view  the  oil  field,  Cut  Bank  Canyon,  and  the  distant  moun- 
tains. 

At  131.1  m.  a  rocky  gulch  (R)  opens  toward  the  highway. 

Right  on  foot  up  this  gulch  200  feet  to  a  flat  rock  (L)  from  which  the  bones  of 
a  small  dinosaur  were  taken.  The  imprint  of  backbone  and  ribs  is  visible.  The  skele- 
ton is  in  the  Smithsonian  Institution,  Washington,  D.  C. 

The  sandstone  shaft  (R)  100  yards  from  the  highway,  152.8  m.,  marks 
the  most  northerly  point  reached  by  Captain  Lewis  on  his  scouting  trip 
up  the  Marias  River,  July  26,  1806  (see  HISTORY).  The  shaft  is  4  miles 


TOUR   2  237 

from  the  grove  on  Cut  Bank  Creek  where  Lewis  and  his  party  camped 
for  two  days.  In  late  summer  great  blue  fields  of  blossoming  flax  (see 
AGRICULTURE)  in  this  area  seem  to  reflect  the  cloudless  sky. 

At  161.8  m.  is  a  junction  (L)  with  US  89  (see  Tour  4).  Between  this 
point  and  Browning  Junction,  a  distance  of  14.9  miles,  US  89  and  US  2 
are  one  route.  The  mountains  in  Glacier  National  Park  are  visible  straight 
ahead.  Outstanding  is  Chief  Mountain  (9,056  alt.). 

BROWNING,  165.4  m.  (4,462  alt.,  1,172  pop.),  is  a  tourist  town 
named  for  a  U.  S.  Commissioner  of  Indian  Affairs.  Roads  from  all  parts 
of  the  Blackfeet  Reservation  converge  at  this  town,  where  is  the  AGENCY 
OF  THE  BLACKFEET  RESERVATION. 

The  Indians,  the  chief  year-round  patrons  of  the  stores  here,  in  summer 
provide  the  local  color  relished  by  tourists.  They  carry  themselves  with 
dignity  and  a  gravity  that  hides  considerable  amusement  over  their  roles 
as  entertainers.  Many  a  patronizing  eastern  visitor  would  be  shocked  by 
the  natives'  private  comments  on  his  antics.  Since  most  of  the  Blackfeet 
have  been  educated  in  Government  schools,  and  speak  good  English, 
attempts  to  address  them  in  pidgin  English  may  result  in  embarrassment. 

The  reservation,  which  now  covers  only  2,343  square  miles,  extended 
from  the  Continental  Divide  to  the  Dakotas  when  it  was  established  in 
1855.  Sales  and  cessions  to  the  Government  reduced  it  to  the  area  that 
lies  between  Glacier  National  Park  and  the  Cut  Bank  meridian.  The 
eastern  part  of  the  park,  the  last  section  sold,  was  acquired  by  the  Gov- 
ernment in  1919  for  $1,500,000.  The  Blackfeet  invested  some  of  the 
money  received  from  the  sale  of  lands  in  livestock  and  irrigation  canals; 
some  of  it  was  spent  less  wisely.  The  houses  of  their  400- acre  tracts  are, 
with  few  exceptions,  small,  poorly  furnished,  and  ramshackle;  to  remedy 
this,  the  Government  has  inaugurated  a  housing  program.  The  Blackfeet 
have  been  given  several  thousand  cattle  and  they  derive  a  fair  royalty 
from  some  of  the  Cut  Bank  oil  wells.  In  recent  years  the  Court  of  Claims 
allowed  the  tribe  $450,000  for  lands  taken  by  executive  orders  of  Presi- 
dents Grant  and  Hayes. 

Under  the  Reorganization  Act  of  1934  the  Blackfeet  are  governed  by 
an  elected  council  of  13  members.  They  were  among  the  first  Indians  to 
adopt  a  constitution  for  tribal  self-government. 

The  Blackfeet  have  several  large  community  gardens,  and  a  few  private 
ones.  They  now  depend  little  on  game  though  isapwotsists  is  still  a 
favorite  food;  it  consists  of  the  small  intestine  of  game-animals — or  beef 
— stuffed  with  tender  meat,  broiled,  and  then  boiled. 

The  old-time  Blackfeet  were  known  and  feared  by  other  tribes  as  fierce 
and  cruel  warriors,  and  far-ranging  hunters.  They  were  true  nomads,  fol- 
lowing the  buffalo  up  and  down  the  plains.  They  were  intensely  hostile 
toward  the  white  usurpers,  who  in  later  years  kept  them  drunk  and  on  the 
verge  of  starvation.  (In  the  winter  of  1883—84,  Government  rations  were 
reduced  and  600  died.)  Their  hostility  was  not  lessened  by  such  occur- 
rences as  Major  Baker's  destruction  of  a  camp  quarantined  for  smallpox 
in  1870. 


238  TOURS 

About  one-fourth  of  the  Blackfeet  adhere  to  the  old  Sun  faith.  Each 
summer  they  hold  the  O-Kan  celebration  (see  BEFORE  THE  WHITE 
MAN). 

Blackfeet  legend  accounts  for  the  tribal  name.  It  tells  how  an  old  man 
with  three  sons  had  a  vision  that  caused  him  to  send  them  to  the  far  plains 
of  the  North  Big  River  (Saskatchewan)  in  search  of  game.  There  they 
saw  great  herds  of  buffalo,  but  could  not  approach  to  kill  them.  In  an- 
other vision,  Sun  told  the  old  man  to  rub  the  feet  of  the  eldest  with  a 
black  medicine,  which  Sun  provided.  With  this  aid,  the  young  man  easily 
overtook  the  fleeing  buffalo  and  his  father  decreed  that  this  son's  descend- 
ants should  be  called  Blackfeet.  When  the  other  sons  demanded  some  of 
the  medicine,  the  old  man  instead  sent  them  east  and  south  to  seek  ene- 
mies. The  first,  returning  with  many  scalps,  was  named  Akhaina  (Many 
Chiefs) ;  his  descendants  painted  their  lips  red,  and  were  called  Bloods  by 
white  men.  The  other,  because  he  brought  home  the  garments  of  his  ene- 
mies, was  named  Pikuni  (Far-off  Clothing),  mispronounced  "Piegan."  It 
is  a  more  recent  tradition  that  the  Blackfeet  were  given  their  name  because 
their  moccasins  were  blackened  in  crossing  the  burnt  prairies  between 
Lesser  Slave  Lake  and  the  Montana  plains. 

To  obtain  Sun's  assistance  for  a  person  ill  or  in  danger,  a  virtuous  woman 
relative  of  the  afflicted  must  vow  to  build  a  medicine  lodge  during  the 
berries-ripe  moon;  other  women  may  become  her  assistants.  From  the  chief 
vow-woman  of  the  previous  summer  (who  becomes  her  "mother")  she 
must  buy  the  Natoas  (Sun-turnip)  bundle,  and  learn  the  rites  and  sacred 
songs.  The  vow-women's  lodge,  in  the  tribal  circle,  is  painted  the  Sun's 
color,  red,  and  decorated  with  a  symbol  of  the  butterfly,  giver  of  good 
visions.  A  hundred  beef  tongues  (formerly  buffalo)  are  brought  here  to 
be  cut  up  for  sacrificial  food  and  purified  in  a  nearby  sweat  lodge.  Vow- 
women  fast  4  days,  in  the  red  lodge,  learning  the  rituals,  while  medicine 
pipe-men  sit  with  them  and  sing  a  hundred  songs  to  Old  Man  (Sun),  Old 
Woman  (Moon),  and  their  son,  Morning  Star;  all  purify  themselves  with 
grass  smoke. 

During  this  period  there  is  much  singing,  dancing,  praying,  visiting, 
and  storytelling  throughout  the  camp.  Guns,  blankets,  medicine  pipes,  and 
tobacco  are  traded  and  sold — the  pipes  for  as  much  as  forty  horses.  Each 
day  a  group  belonging  to  the  All  Friends  society  dances. 

On  the  fourth  day  the  vow-women  open  the  Natoas  bundle,  which  con- 
tains among  other  things,  a  red  moose-claw  digging  stick,  and  the  vow- 
woman's  headdress.  This  is  a  lizard-shaped  piece  of  buffalo  leather  col- 
ored red-and-blue  and  decorated  with  feathers  and  strips  of  white  weasel 
skin.  On  its  front  is  a  small  human  image  and  a  weasel  skin  containing  an 
enemy's  hair;  on  its  back  is  the  tail  of  a  lynx.  The  new  vow- woman,  carry- 
ing the  headdress  and  the  digging  stick,  leads  the  way  to  the  spot  selected 
for  the  building  of  the  medicine  lodge,  while  the  All  Friends,  mounted 
and  in  war  costume,  go  to  select  the  center  post.  At  a  forked  tree,  two  old 
men  count  4  brave  deeds  each,  striking  the  tree  once  for  each  deed,  and 
pray  that  the  tree  will  not  fall  on  others  or  split  its  fork  when  it  falls. 
Young  men  cut  and  drag  it  to  the  camp,  and  lay  its  base  by  the  hole  that 


MOOSE 


has  been  dug,  the  forked  end  westward.  Seated  on  a  hide  before  the  red 
lodge,  a  warrior,  counting  4  brave  deeds,  cuts  strands  for  binding  the 
roof  to  the  wall.  The  vow-woman,  standing  on  a  buffalo  robe  with  the  one 
being  helped,  holds  up  a  piece  of  dried  tongue  and  prays.  She  breaks  off  a 
piece  of  meat  and  buries  it,  eats  the  rest,  and  gives  pieces  to  others,  who 
do  likewise.  She  then  faces  the  post,  on  which  a  member  of  the  All 
Friends,  painted  black,  is  stretched  full  length.  Hidden  by  robes,  medicine 
pipe-men  perform  ceremonies  over  him.  He  rises,  and  in  his  place  they 
attach  gifts  to  the  Sun.  All  Friends  approach  from  four  directions  bearing 
lodgepoles  tied  in  pairs,  like  tongs,  with  which  they  raise  the  post.  This 
climaxes  the  celebration ;  the  lodge  is  then  hurried  to  completion. 

BROWNING  JUNCTION,  177.7  m.t  is  at  the  junction  (R)  with  US 
89  (see  Tour  4). 

Section  c.  BROWNING  JUNCTION  to  IDAHO  LINE,  231  m.,  US  2. 

The  beauty  of  the  rugged  landscape  along  this  section  of  US  2  is  ex- 
celled in  few  parts  of  the  world.  The  flanks  of  the  snow-capped  peaks  are 
wrapped  in  dark-green  forests.  Between  the  ranges  are  broad  fertile  valleys 
or  shadowed  canyons  in  whose  bottoms  flow  swift  icy  streams.  Clear  lakes 
reflect  the  sky,  the  mountains,  the  bold  headlands  that  thrust  out  into  the 
water,  and  their  own  forested  shores. 

Between  Browning  Junction  and  Belton  the  route  skirts  the  southern 
boundary  of  Glacier  National  Park,  and  crosses  the  Continental  Divide. 


240  TOURS 

Between  Belton  and  Kalispell,  it  runs  through  the  canyon  and  valley  of 
the  Flathead.  West  of  Kalispell  it  crosses  the  Cabinet  Mountains,  whose 
slopes  bear  a  generous  part  of  the  State's  timber. 

US  2  winds  southward  from  BROWNING  JUNCTION,  0  m.,  to  the 
summit  of  Two  Medicine  Ridge,  known  locally  as  Looking  Glass  Hill, 
3.9  m.  At  5.2  m.  it  overlooks  Lower  Two  Medicine  Lake  (R)  with  Rising 
Wolf  Mountain  (9,505  alt.),  the  central  of  three  peaks  (see  GLACIER 
NATIONAL  PARK),  behind  it. 

At  8.1  m.  is  the  junction  with  an  unnumbered  oil-surfaced  road. 

Right  on  this  road  to  TWO  MEDICINE  LAKE,  8  m.  (see  GLACIER  NA- 
TIONAL PARK). 

GLACIER  PARK  STATION,  11.9  m.  (4,806  alt.,  200  pop.),  is  the 
principal  rail  station  used  by  visitors  to  Glacier  National  Park.  During  the 
tourist  season  (June-Sept.)  thousands  of  the  pleasure  seekers  throng 
through  here.  The  variety  of  people  and  costumes  sometimes  seen  on  the 
station  platform  is  astonishing.  During  the  other  9  months  of  the  year  the 
town  lies  dormant,  most  of  the  time  under  many  feet  of  snow. 

The  interior  of  large  GLACIER  PARK  HOTEL,  built  of  smooth  logs  in 
a  free  adaptation  of  Alpine  hotel  architecture,  is  decorated  with  western 
trophies  and  Indian  curios.  The  tall  unpeeled  log  columns  of  the  lobby 
have  rude  Ionic  capitals.  Costumed  Indians  and  cowboys  sing,  dance,  and 
tell  stories  here. 

The  woodcarvings  and  sculptures  of  John  Clark,  Indian  deaf-mute,  are 
exhibited  in  his  curio  shop  just  north  of  the  hotel,  on  the  main  street. 
Indian-made  goods  are  for  sale  in  several  shops ;  fine  beadwork  is  a  Black- 
feet  specialty. 

SUMMIT,  23.3  m.  (5,212  alt.,  10  pop.),  in  Marias  Pass,  is  on  the 
Continental  Divide.  North  of  the  railroad  tracks  on  the  brow  of  the  hill 
(R)  is  a  STATUE  OF  JOHN  F.  STEVENS,  who  discovered  the  pass  (see 
GLACIER  NATIONAL  PARK). 

The  tall  limestone  shaft  in  the  center  of  the  highway,  23.6  m.,  is  a 
MONUMENT  TO  THEODORE  ROOSEVELT. 

US  2  winds  down  the  western  slope  of  the  Divide,  following  Bear 
Creek,  through  heavy  forests  of  fir  and  pine,  to  its  confluence  at  Walton 
with  the  Middle  Fork  of  the  Flathead.  Flowers  bloom  luxuriantly  along 
the  highway.  (Drive  with  care;  narrow  road  with  sharp  curves  and  un- 
guarded edges.) 

At  41  m.  is  the  junction  with  a  dirt  road. 

Left  on  this  road  is  ESSEX  (Walton),  0.2  m.  (3,871  alt.,  150  pop.),  which, 
like  many  mountain  towns,  has  two  names.  Essex  is  the  post  office;  Walton  is  the 
Great  Northern  Ry.  station. 

At  NYACK  (Red  Eagle),  58.1  m.,  those  who  wish  may  cross  the  Mid- 
dle Fork  in  a  basket  hung  from  a  cable. 

BELTON,  68.9  m.  (3,219  alt.,  180  pop.),  the  western  entrance  to 
Glacier  National  Park,  is  a  service  town  of  brisk  modernity  amid  snow- 
capped mountains  and  vast  evergreen  forests.  There  is  usually  good  fish- 
ing in  the  Flathead  River  within  100  yards  of  the  town.  On  the  National 
Park  side  no  license  is  needed. 


1    - 

I     U 


YOUNG  MOOSE 


At  Belton  is  the  junction  with  Going-to-the-Sun  Highway  (see  GLA- 
CIER NATIONAL  PARK). 

CORAM  (Citadel)  is  at  76.8  m.  (3,158  alt,  200  pop.).  (Guides  avail- 
able for  pack  trips  into  the  primitive  areas  to  south.) 

At  78.5  m.  is  the  junction  with  a  narrow,  graded  dirt  road. 

Left  on  this  road  along  the  valley  of  the  South  Fork  of  the  Flathead,  between 
the  Flathead  and  Swan  Ranges,  to  HUNGRY  HORSE  CREEK,  8  m.  (public  camp- 
ground, stoves,  tables,  and  sanitary  facilities). 

The  road  leads  into  the  South  Fork  wilderness,  which  covers  about  1,640  square 
miles  in  the  FLATHEAD  NATIONAL  FOREST.  Many  of  its  parks,  streams,  and 
ridges  may  never  have  been  seen  by  man. 

The  lo-mile  stretch  between  Hungry  Horse  Creek  and  RIVERSIDE,  17  m.,  was 
burned  over  in  the  great  fire  of  August  1926.  It  is  the  only  bare  country  in  the  South 
Fork  area.  The  virgin  forests  seem  limitless;  large  stands  of  larch,  western  white 
pine,  yellow  pine,  Engelmann  spruce,  Douglas  fir,  and  other  valuable  species  have 
never  resounded  with  the  lumberman's  ax. 

GREAT  NORTHERN  MOUNTAIN  (8,700  alt.)  is  a  towering  pile  of  naked 
rock  (L). 

FELIX  CREEK,  25.1  m.,  has  a  campground.  Impressive  views  open  at  27  m., 
where  TROUT  LAKE  lies  R. 

Near  ELK  PARK,  37.2  m.,  are  numerous  excellent  camp  sites. 

SPOTTED  BEAR,  50  m.,  is  at  the  end  of  the  road.  Here  is  a  ranger  station.  A 
small  lodge  accommodates  15  persons.  (Cabins ;  horses,  guides,  and  packers  available 
for  short  or  long  trips.) 

The  SPOTTED  BEAR  GAME  PRESERVE,  200  miles  square,  is  south  of  the  ranger 
station.  All  through  this  area  game  is  almost  as  abundant  as  it  was  150  years  ago. 
Deer,  elk,  moose,  mountain  goats  and  sheep,  black  and  grizzly  bears,  lynxes,  moun- 
tain lions,  beavers,  martens,  and  other  animals  are  here.  Lakes  and  streams  offer 


242  TOURS 

cutthroat,  rainbow,  and  Dolly  Varden  trout.  A  network  of  horse  and  foot  trails 
gives  access  to  rough,  wild  country. 

At  80.9  m.  US  2  crosses  the  South  Fork  of  the  Flathead  River  just  above 
its  junction  with  the  stream  formed  by  the  union  of  the  North  and  Middle 
Forks  of  the  Flathead.  The  united  river  has  cut  BAD  ROCK  CANYON, 
82  m.,  between  the  Whitensh  Range  (R)  and  the  Swan  Range  (L). 

The  highway  follows  the  old  Indian  trail  used  by  the  Flathead  to  reach 
the  buffalo  range  east  of  the  mountains.  At  84  m.  it  enters  Flathead  Val- 
ley, one  of  the  most  productive  farming  areas  in  the  State. 

At  85.4  m.  is  the  junction  with  an  improved  road. 

Right  on  this  road  is  COLUMBIA  FALLS,  2  m.  (3,099  alt.,  637  pop.),  planned 
as  a  division  point  on  the  Great  Northern  Ry.,  and  platted  on  a  scale  that  proved 
too  generous  when  Whitefish  (see  Tour  7,  Sec.  a)  became  the  division  point.  Ex- 
cellent sidewalks  extend  some  distance  beyond  the  built-up  area. 

At  93.4  m.  is  the  junction  with  State  35,  and  with  an  unnumbered 
road. 

1.  Left  on  the  unnumbered  road  to  LAKE  ELAINE,  6.6  m.  (tourist  cabins,  gro- 
cery store,  sandy  beach,  bathhouses,  boats).  The  lake  contains  bass  and  silver  salmon. 
Trails  lead  to  fishing  streams  and  over  impressive  ridges  and  mountains. 

2.  Left  on  State  35,  an  improved  road,  through  farming  country  subirrigated  by 
an  underlying  layer  of  quicksand  and  water,  8  to  15  feet  thick. 

CRESTON,  3.8  m.  (3,000  alt.,  20  pop.),  consists  of  a  general  store,  a  post  office, 
a  restaurant,  and  a  filling  station. 

At  9.3  m.  is  the  junction  with  a  dirt  road;  L.  4.8  m.  on  this  to  ECHO  LAKE 
(boats  available),  in  the  foothills  of  the  Swan  Mountains.  The  lake  is  dotted  with 
small  islands;  its  shores  are  thickly  wooded.  The  only  outlet  is  a  subterranean 
stream.  Black  bass  and  whitefish  are  taken  with  rod  and  fly.  There  is  good  swimming 
in  front  of  a  sandy  beach. 

BIGFORK,  14.3  m.  (3,989  alt.,  250  pop.),  is  a  huddle  of  little  gray  houses  in  a 
hollow  just  below  the  dam  and  powerhouse  (R)  that  supplies  electricity  to  Kali- 
spell  and  much  of  Flathead  County.  Below  the  town  the  Swan  River  flows  into 
Flathead  Lake. 

At  Bigfork  is  a  junction  with  State  31  (see  Tour  8). 

FLATHEAD  LAKE  (2,892  alt.)  (see  Tour  7,  Sec.  b)  is  R.  at  16  m.  Foothills  of 
the  Cabinet  Mountains  rise  from  its  western  shore.  State  35  closely  follows  the  east- 
ern shore. 

At  17.9  m.  the  road  enters  the  FLATHEAD  NATIONAL  FOREST.  The  Swan 
Range  is  visible  (L).  These  mountains  have  not  been  made  the  subject  of  legend, 
as  have  the  austere  Missions  (see  Tour  7,  Sec.  b),  but  the  sheerness  and  remoteness 
of  their  naked  granite  tops,  showing  through  perpetual  snow,  rouse  the  imagination. 
The  clarity  of  the  atmosphere  surrounding  them  and  the  play  of  light  and  cloud- 
shadow  on  them  add  to  the  effect. 

BEARDANCE  CAMPGROUND  (stoves,  tables,  spring  water),  23  m.,  is  maintained 
by  the  U.  S.  Forest  Service. 

GLEN,  23.5  m.,  is  a  general  store  and  service  station.  Near  here,  and  at  numerous 
points  along  the  eastern  shore  of  Flathead  Lake,  summer  cottages  can  be  rented. 
Several  very  attractive  summer  homes  are  scattered  along  the  shore. 

At  intervals  between  26.1  m.  and  35  m.  are  dead  cherry  orchards,  killed  in  Octo- 
ber 1935  by  early  storms.  The  raising  of  sweet  cherries,  begun  40  years  before,  had 
just  begun  to  be  an  important  industry.  About  50,000  trees  were  destroyed  after 
yielding  only  one  mature  crop. 

At  27.1  m.  the  road  leaves  the  Flathead  National  Forest. 

At  YELLOW  BAY,  27.6  m.,  is  Montana  State  University's  BIOLOGICAL  EXPERI- 
MENT STATION  and  SUMMER  LABORATORY  (R).  The  station  was  established  in 
1899  by  Dr.  M.  J.  Elrod  of  the  university's  biology  department  for  the  purpose  of 


TOUR    2  243 

studying  the  plant  and  animal  life  of  Flathead  Lake.  Faculty  members  and  graduate 
students  of  biology  work  here,  mostly  in  summer. 

The  road  winds  around  the  bay  through  a  dense  forest. 

BLUE  BAY,  31.3  m.,  is  popular  with  fishermen  who  come  to  snag  the  landlocked 
salmon  that  spawn  along  the  east  shore.  This  fish  was  once  disregarded  by  anglers^, 
many  of  whom  sought  to  have  the  species  removed  from  the  lake.  Now,  during  a 
short  period,  roughly  late  November  and  early  December,  Blue  Bay's  sandy  beach 
is  crowded  with  shivering  fishermen,  some  of  whom  have  driven  100  miles  to  join 
the  swarm  along  the  water's  edge,  jostling  one  another  for  places  to  stand.  Many 
fishermen  consider  the  flesh  unpalatable  and  give  or  throw  away  their  catch.  The 
snag  usually  employed,  three  fishhooks  bound  back  to  back,  is  hurled  into  the  deep 
offshore  waters  among  the  spawning  fish. 

The  joy  found  in  this  form  of  sport  is  a  mystery  to  non-fishermen.  There  is 
nearly  always  a  cold  raw  wind;  nearly  everyone  becomes  drenched.  Snags,  hurled 
toward  the  water,  often  lodge  in  a  sleeve,  a  trouser  seat,  or  an  exposed  part  of 
someone's  anatomy.  Tempers  are  short;  quarrels  over  which  fish  is  whose  are  fre- 
quent. Many  go  away  empty-handed,  though  thousands  of  pounds  of  fish  are  taken 
by  the  fortunate.  In  1934  and  1935  the  Montana  Relief  Commission  was  permitted 
to  seine  and  can  the  salmon  for  distribution  among  the  needy.  About  21,000  cans 
were  packed  in  1935. 

STATION  CREEK  FISH  HATCHERY,  36.7  m.,  raised  rainbow  and  blackspot  trout  for 
planting  in  Montana  waters. 

The  KNIGHTS  OF  COLUMBUS  PARK,  37.3  m.,  is  a  recreational  area  for  members 
of  the  order. 

The  highway  swings  away  from  the  lake  at  39.7  m.  through  a  dark  forest  of  fir 
and  tamarack.  At  44.7  m.  is  the  junction  with  US  93  (see  Tour  7,  Sec.  b). 

KALISPELL,  99.2  m.  (2,959  alt.,  6,094  pop.),  seat  of  Flathead  County, 
is  a  farmers'  trade  center  and  tourists'  headquarters.  (Guides  and  horses 
available  for  mountain  trips.)  Many  of  the  buildings  on  the  broad,  tree- 
lined  streets  are  modern  in  design ;  the  four  delightful  parks,  covering  40 
acres,  were  landscaped  as  a  W.P.A.  project.  Kalispell's  porgressive  plan- 
ners have  produced  a  city  that  fits  well  into  the  awesome  beauty  of  its 
setting.  The  Whitefish  Range  is  on  the  north,  the  Swan  Range  rises  sheer 
on  the  east. 

The  Flathead  Valley  appealed  highly  to  Indians  of  the  Salishan  tribes, 
who  called  it  "the  park  between  the  mountains."  Until  1809,  when  David 
Thompson  of  the  Canadian  North- West  Company  explored  it,  no  white 
man  had  been  here.  As  it  was  accessible  only  by  hazardous  travel  over  the 
old  Tobacco  Plains  Trail,  no  permanent  settlement  was  made  until  1881 ; 
the  post  established  by  Angus  McDonald  for  the  Hudson's  Bay  Co.,  and 
the  post  office  at  Dooley's  Landing  on  the  Flathead  River,  had  been  the 
only  trading  points. 

When  in  1891  the  Great  Northern  completed  its  track  to  this  point, 
the  little  settlements  at  Demersville,  a  steamboat  landing  on  the  Flathead 
River,  4.5  miles  southeast,  and  Ashley,  0.5  mile  west,  were  moved  here 
piece  by  piece  and  became  Kalispell. 

The  city  has  grown  steadily  with  the  development  of  lumbering  and 
agriculture  in  the  Flathead  country,  which  produces  40  percent  of  Mon- 
tana's lumber  and  has  never  known  a  crop  failure. 

There  are  several  dude  ranches  nearby,  and  numerous  lakes  and  streams 
provide  opportunities  for  bathing,  boating,  and  fishing. 

The  S.  E.  JOHNS  COLLECTION  (open;  free),  128  Main  St.,  contains  fire- 


244  TOURS 

arms,  Indian  weapons  and  relics  of  pioneer  Montana.  The  F.  A.  ROBBIN 
COLLECTION,  ist  Ave.  E.  and  2nd  St.,  contains  100  obsolete  weapons. 

Kalispell  has  a  radio  station,  KGEZ  (1310  kc.). 

Here  is  the  junction  with  US  93  (see  Tour  7 ). 

At  117.8  m.  is  the  junction  with  State  24. 

Right  on  State  24,  an  improved  dirt  road,  is  MARION,  0.3  m.  (3,947  alt.,  10 
pop.).  LITTLE  BITTERROOT  LAKE  (L),  1  m.,  has  cabins  and  a  campground  on 
its  shore.  Between  it  and  ISLAND  LAKE,  22  m.  (R),  the  road  passes  through 
Pleasant  Valley.  LAKEVIEW,  on  Island  Lake,  and  JENNINGS,  41.8  m.,  offer  good 
fishing  and  camp  sites. 

State  24  leads  through  little-visited  parklike  country. 

Between  131  m.  and  136  m.  US  2  skirts  the  shore  of  McGREGOR 
LAKE  (L).  In  spring  and  fall,  fishing  for  silver  salmon  and  cutthroat 
trout  is  good.  At  142.4  m.  the  road  crosses  the  Flathead-Kootenai  water- 
shed. Both  Flathead  and  Kootenai  Indians  visited  the  lake  country  on  both 
sides  of  this  low  divide  to  hunt  and  fish,  but  it  was  never  the  permanent 
home  of  any  tribe.  The  old  Kootenai  Trail,  the  one  most  often  used  by 
these  friendly  tribes,  passed  THOMPSON  LAKE,  143.5  m.  (L),  on  its 
route  between  the  Kootenai  River  and  Clark  Fork  of  the  Columbia. 

HAPPY  INN,  151.2  m.  (3,768  alt.,  10  pop.),  a  resort  with  tourist 
cabins,  is  by  CRYSTAL  LAKE  (boats  available). 

LOON  LAKE  (L),  154.2  m.,  close  to  the  highway,  is  a  good  spot  for 
fishing. 

At  158.7  m.  the  road  swings  north,  and  runs  for  a  short  distance  down 
the  heavily  forested  valley  of  the  Fisher  River,  whose  source  is  in  the 
Cabinet  Mountains  (L).  At  160  m.  is  the  RAVEN  RANGER  STATION  in 
the  KOOTENAI  NATIONAL  FOREST;  in  LIBBY  CREEK,  nearby 
(R),  is  exceptionally  good  fishing  for  cutthroat  trout.  Libby  Creek  Valley 
is  the  scene  of  commercial  logging  operations. 

LIBBY,  193.7  m.  (2,053  ^->  T>752  P°P-)»  1S  a  lumberjacks'  town. 
They  come  in  from  nearby  logging  camps  for  supplies  and  occasional  cele- 
brations that  are  vastly  exaggerated  in  legend  and  fiction.  The  lumber- 
jacks have  a  style  all  their  own,  and  a  swaggering  vitality  that  seems  to  be 
increased  rather  than  diminished  by  their  exhausting  and  dangerous  work. 
Though  they  do  not  invariably  appear  in  brilliant  checked  shirts  and 
mackinaws,  stag  pants,  calked  boots,  and  wiry  black  beards,  the  streets  of 
Libby  nevertheless  give  evidence  that  this  is  Paul  Bunyan's  country.  Libby's 
sawmill,  second  largest  (1938)  in  Montana,  saws  between  60  and  80 
million  board  feet  of  lumber  annually. 

Libby,  named  for  the  daughter  of  one  of  a  group  of  prospectors  who 
discovered  gold  on  Libby  Creek  in  1862,  is  the  seat  of  Lincoln  County, 
one  of  the  most  mountainous  and  heavily  wooded  areas  in  the  State.  Much 
of  the  region  is  not  readily  accessible,  but  its  scenery  and  fine  fishing  repay 
the  effort  to  reach  it.  Near  the  town  the  rare  mineral,  vermiculite,  is  mined 
(see  INDUSTRY  AND  COMMERCE). 

In  the  PUBLIC  LIBRARY,  left  wing  of  the  courthouse,  is  a  photostatic 
copy  of  a  map  of  the  Kootenai  region  drawn  in  1813  by  David  Thompson 
(see  HISTORY).  The  original  is  in  the  British  Museum. 


LOADING  LOGS 


Right  from  Libby  on  State  37,  a  partly  improved  road,  up  the  primitive  Kootenai 
Valley  to  a  junction  with  an  unimproved  dirt  road,  54.6  m.  Left  here,  34  tn.  up 
Dodge  Creek,  a  tributary  of  the  Kootenai  River,  to  the  UPPER  FORD  RANGER  STA- 
TION; L.  down  the  narrow  valley  of  the  Yakt  River  between  the  YAKT  MOUN- 
TAINS (R)  and  the  PURCELL  MOUNTAINS  (L)  to  YAAK,  38  m.,  a  general 
store.  South  of  Yaak  a  dangerous  31 -mile-long  road  back  to  Libby,  crosses  the  Pur- 
cell  Mountains  through  a  wild  region  of  deep  canyons,  small  waterfalls,  and  snow- 
capped peaks.  Tiny  settlements  and  ranger  stations  on  this  route  are  outposts  in  the 
truest  sense.  The  area  traversed  is  the  wildest  and  most  rugged  in  Montana,  many 
of  its  sudden  revelations  of  grandeur  more  exciting  than  those  on  main  roads. 

West  of  Yaak  the  dirt  road  continues  through  rugged,  heavily  timbered  country. 
GRIZZLY  PEAK  (9,700  alt.)  is  seen  (L).  The  fishing  here,  as  in  most  remote  dis- 
tricts, repays  the  enthusiast  for  many  difficulties  encountered  in  reaching  it.  SYL- 
VANITE,  57  m.,  is  headquarters  of  the  Keystone  Gold  Mining  Co.,  whose  mines 
are  in  nearby  gulches.  The  tiny  town  also  boasts  a  ranger  station,  a  C.C.C.  camp, 
and  a  general  store  and  post  office. 

I      At  68  m.  is  the  junction  with  US  2,  close  to  the  Idaho  Line. 
REXFORD  (2,568  alt.,  200  pop.)  is  55  m.  from  US  2  on  State  37.  East  of  it,  at 
EUREKA  (2,315  alt.,  860  pop.),  64  m.t  is  a  junction  with  US  93  (see  Tour  7). 
US  2  follows  the  KOOTENAI  RIVER  (R),  named  for  the  tribe  of  In- 
dians (the  Deer  Robes)  formerly  living  in  this  region.  They  were  credited 
with  being  the  finest  deer  hunters  and  tanners  of  hides  among  western 
Indians.  The  remaining  Kootenai  live  on  the  Flathead  Indian  Reservation 
(see  Tour  7). 


1 


246  TOURS 

Close  to  the  point  where  Pipe  Creek  flows  into  the  Kootenai  River, 
198.5  m.,  is  (R)  the  SITE  OF  THE  KOOTENAI  CEREMONIAL  SWEAT  BATHS, 
indicated  by  thousands  of  pieces  of  rocks,  broken  when  thrown  red  hot 
into  shallow  pits  6  to  8  feet  square  to  heat  the  water.  The  bather  covered 
the  pit  with  hides  and  steamed  himself  in  the  nearly  blistering  water. 
When  he  emerged,  shining  with  perspiration,  he  plunged  into  the  icy 
waters  of  the  Kootenai  to  close  his  pores. 

Nearby  the  Kootenai  obtained  a  fine  white  sandstone  from  which  they 
made  pipe  bowls. 

KOOTENAI  FALLS  (R),  205.3  m.  (1,998  alt),  is  about  300  feet 
from  the  highway.  There  is  a  spring,  a  rock  fountain,  and  a  U.  S.  Forest 
Service  campground  nearby.  The  water  descends  more  than  200  feet  in  a 
series  of  cascades.  David  Thompson  made  the  difficult  portage  around  the 
falls  in  1808  and  named  them  the  Lower  Dalles.  In  his  journal  he  re- 
corded: "To  this  date  we  had  meat  of  a  few  small  antelope,  but  by  no 
means  enough  to  prevent  us  eating  moss  bread  and  dried  carp,  both  poor, 
harsh  feed  .  .  .  We  met  two  canoes,  from  which  we  traded  twelve  singed 
muskrats  and  two  shoulders  of  antelope,  thankful  for  a  change  from  the 
moss  bread  which  gave  us  the  belly  ache." 

KOOTENAI  GORGE  is  viewed  over  the  iron  railing  of  the  railway  at 
205.8  m.  A  hollow,  offstage  roar  is  heard  before  the  place  is  reached;  this 
becomes  a  welter  of  undifferentiated  noises  that  is  at  first  deafening;  then 
the  sounds  tend  to  separate  into  distinct  motifs. 

At  209.6  m.  is  the  junction  with  an  improved  dirt  road. 

Left  on  this  road  to  SAVAGE  LAKE,  2.9  m.  (cabins  and  boats  available;  good 
fishing).  Deer  graze  on  adjacent  meadows.  Excellent  Forest  Service  trails  lead  into 
the  wilderness. 

The  road  follows  a  trail  first  used  by  Indians,  and  then  by  smugglers  bringing 
Chinese  from  Canada  to  do  construction  work  on  the  Northern  Pacific  Ry.  (see 
TRANSPORTATION).  It  approaches  the  spectacular  CABINET  PRIMITIVE 
AREA,  accessible  only  on  foot  or  horseback  (see  RECREATION),  and  winds 
through  an  extensive  forest  of  white  pine. 

BULL  LAKE,  16.5  m.  (R),  is  in  the  thickly  wooded  foothills  of  the  Cabinet 
Mountains.  According  to  Indian  history,  a  landslide  dammed  the  stream  that  formed 
this  lake,  destroying  a  camp  in  the  process.  Evidence  of  the  slide  is  visible  at  the 
foot  of  the  lake. 

The  road  winds  down  through  Bull  River  Valley  and  several  times  crosses  the 
stream,  which  is  known  for  its  fine  fishing.  A  severe  forest  fire  occurred  in  this  area 
in  1910. 

At  30.1  m.  is  a  trail  (L)  to  a  lookout  station  on  top  of  BERRAY  MOUNTAIN. 

At  38.4  m.  is  the  junction  with  State  3  (see  Tour  12). 

TROY,  213.2  m.  (1,892  alt.,  498  pop.),  is  on  the  dividing  line  be- 
tween Mountain  and  Pacific  Standard  time  (west-bound  travelers  set  watches 
back  1  hour).  Troy  is  a  freight  division  point  on  the  Great  Northern  Ry., 
and  headquarters  of  silver  mining  outfits  working  in  the  Cabinet  Moun- 
tains. 

1.  Left  from  Troy  on  a  dirt  road  to  the  SNOWSTORM  MINE  (open  to  visitors), 
5  m.,  on  Callahan  Creek,  a  heavy  producer  of  ore  containing  gold,  silver,  lead,  zinc, 
and  copper. 

2.  Left  from  Troy  on   a  forest  road  to  the  LOOKOUT   STATION   on   KEELER 
MOUNTAIN  (4,949  alt.),  one  of  the  few  peaks  in  Montana  with  a  roadway  to 


TOUR   2A 


247 


the  top.  The  Purcell  Mountains  (north)   and  the  Cabinet  Mountains   (south)   are 
plainly  visible  across  far-sweeping,  heavily  timbered  areas. 

For  nearly  a  mile  the  road  winds  along  a  narrow  shelf  cut  from  the 
mountain  side,  with  the  river  below.  Many  cuts  are  in  deep  shadow. 
(Watch  out  jor  trucks  bearing  logs.) 

A  SILVER  Fox  FARM  is  (R)  at  216.5  m. 

At  225.3  m.  is  the  junction  with  an  improved  road  (see  side  tour  above 
-from  Libby). 

US  2  crosses  the  Idaho  Line,  231  m.,  27  miles  east  of  Bonners  Ferry, 
Idaho. 


>>>>>>>>>> 


r  r  r  r  r  r 


Tour  2  A 


Junction  with  US  2  (Fort  Belknap  Agency) — Hays — St.  Paul's  Mission 
— Landusky — Zortman;  unnumbered  road  and  State  19. 
Junction  US  2  to  Zortman,  46.6  m. 

Graveled  roadbed  between  Fort  Belknap  Agency  and  St.  Paul's  Mission.  Remainder 
of  route  unimproved,  narrow,  and  winding,  impassable  except  in  dry  weather. 
Hotels  at  Zortman  and  Landusky;  tourist  cabins  at  Hays;  camp  sites  along  road. 
Visitors  should  carry  coats,  campers  warm  blankets. 

This  route  traverses  rolling  grassland,  little  changed  by  the  advent  of 
white  men,  runs  through  fire-swept,  spectacular  mountains,  and  into  old, 
nearly  abandoned  mining  towns.  Most  of  the  route  lies  within  the  bound- 
aries of  the  Fort  Belknap  Indian  Reservation  (see  Tour  2,  Sec.  a).  Large 
herds  of  grazing  cattle  are  seen. 

The  unnumbered  road  branches  south  from  US  2  (see  Tour  2,  Sec.  a) 
at  FORT  BELKNAP  AGENCY,  0  m. 

SNAKE  BUTTE,  5.1  m.  (R),  is  the  site  of  a  Government  quarry,  from 
which  stone  is  being  taken  for  construction  use  at  Fort  Peck  Dam.  The 
road  turns  L.  here.  Straight  ahead  are  the  LITTLE  ROCKY  MOUN- 
TAINS, an  isolated  gray-green  range  that  rises  like  an  island  above  the 
prairie. 

In  1912  THREE  BUTTES  (R),  22.2  m.,  sheltered  robbers  of  a  Harlem 
bank.  Near  the  summit  of  the  highest  butte,  the  robbers  held  off  the  sheriff 
and  his  men  until  lack  of  food  and  water  forced  them  to  surrender. 

A  FORT  BELKNAP  SUB  AGENCY  is  (L)  at  32.2  m. 

At  a  fork,  32.7  m.,  the  road  turns  R.  and  at  34.8  m.  is  in  the  foothills 
of  the  Little  Rockies. 

HAYS,  37.1  m.  (3,550  alt.,  20  pop.),  is  an  Indian  town.  It  comes  to 


248  TOURS 

life  once  a  year — in  September  when  the  Indians  hold  their  fair.  Then 
dancing  and  singing  goes  on  in  the  street,  games  are  played  and  races 
run.  Gay  native  trappings  vie  with  the  gaudiest  products  of  white  man's 
manufacture.  Intricate  beadwork  is  often  seen. 

ST.  PAUL'S  MISSION  (open),  38.2  m.,  on  People's  Creek,  was  founded 
in  1886  by  a  Jesuit,  Father  Frederick  Hugo  Eberschweiler,  who  is  said  to 
have  gained  the  respect  of  the  Gros  Ventre  by  learning  their  language 
more  rapidly  than  any  other  white  visitor.  Finding  that  men  from  Fort 
Benton  were  unwilling  to  come  to  the  Little  Rockies  to  build  his  mission 
because  of  warfare  between  the  Gros  Ventre  and  the  Canadian  Bloods, 
he  sought  aid  in  the  settlement  that  later  became  Landusky;  a  crew  of 
prospectors  responded.  The  work  proceeded  swiftly,  and  early  in  1887 
Father  Eberschweiler,  assisted  by  some  Ursuline  Sisters,  began  instruction. 

One  of  the  early  log  houses  still  stands,  but  the  main  building,  which 
contained  paintings,  used  by  the  priest  in  teaching  the  natives,  has  been 
destroyed  by  fire.  Two  newer  buildings  are  of  stone. 

At  39.1  m.  the  road  enters  a  narrow  canyon,  and  becomes  rough,  nar- 
row, and  winding;  when  two  vehicles  meet  in  some  sections,  one  must 
back  for  a  considerable  distance  to  make  passing  possible.  Truckloads  of 
logs  are  a  particular  bane  to  motorists  here.  The  canyon  walls  are  steep 
and  awe-inspiring  in  places,  sculptured  by  wind,  and  stained  by  lichens, 
which  in  spring  renew  their  green  and  bronze  and  yellow  colorings.  The 
road  repeatedly  fords  People's  Creek  which  has  a  firm  gravel  bed. 

At  39.4  m.  is  the  junction  with  a  trail. 

Right  on  this  trail  200  yards  to  a  NATURAL  BRIDGE,  a  perfectly  formed  limestone 
arch,  50  feet  wide,  and,  at  one  point  60  feet  above  the  canyon  floor. 

At  39.8  m.  is  a  natural  campground.  Until  some  of  this  region  was 
burned  over  in  1936,  it  had  much  rugged  beauty. 

LANDUSKY,  44.9  m.  (4,500  alt.,  120  pop.),  clings  precariously  to  a 
mountain  side.  It  is  now  almost  abandoned,  though  its  slumber  of  more 
than  three  decades  was  broken  after  1933  by  a  modest  production  of  gold 
from  the  nearby  August  mine,  which  is  said  to  have  yielded  $2,000,000 
since  its  boom  days  in  the  early  1890*5. 

Powell  Landusky,  for  whom  the  town  was  named,  was  a  violent  prod- 
uct of  a  violent  time.  A  raw  kid  at  Alder  Gulch  in  the  late  i86o's,  he 
was  nicknamed  "Pike"  because  he  boasted  that  he  "came  from  Pike  County, 
Missouri,  byGod."  He  won  a  reputation  as  the  toughest  rough-and-tumble 
fighter  in  the  West.  In  1868  he  went  to  the  mouth  of  the  Musselshell  to 
trap  and  trade  with  the  Indians;  captured  by  a  war  party  of  Brules,  he 
angrily  beat  one  of  the  braves  with  a  frying  pan,  then  whipped  off  the 
warrior's  breechclout  to  continue  the  lashing.  The  awed  Indians  withdrew, 
and  left  two  ponies  to  propitiate  the  demoniac  captive. 

At  his  trading  post,  Lucky  Fort,  on  Flatwillow  Creek  in  what  is  now 
Petroleum  County,  Landusky  was  shot  by  a  Piegan.  His  jaw  shattered,  he 
simply  tore  out  a  loose  fragment  containing  four  teeth  and  threw  it  away. 

In  August  1893,  Landusky  and  Bob  Orman  discovered  the  mine  in  the 
Little  Rockies  that  they  named  for  the  month  of  discovery.  At  first  they 
packed  out  their  quartz  by  night,  because  they  thought  the  claim  was  on 


TOUR    2A  249 

the  Fort  Belknap  Reservation,  and  feared  governmental  interference.  Other 
prospectors  and  miners  poured  in  and  in  1894  the  settlement  here  was 
organized. 

Five  miles  south  was  the  ranch  of  the  tough  Curry  brothers,  who  were 
said  to  have  Indian  blood.  It  was  local  gossip  that  these  prosperous  ranch- 
ers sometimes  branded  cattle  not  their  own.  In  order  of  age,  they  were: 
Harvey  (Kid),  Johnny,  and  Loney.  They  and  their  like  were  the  two-gun 
riders  sketched  by  Charles  M.  Russell  as  they  thundered  up  and  down  the 
street  of  this  town,  strewing  lead.  After  a  typical  fray  a  gambler  remarked 
that  he  could  go  out  with  a  pint  cup  and  gather  a  quart  of  bullets. 

Pike  Landusky  built  a  saloon  for  Jew  Jake,  who  had  drifted  over  from 
Great  Falls  after  one  of  his  legs  had  been  shot  away  by  a  deputy  sheriff. 
Jake  liked  to  show  off  by  using  a  Winchester  rifle  for  a  crutch.  His  saloon 
was  the  hang-out  of  the  Curry  boys  and  their  friends  and  enemies. 

In  1894  Johnny  and  Kid  Curry  were  arrested  on  some  minor  charge 
and  placed  in  the  custody  of  Pike  Landusky.  Loney,  something  of  a  ladies' 
man,  had  been  making  a  play  for  one  of  Pike's  stepdaughters,  to  the  old 
fighter's  rage.  Pike  took  advantage  of  the  arrest  to  taunt  and  abuse  Loney's 
brothers.  At  this  time  the  town  was  preparing  for  a  big  Christmas  cele- 
bration. Johnny  Curry  lent  his  new  log  barn  for  the  big  dance.  Loney 
tuned  up  his  fiddle  and  whipped  the  home-talent  orchestra  into  shape.  A 
"dead  ax"  wagon  was  sent  10  miles  to  borrow  a  small  portable  Mason  and 
Hamlin  organ.  Only  one  plan  was  frustrated:  someone  had  told  Lousy, 
the  stage  driver,  to  order  four  dozen  quarts  of  big  juicy  oysters  from  Bal- 
timore, but  Lousy,  no  authority  on  oysters,  had  ordered  canned  ones  from 
Minneapolis. 

On  the  evening  of  December  28,  when  the  celebration  was  nearing  its 
end,  the  Kid  rode  into  town  and  entered  Jew  Jake's  place.  Perhaps  a 
dozen  men  were  in  the  room,  among  them  Pike,  wearing  a  heavy  fur-lined 
overcoat.  The  Kid  knocked  him  down,  and  took  advantage  of  the  coat, 
which  impeded  his  enemy's  movements,  to  beat  him  unmercifully.  Lan- 
dusky at  length  managed  to  draw  his  automatic,  but  it  jammed;  the  Kid's 
.45  revolver  did  not. 

The  Curry  gang  left  the  country  with  haste.  Seven  years  later  the  Kid 
held  up  a  Great  Northern  passenger  train  at  Exeter  Siding,  west  of  Malta, 
and  carried  $80,000  into  the  hills.  He  was  captured,  but  escaped  and  van- 
ished from  Montana.  Johnny  was  killed  by  a  rancher  whom  he  tried  to 
intimidate.  Some  say  that  he  and  Pike  Landusky  are  buried  side  by  side  in 
the  tiny  graveyard  at  Landusky  but  old-timers  believe  that  Pike  was  buried 
on  a  ranch  about  i  mile  from  town. 

At  46  m.  is  a  junction  with  State  19;  L.  on  this  improved  road. 

ZORTMAN,  46.6  m.  (4,000  alt.,  70  pop.),  is  not  quite  a  ghost  town, 
but  has  the  forlorn,  time-bleached  appearance  common  to  abandoned 
camps.  Many  cabins,  built  by  hopeful  prospectors  in  the  1890*5,  stand  win- 
dowless  and  lonely  among  the  trees. 

Pete  Zortman,  who  came  to  the  Little  Rockies  in  the  i88o's,  discovered 
a  mine  he  named  the  Alabama,  which  is  said  to  have  produced  $600,000. 
In  the  early  1890*5  Charles  Whitcomb  discovered  what  became  the  Ruby 


250  TOURS 

Gulch  mine,  2  miles  north  of  Zortman,  credited  with  $3,500,000.  What 
was  asserted  to  be  the  world's  second  largest  cyanide  mill  was  erected  here, 
and  for  several  years  wagonloads  of  gold  bricks  were  freighted  out  of 
town  to  Malta  and  Dodson. 

Zortman's  story  was  very  like  Landusky's.  It  is  said  that  there  was  a 
saloon  entrance  every  40  feet  along  the  street  and  a  badman  on  every  cor- 
ner. One  of  its  legendary  characters  was  Joe  Mallette,  a  freighter  whose 
skill  earned  him  the  most  difficult  jobs  in  a  difficult  trade.  He  rigged  a 
boom  on  the  uphill  side  of  his  wagon,  and  perched  on  it  to  steady  his 
loads  on  the  primitive  mountain  trails.  Once  the  slant  became  too  great  for 
his  weight  to  offset  and  his  load  of  bottled  stuff  turned  over,  tossing  him 
down  the  slope  in  a  cascade  of  glass  and  foaming  beer.  On  another  occa- 
sion when  he  was  attempting  to  haul  a  large  boiler  over  the  alkali  flats 
to  the  Ruby  Gulch  mine,  his  wagon  sank  to  its  axles.  Mallette  rigged  a 
rolling  hitch  and  rolled  the  boiler,  a  few  feet  at  a  time,  across  three  miles 
of  mud. 

Shortly  after  1900,  when  all  the  easily  accessible  ore  had  been  removed, 
Zortman's  mill  burned  down  and  in  1929  a  fire  destroyed  four  buildings 
on  the  main  street,  virtually  wiping  out  the  town. 


Tour  3 


Junction  with  US  89  (Armington) — Lewistown — Grass  Range — Roundup 
—Billings— Hardin— (Sheridan,  Wyo.)  ;  US  87. 
Junction  US  89  to  Wyoming  Line,  325.5  m. 

Route  paralleled  by  Great  Northern  Ry.  between  junction  with  US  89  and  Lewis- 
town;  between  Billings  and  Wyoming  Line  by  Chicago,  Burlington  &  Quincy  R.R. 
and  Great  Northern  Ry. 

Hotels  in  larger  towns;  tourist  camps  on  outskirts  of  towns. 

Oil-surfaced  roadbed  with  exception  of  a  22-mile  graveled  stretch  between  Lewis- 
town  and  Grass  Range;  open  all  year. 

US  87,  the  Custer  Battlefield  Highway,  traverses  central  Montana  in  a 
zigzag  diagonal  course. 

Section  a.  JUNCTION  US  89  to  BILLINGS;  2^7.7  m.,  US  87. 

This  section  strikes  through  the  Judith  Basin,  a  large  fertile  valley  in 
Fergus  and  Judith  Basin  Counties,  once  buffalo  country  that  was  prized 
and  fought  over  by  Indians.  This  flat  or  gently  rolling  region  is  exten- 


TOUR   3  251 

sively  irrigated  and  subirrigated ;  the  green  of  hay  and  grain  fields  alter- 
nates with  the  rich  black  of  fallow  strips.  Its  horizons  are  the  crescent  of 
the  Little  Belt  Mountains  on  the  west;  the  Highwoods,  Bearpaws,  and 
Little  Rockies  on  the  north;  the  Moccasins  and  Judiths  on  the  east;  and 
the  Big  Snowies  on  the  south.  As  a  productive  agricultural  area,  it  com- 
pares favorably  with  the  Gallatin  Valley. 

South  of  Grass  Range  the  route  runs  through  rough  grazing  country  on 
the  border  line  between  foothills  and  plains.  It  descends  into  the  Mussel- 
shell  Valley,  traverses  a  coal  mining  area  in  the  low,  scrubby  Bull  Moun- 
tains, and  descends  into  the  Yellowstone  Valley. 

US  87  branches  southeast  from  its  junction  with  US  89  (see  Tour  4), 
0  m.,  1.5  miles  south  of  Armington  (see  Tour  4,  Sec.  b). 

From  the  crest  of  a  ridge,  7.1  m.,  in  the  foothills  of  the  Little  Belt 
Mountains  there  is  a  panorama  of  Judith  Basin. 

The  highway  emerges  from  the  foothills  of  the  Little  Belt  Mountains 
into  the  Judith  Basin  at  19.3  m.  The  river  draining  this  basin  was  named 
by  Lieutenant  Clark  in  1805  in  honor  of  Miss  Judith  Hancock  of  Fair- 
castle,  Va.,  who  later  became  his  wife.  Because  of  its  encircling  mountains, 
Judith  Basin  receives  slightly  more  rainfall  than  other  parts  of  central  and 
eastern  Montana.  Its  chocolate  loam,  well  supplied  with  lime,  is  fertile. 
Even  dry  farming  yielded  bountiful  crops  of  hard  red  milling  wheat  be- 
fore the  drought  of  the  1930*5. 

GEYSER,  21.9  m.  (4,159  alt.,  175  pop.),  blends  into  the  drab  hills 
around  it.  As  a  railroad  point  and  a  trading  town  of  farmers,  it  has  a 
stable  if  monotonous  existence.  In  1925  an  earthshock  brought  to  the  sur- 
face a  stream  of  water  in  a  theretofore  dry  coulee  nearby. 

SQUARE  BUTTE  (L),  an  almost  rectangular  flat-topped  mountain,  is 
the  principal  landmark  of  the  Judith  Basin.  Charles  M.  Russell  liked  to 
include  it  in  his  pictures. 

STANFORD,  37.2  m.  (4,200  alt,  509  pop.),  seat  of  Judith  Basin 
County,  is  a  stockmen's  town,  neat  and  brisk,  with  broad  streets,  pleasant 
white-painted  houses,  and  a  handsome  brick  high  school  (L).  Though  it 
is  still  active  as  a  shipping  point  for  livestock  and  grain,  it  had  greater 
importance  in  the  days  when  it  was  the  most  important  freighting  station 
in  the  basin. 

The  town  began  as  a  station  on  the  Fort  Benton-Billings  stage  route.  It 
was  often  visited  by  Charles  M.  Russell  when  he  worked  on  ranches  in  the 
vicinity.  One  employer  set  him  to  herding  sheep.  To  relieve  his  boredom 
he  began  making  images  of  Indians  and  horses  out  of  the  richly  tinted 
mineral  clay.  He  became  so  absorbed  that  he  forgot  his  charges,  who 
wandered  off  over  the  hills.  Returning  to  ranch  headquarters,  he  said  to 
his  boss,  "Jack,  if  you  want  me  to  herd  sheep,  you'll  have  to  get  me  an- 
other band." 

For  years  stories  of  white  wolves  of  prodigious  strength  and  cunning 
grew  and  multiplied  among  the  folk  of  this  region.  A  huge  one  known 
as  Old  Snowdrift  became  a  legendary  monster,  described  variously  in  many 
places  in  central  Montana.  He  had  a  fit  mate,  Lady  Snowdrift.  In  1921  it 
was  reported  that  he  was  in  the  Highwoods  killing  sheep,  cattle,  and  wild 


252  TOURS 

game.  Stacy  Eckert,  a  Forest  Service  ranger,  spent  much  time  on  his  trail. 
He  did  not  catch  Old  Snowdrift,  but  he  did  find  his  den,  and  with  the 
help  of  a  rancher  took  seven  puppies.  One  of  these,  called  Lady  Silver  and 
trained  by  Eckert,  played  in  motion  pictures  with  the  dog  Strongheart. 

In  two  months  of  1922  Old  Snowdrift  and  his  mate  killed  21  cattle. 
In  October  Don  Stevens,  a  Government  hunter,  set  a  trap  that  caught  Lady 
Snowdrift.  She  dragged  the  heavy  trap,  and  the  2o-pound  rock  to  which  it 
was  attached,  to  her  den,  where  Stevens  found  and  shot  her.  Early  in  1923 
he  caught  Old  Snowdrift,  whose  pelt  was  the  largest  ever  taken  in  the 
Highwoods.  These  wolves  were  not  pure  white,  but  a  very  light  silver 
gray. 

WINDHAM  45  m.  (4,266  alt.,  115  pop.),  serves  nearby  cattle  and 
wheat  ranches  as  a  trading  center. 

Well  known  in  this  country  was  "Liver-eating"  Johnson,  an  old  fron- 
tiersman, who  hated  Indians  implacably.  Johnson  received  his  name  be- 
cause of  an  often  repeated  threat  to  eat  the  liver  of  the  first  Indian  who 
came  near  his  place ;  some  old-timers  insist  that  he  did  eat  it. 

The  MOCCASIN  MOUNTAINS,  whose  low,  rounded  summits  are 
densely  forested  with  lodgepole  pine,  are  visible  (L). 

The  BIG  SNOWY  MOUNTAINS  are  visible  ahead  (R),  a  chain  of 
rounded  summits.  Geologists  call  them  laboratory  mountains,  because  they 
are  old  geologically  and  their  gentle  contours  illustrate  the  history  of 
mountain  building. 

At  61.4  m.  is  the  junction  with  a  graveled  road. 

Right  on  this  road  is  HOBSON,  0.4  m.  (4,073  alt.,  240  pop.),  an  old  and  rather 
faded  town  that  has  long  been  a  trading  center  for  wheat  ranchers  along  the  Judith 
River. 

In  the  i88o's  UTICA,  12.5  m.  (3,940  alt.,  62  pop.),  was  headquarters  for  the 
great  Judith  roundup,  described  and  painted  by  Charles  M.  Russell,  who  partici- 
pated in  it  for  several  years.  All  the  brands  on  the  Judith  River  drainage  were  seen 
in  this  roundup. 

The  YOGO  SAPPHIRE  MINES,  25  m.,  in  Yogo  Gulch  of  the  Little  Belt  Mountains, 
are  important  regular  producers  of  sapphires;  they  and  mines  in  Siam  and  Australia 
produce  almost  the  entire  world  output.  It  is  said  that  the  first  discovery  of  sap- 
phires here  was  made  in  February  1896  by  Jim  Ettien,  a  sheepherder,  who  for 
$1,600  sold  the  claims  that  have  since  produced  $10,000,000  worth  of  gems.  A 
chain  of  18  lode  claims,  comprising  1,550  acres,  is  owned  by  a  British  firm.  Only 
two  of  the  claims  have  been  extensively  worked. 

The  sapphires  occur  in  a  pipe  as  do  the  diamond-bearing  clays  of  Africa.  This  is 
about  8  feet  wide,  3^  miles  long,  and  of  unknown  depth.  The  principal  workings 
are  now  below  the  25o-foot  level.  The  clay  is  mined  from  shafts;  in  the  beginning 
it  was  brought  up  in  buckets  from  narrow  trenches  that  were  continually  caving  in. 

The  sapphire-bearing  clay,  which  appears  to  be  hard  blue  rock  slightly  tinged 
with  green,  is  washed  with  water  and  slaked  in  the  open  air.  Nearly  four  years' 
slaking  is  required  before  the  sapphires  can  be  sifted  from  the  clay.  They  are  shipped 
to  London  for  classification,  then  to  France  and  Switzerland  for  cutting  and  polish- 
ing. Very  small  and  imperfect  sapphires  have  a  wide  market  for  use  in  watches, 
meters,  and  other  delicate  mechanical  devices,  and  for  the  manufacture  of  phono- 
graph needles.  Purity,  clarity,  and  beauty  have  given  Yogo  sapphires  their  high  place 
in  the  world  market. 

At  70.3  m.  is  the  junction  with  State  19;  R.  on  this  graveled  road  is  MOORE 
0.4  m.  (4,165  alt.,  288  pop.),  which  proclaims  its  name  on  a  water  tank.  Moore  has 
a  neat,  prosperous  appearance;  its  grain  elevators  handle  the  generally  abundant 
wheat  crops  of  the  Rock  Creek  bench,  which  extends  southward  to  the  Snowy  Moun- 


eir 
their 

trd  (Longhair) 
ere  more  villainous- 
CRf  rode  into  town.  After 
\  and  had  become  very 
ot  up  the  town.  Local 
in  stores  and  saloons 

tains.  The  decline  that  came  with  the  drought  of  the  1930*5  affected  A&.    U  ', s^em£ 
many  other  towns.  ^ed  iirmg 

Summer-fallowed  fields  in  this  vicinity  often  lose  their  topsoil  during  higed  nine 
in  summer.  From  the  northwest  appears  a  great  black  cloud  a  hundred  feet  d\g  tent 
high  that  stretches  across  the  entire  basin.  There  is  a  scurrying  of  tumbleweeds,  faev 
a  stinging  blizzard  blots  out  the  sun,  buries  miles  of  fences  and  roads,  stalls  «_ 
and  obliterates  small  ponds.  *"  ne~ 

GARNEILL,  15  m.  (4,415  alt.,  160  pop.),  at  first  seems  to  consist  of  a  sint 
brick  store.  Beyond  this  building,  however,  are  a  church,  a  school,  and  scattert  * 
dwellings,  then  abandoned  buildings,  faded,  rickety,  and  near  collapse.  Garneill  was 
named  for  Garnet  Neill,  the  wife  of  an  early  rancher;  it  was  a  trading  post  when 
the  Central  Montana  R.R.  established  a  station  here  in  1903.  The  railroad  named  its 
station  Ubet,  in  honor  of  an  old  stage  station,  3  miles  west.  Three  towns  were  laid 
out,  because  of  a  division  of  sentiment  on  moral  issues.  There  was  Ubet  around  the 
railroad  station;  there  was  North  (or  dry)  Garneill,  which  survives;  and  there  was 
South  (or  wet)  Garneill,  which  consisted  of  the  pretentious  hotel,  saloon,  black- 
smith shop,  and  stores  that  burned  in  recent  years.  The  railroad  company  in  time 
changed  the  name  of  its  station  to  conform  to  local  wishes. 

At  Garneill  is  the  UBET  AND  CENTRAL  MONTANA  PIONEERS  MONUMENT  (R), 
a  two-and-one-half-ton  granite  rock;  in  its  concrete  base  are  embedded  pieces  of 
ore,  Indian  relics,  petrified  wood,  and  other  objects — between  the  names  of  impor- 
tant pioneers  and  the  dates  of  their  arrival  in  Montana.  On  each  side  of  the  monu- 
ment are  pear-shaped  sandstones,  molded  seemingly  by  human  hands.  They  were 
found  on  Blood  Creek  in  Petroleum  County. 

i.  Right  3  m.  from  Garneill  on  a  dirt  road  to  the  SITE  OF  UBET,  at  one  time  the 
best-known  stage  station  in  Montana  Territory.  One  or  two  of  the  old  log  buildings 
remain,  used  in  the  early  i93o's  by  sheepherders.  The  story  of  Ubet  is  told  in  a 


254  TOURS 

book  of  that  name  by  John  R.  Barrows,  whose  father,  A.  R.  Barrows,  established 
the  post  in  1880.  There  was  a  two-story  log  hotel — elaborate  for  the  time — a  post 
office,  a  blacksmith  shop,  an  ice  house,  a  saloon,  a  stage  barn,  and  a  stable.  The 
name  was  a  frontier  improvisation  inspired  by  the  "You  bet!"  given  by  the  elder 
Barrows  when  asked  if  he  could  think  of  a  good  name  for  the  post  office. 

At  that  time  there  were  hardly  half  a  dozen  human  habitations  along  the  stage 
route  between  Billings  and  Ubet.  Ubet,  with  Mrs.  Barrows'  cooking  and  the  comfort 
of  the  hotel,  was  therefore  important.  It  endured  until  advancing  railroads  ended 
the  need  for  stage  service.  Some  measure  of  the  settler's  esteem  for  the  post  is  found 
in  the  fact  that  both  Garneill  and  Judith  Gap  were  first  named  for  it.  Many  pioneers 
are  buried  on  a  hill  to  the  north,  but  the  graves  are  unmarked. 

2.  Left  10  m.  from  Garneill  on  a  dirt  road  to  the  old  Neill  ranch;  L.  up  Neill 
Canyon  to  the  foot  of  the  mountains,  13  m.;  from  here  a  steep  one-mile  marked 
Forest  Service  trail  leads  to  the  OLD  ICE  CAVE,  just  under  the  brow  of  the  mountain 
in  a  limestone  formation.  From  a  narrow  opening  in  the  cliff  wall  a  trail  drops 
steeply  into  the  cave  over  about  50  feet  of  rubble  and  snow.  The  ceiling,  30  feet 
high  at  the  entrance,  slopes  to  meet  the  floor  100  feet  away.  The  floor  is  ice,  several 
feet  thick.  At  the  base  of  one  of  the  many  huge  ice  pillars  formed  by  the  water  that 
"Sy    drips  from  the  ceiling,  a  generous,  never  failing  spring  bubbles  up,  flows  along  the 
\ice  to  the  end  of  the  cave,  and  disappears.  There  is  some  danger  from  jagged  icicles 
^Vt  now  and  then  drop  from  the  ceiling,  and  from  rock  fragments  loosened  by  the 
water.  From  the  mouth  of  the  cave  is  a  view  that  on  clear  days  extends  over 
"\  and  brown  checkerboard  of  central  Montana  to  the  Pryor,   Beartooth, 
Crazy,  and  Little  Belt  Mountains.  Just  over  the  brow  of  the  mountain, 
%  NEW  ICE  CAVE.  After  a.  steep  initial  descent  into  a  rocky  pocket,  a 
'hich  must  be  traveled  on  hands  and  knees  leads  into  a  low-ceiled 
"d  50  feet  wide.  The  floor  is  solid  ice  of  unknown  depth. 

:s  JUDITH  GAP  (4,582  alt.,  288  pop.),  built  around  a 
i  church,  a  school,  and  water  tank.  Many  of  the  town's 
>ved  or  abandoned.  The  village  looks  faded  and  tired,  and 
_>r  it  is  buffeted  perpetually  by  winds  and  scorched  inter- 
k  was  once  a  busy  grain-shipping  center;  and  its  roundhouse, 
/ater  tanks  are  reminders  of  the  time  when  it  was  a  busy  division 
.threat  Northern  Ry.  The  roundhouse  and  shops  were  closed  in  1922. 
>ap,  in  which  it  sits,  is  a  funnel  that  attracts  northern  blizzards  of  a  fe- 
.surpassed  in  Montana,  and  then  lets  them  blow  back,  seeming  colder  than 
The  gap  makes  a  pass  between  the  Snowy  Mountains  (L)   and  the  Little 
.fountains  (R)  that  was  important  in  the  days  when  freighters,  prospectors, 
.'  drivers,   hunters,   and  settlers  passed  northward   into   the  Judith  Basin,   or 
-thward  toward  the  Yellowstone  or  Musselshell  Valleys.  These  travelers  followed 
path  made  by  Indian  hunting  and  war  parties  seeking  or  defending  the  rich  hunt- 
ing grounds  of  the  Judith  Basin. 

Before  the  World  War  the  gravel  benches  around  Judith  Gap  produced  wheat 
that  won  prizes  at  big  expositions;  the  few  surviving  old-time  farmers  wonder  why 
such  wheat  has  never  grown  since  then. 

LEWISTOWN,  85.7  m.  (3,960  alt.,  5,358  pop.),  in  the  pleasant  Spring 
Creek  Valley,  is  sheltered  by  a  bluff  on  the  northwest.  Because  of  this  anc 
its  abundant  shade  trees,  it  is  almost  invisible  until  the  highway  descends 
to  it.  Then,  in  the  deceptively  clear  air,  some  of  its  residential  streets  seem 
to  extend  almost  to  the  base  of  the  Judith  Mountains  (R).  To  the  north 
rise  the  blue  mounds  of  the  Moccasins. 

US  87  passes  the  FERGUS  COUNTY  COURTHOUSE  (L),  whose  delight- 
ful well-kept  lawn  and  skillfully  arranged  shrubs  and  flowers  advertise 
the  taste  of  the  community.  Lewistown  is  a  planned  city ;  its  people  proudly 
describe  it  as  a  city  of  homes.  It  is  the  capital  of  the  agricultural  interests 
of  the  Judith  Basin,  though  mining  activity  in  the  mountains  to  the  north 
and  drilling  in  the  Cat  Creek  oil  field  in  the  east  add  to  its  prosperity. 


TOUR    3  255 

The  inhabitants  are  increasingly  aware  of  the  recreational  attractions  of 
the  region,  and  are  taking  steps  to  exploit  them. 

Lewistown,  first  called  Reed's  Fort  for  Maj.  A.  S.  Reed,  who  opened 
the  first  post  office  in  1881,  began  as  a  small  trading  post  on  the  Carroll 
Trail  between  Helena  and  Crow  Island  at  the  mouth  of  the  Musselshell. 
When  it  was  incorporated  in  1899  the  name  was  changed  to  honor  a  Major 
Lewis  who  in  1876  established  Fort  Lewis  two  miles  to  the  south.  Until 
the  arrival  of  the  Central  Montana  (Jawbone)  R.R.  in  1903  (see 
TRANSPORTATION),  which  brought  homesteaders  to  the  Judith  Basin, 
Lewistown  was  merely  a  freighting  and  trading  center  for  cattlemen  and 
miners. 

An  incident  of  the  settlement's  roaring  days  is  related  in  the  Journal  of 
Granville  Stuart.  Large  scale  rustling  was  causing  so  much  trouble  for 
central  and  eastern  Montana  that  in  April  1884  the  Montana  Stock  Grow- 
ers' Association,  in  convention  at  Miles  City,  was  forced  to  consider  the 
situation.  Afraid  of  precipitating  a  range  war,  the  majority  voted  to  take 
no  action  against  the  cattle  thieves,  despite  vigorous  protests  from  Theo- 
dore Roosevelt  and  the  Marquis  de  Mores.  The  rustlers  extended  their 
activities.  Groups  of  desperate  ranchers  united  and  took  matters  into  their 
own  hands,  catching  and  hanging  a  few  of  the  thieves. 

On  July  4,  1884,  a  couple  of  suspected  ringleaders,  Edward  (Longhair) 
Owen  and  Charles  (Rattlesnake  Jake)  Fallon,  who  were  more  villainous- 
looking  than  even  their  motion-picture  successors,  rode  into  town.  After 
they  had  lost  most  of  their  money  on  a  horse  race,  and  had  become  very 
drunk,  they  thrashed  one  citizen  and  started  to  shoot  up  the  town.  Local 
men,  armed  with  Winchesters,  quickly  took  positions  in  stores  and  saloons 
along  the  single  street.  Rattlesnake  Jake  started  to  leave  town,  but,  seeing 
Longhair  wounded,  fought  his  way  back  to  him ;  the  two  continued  firing 
until  they  could  no  longer  pull  a  trigger.  Rattlesnake  Jake  received  nine 
wounds,  Longhair  eleven.  Their  last  stand  was  made  in  front  of  the  tent 
of  an  itinerant  photographer,  who  photographed  the  bodies  where  they 
fell,  to  his  profit.  The  aroused  ranchers  continued  the  clean-up  until  large- 
scale  cattle  thievery  in  Montana  ended. 

Though  Lewistown  today  is  a  peaceful  place,  the  two-gun  man  Ed 
McGivern,  for  many  years  the  world's  champion  all-around  pistol  shot,  is 
one  of  its  special  deputy  sheriffs  and  a  police  deputy  whose  duty  it  is 
to  teach  local  policemen  to  handle  pistols.  In  his  early  barnstorming  years 
he  shot  pieces  of  chalk  from  between  his  wife's  fingers  at  25  feet  and 
targets  from  her  head,  aiming  over  his  shoulder  while  looking  into  a  mir- 
ror. Later  he  perfected  an  electric  device  to  measure  his  speed.  Records 
of  his  feats  are  on  file  in  Smith  &  Wesson  laboratories.  At  12  feet,  with  a 
.38  special  double-action  revolver  he  can  put  five  shots  in  a  playing  card 
in  two-fifths  of  a  second,  or  drawing  from  the  holster,  in  one  and  one- 
fourth.  He  can  shatter  five  charcoal  balls  tossed  in  the  air  by  two  men  in 
from  one  and  four-fifths  to  two  and  four-fifths  seconds.  He  shoots  with 
either  hand  or  with  both,  and  from  every  imaginable  position.  He  is  also 
an  expert  in  the  use  of  the  shotgun  and  the  high-powered  rifle. 

i.  Right  from  Lewistown  on  Sixth  St.,  which  becomes  a  dirt  road,  to  the  junction 


256  TOURS 

with  a  side  road,  4  m.;  R.  here  0.2  m.,  crossing  railroad  tracks  to-Bic  SPRINGS,  the 
source  of  Lewistown's  water  supply.  The  springs  discharge  62,700  gallons  of  water 
a  minute.  The  water  supply  and  the  charm  of  the  surroundings  made  this  a  favorite 
Indian  campground. 

Adjacent  is  the  STATE  FISH  HATCHERY,  established  in  1921  by  the  Montana  Fish 
and  Game  Commission;  its  capacity  is  1,000,000  rainbow,  brook,  and  blackspot 
trout  each  season.  The  fish  are  used  to  stock  central  Montana  streams. 

The  dirt  road  goes  on  to  HEATH,  9m.,  where  is  the  HANOVER  GYPSUM  AND 
CEMENT  PLANT  (L). 

Right  from  Heath  on  State  25  to  the  DUNLAP  DUDE  RANCH,  14  m.,  on  Half 
Moon  Creek.  Horse  trails  lead  from  this  ranch  into  remote  sections  of  the  Snowy 
Mountains. 

2.  Left  from  Lewistown  on  State  19  to  a  junction  with  a  dirt  road,  1  m.;  R.  here 
to  NEW  YEAR,  13  m.  (3,980  alt.),  a  ghost  camp.  New  Year  sprouted  brashly 
along  with  other  camps  of  the  Judiths  and  Moccasins  after  the  discovery  of  gold  at 
Maiden  (see  below)  in  1880.  Its  mill  used  the  cyanide  process  of  extracting  gold 
that  made  the  Judith  and  Moccasin  mines  so  profitable. 

CRYSTAL  CAVE  (guide  and  light  necessary)  opens  off  the  main  shaft  of  the  New 
Year  Mine.  It  has  been  only  partly  explored.  In  the  main  chamber,  300  feet  across 
and  about  100  feet  high,  dripping  water  saturated  with  calcites  and  various  minerals 
has  created  a  sparkling^showroom  full  of  endlessly  varied  rock  crystals. 

MAIDEN,  18  m.  (4,063  alt.),  also  a  ghost  camp,  witnessed  the  first  fortune- 
making  in  the  Judith  and  Moccasin  fields.  Perry  McAdow,  a  veteran  of  the  Virginia 
City  boom,  took  two  out  of  the  Maiden  diggings.  At  the  World's  Fair  in  Chicago 
in  1893,  he  exhibited  a  gold  and  silver  statue  of  the  actress  Ada  Rehan,  and  caused 
a  stampede  to  the  Judiths  that  brought  the  Giltedge,  New  Year,  Kendall,  and 
Barnes-King  camps  into  being.  It  has  been  estimated  that  $18,000,000  in  gold  was 
taken  from  the  Maiden,  Giltedge,  and  Kendall  mines  alone. 

GILTEDGE,  21  m.  (4,170  alt.),  is  another  ghost  camp;  L.  here  on  a  dirt  road 
to  the  SITE  OF  FORT  MAGINNIS,  25  m.  (4,265  alt.).  The  fort,  named  for  Maj.  Mar- 
tin Maginnis,  Territorial  delegate  to  Congress,  was  established  in  July  1880  by  Capt. 
Dangerfield  Park  to  protect  settlers  and  stockmen  from  Indian  attacks.  It  was  built 
on  the  hay  pasture  of  a  ranch,  laid  out  that  summer  by  Granville  Stuart.  Stuart 
found  it  more  trouble  than  protection.  When  cattle  and  horses  were  stolen  by  In- 
dians, the  soldiers,  through  ignorance,  indolence,  or  official  delay,  often  made  their 
recovery  impossible  and  allowed  the  thieves  to  go  unpunished.  Other  ranchers  shared 
Stuart's  disgust,  and  in  1890  the  fort  was  abandoned;  ranchers  and  Lewistown  citi- 
zens later  carried  off  the  buildings. 

Granville  Stuart  was  important  in  Montana  history.  A  Virginian  of  Scottish  descent 
who  had  in  1852  learned  the  ins  and  outs  of  gold  mining  in  California,  he  came 
to  Montana,  and  in  1858  helped  find  gold  on  Gold  Creek  (see  Tour  1,  sec.  d.). 
There,  besides  prospecting,  he  raised  grain  and  vegetables,  trapped,  traded,  read 
Byron,  married  a  squaw,  and  mended  Henry  Plummer's  shotgun  when  that  bright 
young  man  came  through  on  his  way  to  Bannack.  At  Virginia  City  during  the  fever- 
ish i86o's  and  later  he  mined  and  traded  again,  and  continued  educating  himself  by 
reading  law  when  he  could — and  Shakespeare,  the  Bible,  and  Adam  Smith. 

He  became  manager  of  the  Davis  &  Hauser  Co.  in  1879;  it  was  soon  reorganized 
as  Davis,  Hauser,  &  Stuart,  with  the  brand  DHS  (D-S).  With  such  men  as  James 
Fergus,  Conrad  Kohrs,  D.  A.  G.  Floweree,  John  T.  Murphy,  P.  H.  Poindexter,  and 
W.  C.  Orr,  he  helped  change  the  Montana  range  from  a  wilderness  into  a  highly 
profitable  cattle  country. 

As  secretary  of  the  Montana  Stock  Growers'  Association,  Stuart  urged  peaceful 
means  of  wiping  out  rustlers;  but  when  these  failed,  he  helped  engineer  orderly 
hangings.  Under  his  leadership  the  stockmen  dealt  with  Indians,  prairie  fires,  stam- 
pedes, blizzards,  drought,  and  stock  diseases — and  brought  the  Montana  cattle  busi- 
ness to  a  value  of  many  million  dollars.  His  plan  for  solving  the  Indian  problem, 
endorsed  in  1885  by  the  National  Stock  Growers'  Association,  showed  his  common 
sense  and  social  values.  He  favored  (i)  disarming  and  dismounting  the  Indians; 
(2)  granting  them  land  in  severalty,  with  inalienable  title,  and  selling  their  surplus 
land;  (3)  giving  them  the  privileges  and  responsibilities  of  full  citizenship. 


TOUR    3  257 

Stuart,  like  most  other  Montana  ranchers,  saw  his  herds  wiped  out  by  the  winter 
of  1886-87.  In  1891  he  was  appointed  State  Land  Agent;  three  years  later  he  be- 
came a  special  United  States  Envoy  to  Uruguay  and  Paraguay.  From  1904  to  his 
death  in  1918,  he  was  librarian  of  the  Butte  Public  Library.  His  journals  and  his- 
torical writings  are  regarded  as  valuable  source  material. 

At  102  m.  sage  plains  succeed  the  low  hills;  ranch  homes  are  few  and 
far  apart. 

At  117  m.  is  the  junction  with  State  18  (see  Tour  9). 

GRASS  RANGE,  117.9  m.  (3,488  alt,  212  pop.),  is  a  prairie  town, 
spread  out,  in  the  words  of  one  resident,  "most  as  big  as  Chicago."  Here, 
as  in  many  other  Montana  towns,  it  is  not  unusual  to  see  a  rancher  driving 
a  late-model  automobile  with  a  sheep  dog,  a  ewe,  or  even  a  calf  in  the  back 
seat.  Livestock  paid  for  the  car — livestock  ride  in  it  if  the  need  arises. 
Most  ranchers  prefer  the  "pick-up"  or  station-wagon  type  of  automobile, 
which  can  haul  a  load  of  salt,  supplies  for  camp  tenders,  a  ewe  with 
lambs,  or  a  barrel  of  water  without  difficulty.  The  typical  Montana  rancher 
puts  the  modern  high-powered  car  to  tests  never  thought  of  on  the  prov- 
ing grounds;  he  drives  wherever  there  is  a  track  for  one  wheel,  climbing 
rocky  ridges  that,  a  few  years  ago,  he  would  have  negotiated  on  foot  lead- 
ing his  horses  and  wagon. 

The  SPRING,  123.8  m.  (R),  was  a  regular  watering  hole  on  the  old  cat- 
tle trail  north  of  Roundup  before  any  towns  existed  on  the  range.  The 
water,  though  alkaline,  is  fit  to  drink. 

Three  deserted  shacks  are  all  that  remain  of  the  town  of  BATTRICK, 
128.8  m.  (3,924  alt). 

At  150.5  m.  the  highway  enters  DEVILS  BASIN,  a  shallow  pocket 
rimmed  in  part  with  sharply  eroded  bluffs.  Drillers  found  signs  of  oil 
here  in  1919,  a  year  before  the  Cat  Creek  discovery,  but  the  field  was  not 
developed.  According  to  a  local  story  a  geologist  asked  drillers  at  Devils 
Basin  if  there  were  any  areas  more  worth  prospecting  nearby.  When  they 
replied  carelessly  that  there  might  be  one  farther  east,  the  geologist  went 
on  into  the  Cat  Creek  area,  and  almost  immediately  brought  in  a  shallow 
well  of  high-grade  oil  that  started  a  succession  of  booms  (see  Tour  9, 
Sec.  b). 

At  165.3  m.  is  a  junction  with  State  6  (see  Tour  11). 

ROUNDUP,  165.8  m.  (3,184  alt,  2,577  P°P-)>  *ies  among  rolling 
hills  clad  sparsely  with  yellow  pine  and  dotted  with  granite  boulders.  It 
is  neatly  laid  out,  with  well-shaded  streets,  and  its  houses,  many  of  which 
stand  on  high  terraces,  are  surrounded  by  gardens.  At  the  southern  end 
the  main  street  runs  straight  toward  a  partly  bald  bluff  that  forces  it  to 
turn  L.  and  down  a  hill.  It  ends  at  the  railroad  station. 

As  seat  of  Musselshell  County,  Roundup  is  the  educational,  social,  and 
business  center  of  its  region,  and  the  trade  center  of  the  State's  leading 
coal-mining  region ;  mining  operations  are  seen  to  the  east  and  west. 

As  its  name  suggests,  the  town  was  once  the  gathering  point  for  great 
herds  that  grazed  up  and  down  the  valley.  It  remained  a  cowtown  until 
1903,  when  homesteaders  arrived,  fenced  the  range,  and  crowded  the 
stockmen  behind  barbwire.  In  1907,  when  the  Milwaukee  Road  was  built 
across  the  State,  Roundup  began  to  develop.  The  former  rough-and-ready 


258  TOURS 

town  is  now  so  staid  that  a  sign  in  front  of  one  of  the  motion  picture 
houses  advises  passers-by:  "Go  to  the  movies  often;  nowhere  else  can  you 
get  so  close  to  life  for  so  little." 

The  western  tradition  of  tall  yarning  long  survived  here.  An  eastern 
visitor  once  wrote  in  a  bread-and-butter  letter  to  a  Roundup  newspaper 
editor:  "Out  there  every  prairie  dog  hole  is  a  gold  mine;  every  hill  a 
mountain;  every  creek  a  river;  and  everybody  you  meet  is  a  liar."  A  still 
popular  local  story  declares  that  sheepherders'  dogs,  once  having  known 
the  lure  of  Roundup's  lampposts,  never  return  to  their  masters.  Sheep- 
herders  themselves  are  attracted  to  Roundup  when  they  have  money,  but 
perhaps  for  different  reasons. 

Temperatures  in  this  area  vary  from  — 50°  in  winter  to  110°  in  the 
shade  in  summer,  with  nights  usually  cool.  In  winter  the  variation  is  some- 
times as  much  as  70°  in  a  few  hours.  A  chinook  may  bring  the  mercury 
far  up  out  of  subzero,  but  in  a  day  or  two  a  northwester  may  send  it  plum- 
meting again.  The  topsoil,  fertile  and  of  good  depth,  is  of  the  gumbo 
type;  in  rainy  weather  dirt  roads  are  both  sticky  and  slipper)7,  almost  im- 
passable for  cars.  There  is  a  local  story  that  after  a  circus  held  on  the  edge 
of  town  during  wet  weather,  two  wagonloads  of  spectators'  rubbers  were 
picked  out  of  the  mud. 

The  highway  crosses  the  Musselshell  River,  167.8  m.,  a  shallow,  wind- 
ing tributary  of  the  Missouri,  so  named  by  Lewis  and  Clark  because  they 
found  fresh-water  mollusks  along  its  lower  reaches. 

KLEIN,  170.4  m.  (3,224  alt.,  850  pop.),  a  scattered  coal-mining  settle- 
ment in  the  foothills  of  the  Bull  Mountains,  has  a  grimy,  haphazard  ap- 
pearance. The  Republic,  one  of  the  larger  coal  mines  of  the  district,  sup- 
plies the  coal  used  by  the  Milwaukee's  locomotives  and  shops  in  this  part 
of  the  State.  Production  averages  62,500  tons  a  month. 

At  177.4  m.  is  the  junction  with  a  dirt  road. 

Left  on  this  road  into  the  hunting  area  of  the  BULL  MOUNTAINS,  20  m., 
through  yellow-pine  forest  and  over  rough  eroded  sandstone  formations.  In  the 
lower  country  the  warning  buzz  of  rattlesnakes  is  often  heard.  On  the  upper  slopes 
blue  grouse  and  big  game  are  abundant.  Wild  horses  graze  on  the  more  open, 
higher  stretches.  The  mountains  here  are  low  and  isolated,  characterized  by  caves, 
sharp  ridges,  pinnacles,  and  blind  canyons.  In  places  they  are  covered  with  scrubby 
growths  of  jack  pine,  buffalo  bushes,  and  sage. 

The  road  crosses  the  summit  of  the  Bull  Mountains,  at  180.3  m.,  then 
winds  down  through  rocky,  sparsely  timbered  country  into  the  Yellow- 
stone Valley. 

At  213.3  m.  is  a  junction  with  US  10  (see  Tour  1).  Between  this  point 
and  Billings  US  87  and  US  10  are  united. 

BILLINGS,  217.7  m.  (3,117  alt.,  16,380  pop.)  (see  BILLINGS). 

Points  of  Interest:  Eastern  Montana  State  Normal  School,  Billings  Polytechnic 
Institute,  Orthopedic  Hospital-School,  Parmly  Billings  Memorial  Library,  Sugar  Re- 
finery, and  others. 

Billings  is  at  a  junction  with  US  10  (see  Tour  1). 


TOUR   3  259 

Section  b.  BILLINGS  to  WYOMING  LINE,  107.8  m.,  US  87. 

This  section  of  US  87  passes  through  a  region  of  minor  mountains  into 

the  rugged  Big  Horn  country,  the  home  of  the  Crow  Indians,  a  land  of 

plains  and  distances  with  snowy  peaks  at  their  southern  end.  The  Crow 
called  it  the  "good  country"  because  they  fared  well  in  it.  Here  also 
ranged  the  fighting  Sioux  and  Cheyenne  who  destroyed  Custer.  South  of 
Hardin  the  highway  follows  the  Little  Horn  River,  crossing  it  several 
times. 

US  87  turns  L.  from  the  junction  with  US  10,  0  m.,  in  BILLINGS. 

US  87  crosses  a  boundary  of  the  CROW  INDIAN  RESERVATION  at  7.7  m. 

INSCRIPTION  CAVE  (L),  7.8  m.,  has  walls  covered  with  Indian  hiero- 
glyphics of  unknown  antiquity,  now  badly  defaced  by  vandals  and  ero- 
sion. About  200  feet  west  of  it  is  GHOST  CAVE,  so  named  for  no  appar- 
ent reason.  Below  the  caves  is  a  small  picnic  grove. 

At  12  m.  is  a  junction  with  an  improved  road. 

Right  on  this  road  is  PRYOR,  25  m.  (4,140  alt.,  150  pop.),  with  a  SUBAGENCY 
OF  THE  CROW  RESERVATION.  It  was  name  for  Sergeant  Pryor  of  the  Lewis  and  Clark 
expedition.  Here,  besides  the  trader's  store,  is  a  two-story  log  cabin,  the  FORMER 
HOME  OF  PLENTY  COUPS,  the  last  of  the  great  Crow  war  chiefs;  he  always 
maintained  friendly  relations  with  the  whites.  In  1921  Plenty  Coups  represented  the 
Indian  tribes  of  the  United  States  at  the  dedication  on  Armistice  Day  of  the  Tomb 
of  the  Unknown  Soldier  in  Arlington  Cemetery,  Va.  His  short  speech  on  war  and 
peace  has  been  regarded  as  a  masterpiece  of  Indian  oratory.  Plenty  Coups  died  in 
1933  at  the  age  of  84. 

Pryor  and  its  vicinity  give  the  impression  of  a  lazy  backwater,  where  only  the 
arrival  of  a  stranger  creates  an  occasional  ripple  of  interest,  and  community  gossip  is 
exchanged  almost  without  words.  A  familiar  figure  in  its  streets  is  Will  James,  the 
cowboy  author  and  artist  (see  THE  ARTS). 

The  road  continues  as  an  ungraded  trail,  little  changed  since  the  old  ranching 
days. 

The  WILL  JAMES  RANCH,  35  m.,  embraces  more  than  4,000  acres  of  range. 
Among  the  herds  that  graze  here  are  several  famous  old  horses.  The  ranch  buildings 
are  small,  simple  log-and-frame  structures,  with  a  few  trees  around  them.  A  low 
rim  of  red  sandstone  cliffs  surrounds  the  place,  with  Crown  Butte  L.  and  West 
Pryor  Mountain  R.  James  used  the  local  setting  in  several  books. 

The  unfenced  rangeland  of  the  Big  Horn  country  is  a  greatly  eroded 
plateau.  The  walls  of  the  deep  gulches  expose  ancient  sedimentary  rocks 
containing  fossilized  remains  of  prehistoric  animals. 

The  highway  again  crosses  the  Crow  Indian  Reservation  at  21.1  m.  to 
skirt  its  northern  boundary  for  about  28  miles. 

From  the  top  of  a  low  ridge  at  25.5  m.  the  BIG  HORN  MOUN- 
TAINS, a  range  reaching  into  Montana  from  northern  Wyoming,  are 
visible  straight  ahead.  They  may  have  been  the  "shining  mountains"  re- 
ported by  the  Verendryes  in  1743  on  their  unsuccessful  attempt  to  reach 
the  Pacific  (see  HISTORY). 

In  the  neighborhood  of  FLYINN,  26.2  m.  (2,510  alt.,  7  pop.),  a 
prairie  post  office,  paleontologists  have  unearthed  many  fossilized  skele- 
tons (see  NATURAL  SETTING). 

HARDIN,  49.8  m.  (2,966  alt.,  1,169  P°P-)>  seat  of  Big  Horn  County, 
is  the  trading  center  of  an  area  opened  to  white  settlement  in  1906.  A 


260  TOURS 

farmers'  town,  chiefly  serving  the  Crow  Reservation,  Hardin  takes  on  life 
in  summer,  when  it  is  much  frequented  by  the  beaded  and  beribboned 
Indians  who  make  up  one-fourth  of  the  county's  population.  On  the  south- 
ern outskirts  is  a  colony  of  Mexican  beetfield  workers. 

The  MUSEUM  in  the  BIG  HORN  COUNTY  LIBRARY,  Custer  Ave.  and 
5th  St.,  contains  mementos  of  the  Custer  battle  and  of  General  Custer. 

Right  from  Hardin  on  State  47,  an  improved  dirt  road,  is  ST.  XAVIER,  23  m. 
(3,O33  alt-,  62  pop.),  largest  settlement  on  the  Crow  Reservation.  In  1887  Father 
Prando,  a  Jesuit  missionary,  and  two  companions  founded  a  mission  here.  At  first 
they  used  their  single  tent  as  church,  reception  room,  storehouse,  kitchen,  and  dormi- 
tory. In  the  following  year  a  frame  schoolhouse  was  completed. 

One  of  the  leaders  of  the  Crow,  who  were  very  restless  at  the  time  and  eager 
to  fight  troops  stationed  at  Fort  Custer,  was  a  medicine  man  who  brandished  a  rusty 
saber  when  proclaiming  his  ability  to  exterminate  every  paleface.  One  evening  three 
Ursuline  nuns  accompanied  by  a  priest  arrived  at  the  mission  and  shortly  afterward 
the  Indians  fired  several  shots  into  the  agency  buildings.  The  next  morning  the  four 
proceeded  to  the  mission  school  but  were  not  molested.  A  Crow  scout  ended  the 
incipient  rebellion  a  few  days  later  by  shooting  the  medicine  man. 

The  RUINS  OF  FORT  C.  F.  SMITH,  38  m.  (4,570  alt.),  are  on  a  bluff  500  yards 
from  the  Big  Horn  River.  Fort  Smith  was  established  August  12,  1866,  to  protect 
Bozeman  Trail  travelers  from  the  resentful  Sioux.  Its  stockade,  of  logs  and  adobe, 
125  yards  square,  was  an  impregnable  haven ;  from  its  lookout  tower  riders  three  miles 
distant  could  be  watched.  The  fort  was  manned  by  the  27th  Infantry,  whose  colonel 
had  irritated  Secretary  of  War  Stanton  by  continually  asking  for  a  transfer  to  some 
easy  post.  Stanton  at  length  asked  his  clerk,  "Which  next  to  hell  is  the  worst  place 
to  send  a  regiment?"  The  clerk  replied,  "To  the  Powder  River  country."  Stanton 
sent  the  27th  Infantry  to  this  place;  events  proved  that  the  clerk  had  been  right. 
From  the  beginning  the  fort  was  besieged  by  Red  Cloud's  Sioux.  It  was  abandoned 
in  1868,  after  several  bloody  encounters,  notably  the  Hayfield  fight  in  which  n 
soldiers  and  8  civilians  fought  off  600  Sioux,  sustaining  only  4  losses,  and  the  an- 
nihilation of  Capt.  William  T.  Fetterman's  command  of  82  men  near  Fort  Phil 
Kearny,  Wyo. ;  the  fort  site  was  included  in  land  set  aside  as  the  Crow  Reservation 
(see  HISTORY).  The  old  tower  has  fallen  in  a  heap  and  the  wall  is  a  mass  of 
debris. 

Midway  between  the  ruins  and  the  Big  Horn  River  was  the  post's  burial  ground. 
In  1892  the  remains  of  17  soldiers  and  civilians  were  removed  from  this  place  to 
the  Custer  Battlefield  National  Cemetery  (see  below). 

The  DE  SMET  TREE,  an  ancient  cottonwood  under  which  the  priest  (see  HIS- 
TORY) in  1840  celebrated  the  first  Christian  mass  in  the  Big  Horn  country,  stands 
near  the  ruins.  Two  and  one-half  miles  south,  on  Warrior  Creek,  is  the  site  of  the 
Hayfield  fight. 

At  39  m.  is  the  mouth  of  BIG  HORN  CANYON,  which  winds  through  the  Big 
Horn  Mountains.  Rust-colored  cliffs  rise  almost  3,000  feet  above  the  river.  The  big- 
horn sheep  are  native  to  this  country,  but  they  seldom  appear  near  the  highway. 

The  TOWER,  53  m.,  is  a  knife-edged  formation  of  sandstone,  700  feet  high, 
around  which  the  river  sweeps  in  a  horseshoe.  In  1935  a  herd  of  300  bison  and 
several  hundred  elk  from  Yellowstone  Park  were  liberated  nearby. 

At  51.6  m.  is  the  junction  with  a  dirt  road. 

Left  on  this  road  to  the  SITE  OF  FORT  CUSTER,  1.4  m.  (3,041  alt.),  on  the  bluff 
above  the  confluence  of  the  Big  Horn  and  Little  Horn  Rivers.  It  was  built  by  L 
Col.  George  P.  Buell  in  1877,  the  year  after  the  Custer  battle.  Since  there  were  n 
further  uprisings  in  the  vicinity,  the  soldiers  had  plenty  of  time  for  entertainment 
John  Maguire,  pioneer  impresario  (see  BUTTE),  occasionaly  visited  the  fort  on  hi 
tours  of  the  settlements.  In  March  1880  he  presented  Captain  John  Smith,  usin 
Crow  in  the  cast.  At  the  point  where  Pocahontas  was  pleading  for  the  life  of  Johr 
Smith,  a  Crow  burst  into  the  theater,  shouting  that  a  band  of  Sioux  had  stolen  the 


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CROW  TEPEES 


Crow  horses  from  the  hitching  rack  outside.  While  the  bugler  blew  boots  and  sad- 
dles Chief  Plenty  Coups  called  a  hurried  war  council  and  the  Indians  joined  the 
cavalry  in  pursuit  of  the  thieves. 

CROW  AGENCY,  63.1  #z.  (3,041  alt.,  350  pop.),  is  the  administrative 
headquarters  of  the  Crow  Reservation.  The  administration  buildings,  In- 
dian park,  and  Baptist  mission  are  L. 

The  Crow  Indian  Reservation,  containing  3,700  square  miles,  created 
1851,  is  the  home  of  2,112  Indians  and  as  many  whites.  Each  of  its  six 
districts  has  a  subagency,  with  a  field  nurse,  field  agent,  or  other  respon- 
sible officer. 

The  Crow  cut  three  crops  of  alfalfa  during  the  summer,  and  raise  oats, 
barley,  and  wheat.  Sugar  beets  yield  up  to  19  tons  an  acre  in  the  irrigated 
Big  Horn  Valley.  On  leased  reservation  land  is  Thomas  Campbell's 
8o,ooo-acre  dry-land  wheat  ranch,  largest  in  the  United  States.  Grassy 
slopes  provide  excellent  summer  and  winter  range;  34,000  acres  of  na- 
tional forest  land  reserved  for  Indian-owned  livestock  contain  several 
hundred  buffalo  and  elk. 

Most  of  the  Indians  own  fairly  modern  homes,  but  in  summer  their 
lands  are  dotted  with  tepees.  Tribal  laws  conform  to  the  Department  of 
Interior  regulations;  the  council  of  two  is  elected  by  popular  vote;  the 


262  TOURS 

superintendent  (1938),  Robert  Yellowtail,  is  the  first  Indian  to  adminis- 
ter a  western  reservation.  Individual  rather  than  communal  ownership  is 
traditional  among  the  Crow  but  they  have  fine  tribal  unity. 

Though  trachoma  and  tuberculosis  were  formerly  somewhat  prevalent, 
the  Crow  are  relatively  healthy. 

Widespread  membership  in  the  forbidden  "peyote"  societies  continues 
among  the  Crow.  Peyote  ("button"  of  the  mescal  plant,  a  cactus),  drunk 
in  an  infusion  or  chewed,  brings  happy  visions. 

The  Crow  were  rovers  with  no  interest  in  any  craft  but  the  making  of 
fine  beadwork,  originally  quill  work. 

During  the  Crow  Agency  fair  in  August  these  Indians  exhibit  beaded 
articles  and  a  few  others  they  are  now  learning  to  make,  but  their  real 
interest  is  in  fancy  riding,  horse  racing,  arrow  throwing,  and  ceremonial 
dancing. 

The  Crow  call  themselves  Apsaruke,  or  Absarokee  (people  of  the  raven). 
They  have  lived  here  since  long  before  the  white  man  came  and  are  pos- 
sibly the  people  described  as  "les  beaux  hommes"  in  the  Verendrye  jour- 
nal. Some  of  the  Crow,  enemies  of  the  Sioux  and  Cheyenne,  served  Gen- 
eral Custer  as  scouts.  The  Indian  attitude  toward  the  land  was  expressed 
by  a  Crow  named  Curly:  "The  soil  you  see  is  not  ordinary  soil — it  is  the 
dust  of  the  blood,  the  flesh,  and  the  bones  of  our  ancestors.  You  will  have 
to  dig  down  to  find  Nature's  earth,  for  the  upper  portion  is  Crow,  my 
blood  and  my  dead.  I  do  not  want  to  give  it  up." 

Many  Crow  have  adopted  white  family  names  but  many  land  titles  are 
registered  under  school  or  church-given  white  names  plus  Anglicized  In- 
dian names.  Among  them  are  Aloysius  Child-in-his-mouth,  Frank  He- 
does-it,  Chief  Bull-dog-falls-down,  Mary  Takes-a-wrinkle,  Montgomery 
Ward  Two  Bellies,  Michael  Bull-chief,  James  Medicine  Tail,  Ben  Long 
Ears,  Rides  Pretty,  and  Oscar  Other  Medicine. 

Many  borrowed  stories  are  told  in  Crow  lodges  on  winter  evenings, 
for  the  Crow  adopted  much  of  the  culture  of  their  neighbors.  Typical  is 
a  version  of  the  Creation  myth: 

"Old  Man  Coyote  was  walking  round  and  round,  as  was  his  habit. 
That  I  am  alone  is  bad,'  he  said.  If  I  looked  at  someone  now  and  then, 
and  talked  with  him,  it  would  be  well.' 

"He  urged  two  small  red-eyed  ducks  to  dive  into  the  water  and,  if  they 
reached  something,  to  bring  it  up.  After  repeated  trials,  the  ducks  brought 
a  little  mud.  Coyote  said:  'Well,  my  younger  brothers,  this  we  will  make 
big,  we  will  make  our  abode/  He  blew  on  it,  and  made  the  earth.  Then 
he  took  a  little  root ;  he  made  the  grass,  the  trees,  and  other  plants. 

"One  of  the  ducks  spoke:  'It  is  fine,  but  its  being  level  is  too  bad.  If 
there  were  rivers  and  little  coulees  and  hills,  it  would  be  well.' 

"He  traced  rivers,  he  made  hills,  he  went  around.  Then,  from  some  of 
the  dirt,  he  made  companions  for  himself  and  the  ducks:  first  men,  then 
women.  That's  the  way  it  was."  The  myth  goes  on  to  the  creation  of 
animals  and  other  things. 

It  was  Crow  custom  to  bury  the  dead  upon  a  height,  supposedly  nearer 
the  spirit  world,  with  their  belongings  beside  them;  often  their  lodges 


TOUR   3  263 

were  destroyed.  White  blankets  were  worn  by  the  mourners  as  symbols  of 
the  star  trail  the  dead  were  believed  to  be  traveling;  the  mourners  some- 
times mutilated  themselves. 

Formerly  Crow  marriage  rites  were  simple;  after  an  exchange  of  pres- 
ents, the  squaw  moved  into  her  husband's  lodge.  It  was  sometimes  harder 
to  get  rid  of  a  squaw  than  to  obtain  one;  a  white  man,  who  won  a  Crow 
woman  at  a  horse  race,  had  to  give  the  tribe  fifty  dollars  to  take  her  back. 

At  64.7  m.  is  the  junction  with  a  graveled  road. 

Left  on  this  road  1  m.  to  the  CUSTER  MONUMENT  in  the  CUSTER  BATTLEFIELD 
NATIONAL  CEMETERY  (custodian  acts  as  guide)  (3,029  alt.),  one  mile  square;  the 
area  was  set  aside  by  the  Federal  Government,  December  7,  1886.  The  monument, 
a  sandstone  obelisk  surrounded  by  an  iron  fence,  lists  the  names  of  265  men  killed 
on  the  battlefield,  but  only  209  marble  slabs  have  been  set  up,  supposedly  marking 
the  spots  where  men  fell.  When  General  Terry  arrived  on  the  field  two  days  after 
the  battle  (see  HISTORY),  his  troops  and  Reno's  were  too  busy  caring  for  their 
wounded  to  have  much  time  for  burying  the  dead.  Four  days  after  the  battle  Terry 
sent  a  detail  that  buried  the  bodies  of  officers  in  graves  a  few  inches  deep,  but  only 
partly  covered  those  of  the  enlisted  men.  Capt.  H.  L.  Nowlan  charted  the  officers' 
graves.  A  year  later  a  detail  from  Fort  Keogh  arrived  to  exhume  the  remains  of  offi- 
cers. The  covering  earth  had  been  blown  and  washed  away,  and  many  skeletons 
were  above  ground.  Wolves  and  coyotes  had  been  busy.  The  skull,  one  femur,  and 
a  few  small  bones  of  Custer  were  found  and  taken  to  West  Point  for  burial.  In 
1885,  when  all  bones  found  on  the  surface  were  buried  in  a  square  pit  at  the  base 
of  the  sandstone  monument,  wooden  stakes  were  placed  on  the  places  where  the 
bones  were  found.  Years  later  a  commission  arrived  to  replace  the  stakes  with  stone 
markers  but  so  many  of  the  bits  of  wood  had  rotted  away  that  the  slabs  were  set  up 
largely  by  guesswork.  Those  in  charge  of  the  marking  hunted  for  spots  where  grass 
grew  rank,  on  the  assumption  that  the  soil  under  them  had  been  enriched  by  animal 
matter.  Large  rank  areas  were  passed  over  on  the  theory  that  they  represented  places 
where  horses  had  died. 

Nevertheless,  these  irregularly  grouped  markers  along  a  hilltop,  with  a  few  scat- 
tered along  the  edges  of  the  field,  give  a  better  picture  of  what  happened  here  on 
the  afternoon  of  June  25,  1876,  than  the  thousands  of  controversial  words  that  have 
been  published  about  the  fight.  Academicians  still  ask  how  it  was  that  the  Sioux  and 
Cheyenne  were  armed  with  Winchesters,  superior  to  the  arms  of  the  Seventh  Cav- 
alry; why  Custer  divided  his  command  into  four  parts;  why  Custer  was  in  such  a 
hurry;  why  Benteen  did  not  come  to  his  assistance.  Authors,  such  as  Thomas1  B. 
Marquis,  continue  to  assert  that  many  of  Custer's  command  committed  suicide. 

This  cemetery,  covering  7.5  acres,  has  become  a  repository  for  the  dead  of  various 
battles  and  forts  of  the  Northwest.  In  1931  the  bones  of  1,421  soldiers  and  civilians 
from  Forts  C.  F.  Smith,  Phil  Kearny,  Maginnis,  Abraham  Lincoln,  Custer,  Keogh, 
and  others,  had  been  reburied  there. 

GARRYOWEN,  69  m.  (3,080  alt.,  50  pop.),  is  a  crossroads  settle- 
ment. Its  name  commemorates  the  ancient  Irish  air,  Garryoiven,  that  was 
the  battle  song  of  Custer's  cavalry. 

The  EXPERIMENTAL  RANGE  REVEGETATION  PLOT  (R),  73.5  m.,  is  one 
of  several  where  work  is  being  carried  on  by  the  U.  S.  Department  of 
Agriculture  to  determine  types  of  grass  most  suitable  to  the  soil.  Other 
grass  plots  are  seen  at  intervals  along  the  highway. 

The  Rosebud  Mountains  (L),  a  low,  sparsely  timbered  range,  parallels 
the  Little  Horn  River. 

LODGE  GRASS,  84.2  m.  (3,056  alt.,  373  pop.),  is  a  trade  town  of 
the  ranchers  whose  herds  graze  on  the  rich  grass-covered  uplands  that 
were  formerly  covered  with  buffalo.  Before  the  white  man  came,  the 


264  TOURS 

Crow  made  their  summer  hunting  camps  here,  and  knew  the  place  by  a 
name  that  probably  meant  "rich  grass,"  but  was  sometimes  interpreted  as 
"greasy  grass."  The  Crow  words  for  "lodge"  and  "grease"  were  so  sim- 
ilar that  by  further  misinterpretation  this  place  became  Lodge  Grass. 

The  low  barren  summits  (L)  at  86.2  m.  belong  to  the  WOLF  MOUN- 
TAINS. Only  a  narrow  valley  separates  the  Rosebud  and  Wolf  Ranges, 
and  on  maps  they  seem  one  chain. 

The  valley  of  the  Little  Horn  narrows  into  a  canyon  between  the  Wolf 
Mountains  and  the  foothills  (R)  of  the  Big  Horn  Mountains. 

WYOLA,  97.9  m.  (4,100  alt.,  125  pop.),  is  a  shipping  point  for  cat- 
tle ranches  in  the  valley.  Here  the  Montana  Highway  Commission  main- 
tains a  port  of  entry  during  the  tourist  season. 

At  107.8  m.  US  87  crosses  the  Wyoming  Line,  30  miles  northwest  of 
Sheridan,  Wyo.  (see  Wyoming  Tour  3), 


Tour 


(Calgary,  Alberta) — Browning — Great  Falls — White  Sulphur  Springs — 
Livingston — Gardiner — (Mammoth  Hot  Springs,  Wyo.);  US  89. 
Canadian  Border  to  Wyoming  Line,  420.5  m. 

Route  paralleled  by  branches  of  Great  Northern  Ry.  between  Pendroy  and  Neihart, 
of  Chicago,  Milwaukee,  St.  Paul  &  Pacific  R.R.  between  White  Sulphur  Springs  and 
Ringling,  of  Northern  Pacific  Ry.  between  Wilsall  and  Gardiner. 
Accommodations  of  all   kinds   in  cities,   limited  but  comfortable  in  villages   and 
towns,  tourist  homes  at  intervals  between  towns. 

Oil-surfaced  roadbed  most  of  way;  remainder  graded  and  graveled.  Mountainous 
stretches  have  usual  mountain  hazards — small  landslides  in  wet  weather  and  occa- 
sional heavy  snows  in  winter. 

Section  a.  CANADIAN  BORDER  to  GREAT  FALLS,  185.8  m.,  US  89. 

This  section  of  US  89  cuts  across  the  low  divides  between  tributaries  of 
the  St.  Mary,  Milk,  and  Marias  Rivers,  and  runs  along  the  abrupt  eastern  i 
slope  of  the  Rockies.  It  is  part  of  a  direct  route  between  Glacier  and 
Yellowstone  Parks,  sometimes  known  as  the  Yellowstone  Glacier  Beeline. 
The  rolling  grassland  it  traverses  is  the  western  extremity  of  the  Great 
Plains,  still  to  some  extent  an  open  cattle  and  sheep  range.  Almost  half 
its  course  lies  in  the  relatively  fenceless  Blackfeet  Reservation,  just  east  of 
Glacier  National  Park.  Most  of  the  streams  that  flow  eastward  from  the 
Rockies  in  this  area  offer  good  fishing,  especially  at  the  points  where  they 
emerge  from  the  hills. 


TOUR   4  265 

US  89,  a  continuation  of  Alberta  i,  crosses  the  Canadian  Border,  0  m., 
o.i  mile  south  of  Carway,  Alberta,  a  customs  station  and  port  of  entry  158 
miles  south  of  Calgary. 

It  runs  along  the  western  edge  of  the  Blackfeet  Indian  Reservation, 
with  the  mountains  of  Glacier  National  Park  R. 

All  the  country  east  of  the  Rocky  Mountains  and  north  of  the  Yellow- 
stone River,  far  into  Canada,  was  once  the  buffalo  range  and  hunting 
ground  of  the  Blackfeet,  who  jealously  defended  it  from  invasion  by 
other  tribes  and  stubbornly  resisted  white  occupation  until  subdued  by 
superior  force. 

A  legend  common  to  many  tribes  is  that  the  first  buffalo  came  out  of  a 
hole  in  the  ground,  and  when  the  buffalo  began  to  disappear  because  of 
the  whites'  uncontrolled  slaughter,  the  Indians  believed  that  the  white 
men  had  found  the  hole  and  had  rolled  a  large  boulder  over  it. 

At  10.7  m.  is  the  junction  with  the  Chief  Mountain  International 
Highway. 

Right  on  this  graveled  road^.  locally  called  the  Kennedy  Creek  Cut-off,  around 
the  base  of  CHIEF  MOUNTAIN  (9,056  alt.),  the  isolated  yellow-and-tan  colossus 
of  hard  limestone  that  rears  up  on  the  boundary  of  Glacier  National  Park  and  marks 
the  eastern  limit  of  the  Lewis  overthrust.  The  irregular  wedge  of  the  mountain 
provides  an  excellent  opportunity  for  study  of  the  geological  structure  of  the  north- 
ern Rockies  (see  GLACIER  NATIONAL  PARK).  Part  of  the  roadbed  is  composed 
of  the  glacial  debris  that  surrounds  the  mountain. 

At  13  m.  is  the  junction  with  a  crude  trail;  L.  here  1  m.  to  BELLY  RIVER,  a 
fishing  stream  of  unusual  reputation.  In  Glacier  Park  it  flows  along  the  eastern  side 
of  the  mountains,  with  only  foothills  and  a  few  detached  peaks  between  itself  and 
the  Great  Plains. 

At  14  m.  the  road  and  river  cross  into  Canada,  14  miles  southeast  of  Maskinonge 
Lake  in  Waterton  Lakes  National  Park. 

BABB,  15  m.  (4,460  alt.,  25  pop.),  has  tourist  cabins,  a  general  store, 
and  a  post  office.  It  was  settled  in  1912  as  headquarters  for  the  Reclama- 
tion Service  project  that  diverted  water  from  St.  Mary  River,  which  drains 
into  Hudson  Bay,  across  the  Hudson  Bay  Divide  to  the  Milk  River  for 
irrigation  purposes. 

At  Babb  is  the  junction  with  an  oiled  road  (see  Park  Tour  4). 

South  of  Babb  the  highway  parallels  the  shore  of  LOWER  ST.  MARY 
LAKE,  approaching  it  closely  at  several  points. 

ST.  MARY,  24.1  m.  (4,480  alt.,  103  pop.),  is  at  the  foot  of  UPPER 
ST.  MARY  LAKE,  just  within  Glacier  National  Park.  Here  is  the  junc- 
tion with  Going-to-the-Sun  Highway  (see  Park  Tour  1). 

Opposite  St.  Mary  rises  the  steep  Hudson  Bay  Divide,  which  US  89 
crosses  at  30.7  m.  (6,076  alt.).  Waters  north  of  the  ridge  flow  into  the 
Saskatchewan  River;  south  and  east,  into  tributaries  of  the  Missouri.  The 
first  of  these,  the  South  Fork  of  the  Milk  River,  is  crossed  at  35  m.  The 
road  crosses  the  Milk  River  Ridge,  36.3  m.,  which  offers  a  far  view  (L) 
over  the  plains.  There  are  only  occasional  glimpses  of  the  mountains  of 
Glacier  Park;  the  road  goes  through  dense  growths  of  aspen  and  stunted 
cottonwood. 

At  38.8  m.  is  the  junction  with  a  narrow  dirt  road  (see  Park  Tour  3). 

BROWNING  JUNCTION,  43.2  m.  (see  Tour  2),  is  at  the  junction 


266  TOURS 

with  US  2  (see  Tour  2).  Between  this  point  and  a  junction  at  59.1  m. 
US  89  and  US  2  are  one  route  (see  Tour  2,  Sec.  b). 

At  59.1  m.  is  the  junction  with  US  2  (see  Tour  2). 

Between  Browning  and  Great  Falls  US  89  skirts  the  western  edge  of 
the  Sweetgrass  Arch  (see  RESOURCES  AND  THEIR  CONSERVA- 
TION), one  of  the  important  oil-bearing  geologic  formations  in  the 
world.  Through  much  of  this  area  exploratory  drilling  goes  on  almost 
constantly. 

A  high  open  place  at  63.2  m.  affords  a  view  (L)  of  the  plains,  and 
(R)  the  Continental  Divide.  During  intertribal  warfare  on  these  plains, 
the  Indians  often  started  fires  that  swept  the  prairie  for  hundreds  of  miles. 

The  road  crosses  Two  Medicine  Creek,  67  m.,  and  runs  through  the 
irrigated  lands  of  the  Blackfeet  (see  Tour  2,  Sec.  b).  Outside  the  small 
valley,  the  visible  area  is  mostly  sheep  pasture. 

The  TEPEE  RINGS  (R  and  L),  70  m.,  are  circles  of  small  stones  mark- 
ing the  site  of  an  old  Indian  encampment. 

BIRCH  CREEK,  84.8  m.,  is  at  the  southeastern  corner  of  the  Blackfeet 
Reservation. 

At  86  m.  is  the  junction  with  an  improved  dirt  road  (see  Side  Tour 
from  Tour  6,  Sec.  a). 

DUPUYER,  94.7  m.  (4,050  alt.,  45  pop.),  a  supply  point  for  stock 
ranches,  came  into  existence  as  a  stage  stop  on  the  bull  freight  route  be- 
tween Fort  Benton  and  Fort  Browning.  Its  name  is  from  the  French 
depouille,  a  word  applied  by  trappers  and  explorers  to  the  back  fat  of  the 
buffalo,  a  delicacy  esteemed  by  both  Indian  and  white. 

Right  from  Dupuyer  on  a  graded  road  to  the  junction  with  another  dirt  road,  9 
m.;  R.  here  to  SCOFFIN  BUTTE,  14  m.,  which  is  rich  in  fossilized  dinosaur 
remains. 

South  of  Dupuyer  the  road  passes  over  broad  cattle  ranges.  The  region 
is  a  consistent  producer  of  prize-winning  stock.  Local  lore  has  it  that 
riders  sleeping  in  the  open  here  sometimes  wake  to  find  a  rattlesnake 
coiled  cozily  among  the  blankets,  obviously  in  search  of  warmth.  The 
early  ranchmen,  observing  that  the  snakes  most  often  attack  horses  on  the 
nose  or  belly  where  the  hair  is  short,  concluded  that  they  dislike  horse- 
hair, and  adopted  the  practice  of  coiling  a  horsehair  rope  around  their 
soogans  (blankets)  when  sleeping  on  the  ground.  Early  cartographers  er- 
roneously indicated  a  Lewis  Range  between  this  point  and  the  Continental 
Divide. 

At  107.6  m.  is  the  junction  with  an  improved  road. 

Left  on  this  road  is  PENDROY.  1  m.  (4,264  alt.,  85  pop.),  the  terminal  of  a 
Great  Northern  branch  from  Great  Falls,  and  a  grain-shipping  point 

BYNUM,  114.9  m.  (3,970  alt.,  94  pop.),  is  a  shipping  point  in  a 
region  of  large  dry- land  and  irrigated  wheat  ranches. 

CHOTEAU,  128.3  m.  (3,800  alt.,  997  pop.),  seat  of  Teton  County, 
was  named  for  Pierre  Chouteau,  Jr.,  a  member  of  a  family  of  fur  traders 
associated  with  Astor's   American  Fur  Company.   Montana  also  has 
county  named  for  Chouteau ;  to  avoid  confusion  the  town  name  is  spelled 


TOUR   4  267 

without  the  first  "u."  Choteau  was  once  headquarters  for  big  cattle  spreads 
(ranches)  whose  herds  ranged  over  large  areas  of  north-central  Montana. 

Bere  are  still  several  large  ranches  near. 
light  from  Choteau  on  partly  improved  State  33,  a  part  of  a  cut-off  between  this 
nt  and  Helena.  AUGUSTA,  33  m.   (4,076  alt.,  412  pop.),  was  named  for  the 
ighter  of  a  pioneer  rancher,  D.  J.  Hogan.  Sulphur  deposits  discovered  near  here 
in  March  1885  caused  much  excitement,  but  proved  unimportant  commercially.  A 
fairly  prosperous  farming  area  surrounds  the  town. 

At  Augusta  are  junctions  with  State  20  (see  below)  and  an  unnumbered  dirt 
road;  R.  on  the  dirt  road  17  m.  to  SUN  RIVER  MEDICINE  SPRINGS,  where  warm 
water  is  piped  to  a  small  outdoor  swimming  pool. 

State  33  approaches  the  rugged  and  abrupt  main  range  of  the  Rockies,  which  is 
accessible  by  several  foot  and  bridle  trails.  It  crosses  the  Dearborn  River,  a  tribu- 
tary of  the  Missouri  named  by  Lewis  and  Clark  for  Henry  Dearborn,  Secretary  of 
War  in  1806-07.  The  valley  is  largely  sheep  pasture. 

WOLF  CREEK,  76.1  m.  (3,560  alt.,  no  pop.),  is  something  of  a  summer  resort, 
rith  good  fishing  and  beautiful  mountain  scenery.  It  is  at  the  entrance  to  WOLF 
.EEK  CANYON.  The  Indian  name  of  the  place  was  "the-creek-where-the-wolf- 
iped-to." 
At  76.6  m.  is  the  junction  with  US  91  (see  Tour  6). 


Castellated  PRIEST  BUTTE  (R),  130.3  m.,  towers  above  the  SITE  OF 

.  PETER'S  MISSION,  established  in  1859  by  Father  Hoecken  (see  HIS- 

ORY).  This  mission  for  the  Blackfeet  was  not  successful;  after  two 
years,  Father  Hoecken  and  his  colleagues  moved  to  Sun  River. 

At  142.2  m.  the  highway  enters  the  GREENFIELD  BENCH,  the  major 
unit  of  the  SUN  RIVER  IRRIGATION  PROJECT.  It  consists  of  38,000  irri- 
gated acres  and  100,000  acres  that  can  be  irrigated;  GREENFIELD 
LAKE  (R)  is  the  shallow  reservoir  of  the  system. 

FAIRFIELD,  150  m.  (3,999  alt.,  227  pop.),  a  trimly  built  and  well 
cared  for  village  amid  acres  of  grain,  is  the  trading  center  of  the  Green- 
field Bench.  Before  the  development  of  irrigation,  the  grass  here  became 
scarce  in  dry  summers,  and  stockmen  were  forced  to  move  their  herds. 
Consequently,  the  community  was  long  known  as  "Freeze-out  Bench." 

On  the  broken  country  between  the  highway  and  the  Rockies  (R)  a 
few  remaining  pronghorn  antelopes  graze,  sometimes  within  sight  of  the 
road. 

A  panorama  of  the  entire  Greenfield  region  at  157.3  m.,  shows 
SQUARE  BUTTE  and,  in  the  distance,  CROWN  BUTTE  (R),  both 
south  of  Sun  River.  As  the  road  descends  to  the  Sun  River  Valley,  the 
5 06- foot  smokestack  of  the  Anaconda  Reduction  Works  (L)  at  Great 
Falls  is  seen. 

At  165.3  m.  is  the  junction  with  State  20. 

Right  on  State  20,  which  follows  a  route  used  by  Capt.  Meriwether  Lewis  and 
his  party.  A  short  section  of  State  20  is  built  on  the  Mullan  Wagon  Road,  which 
came  down  through  this  region  on  its  way  between  Fort  Benton  and  the  Prickly 
Pear,  near  Helena. 

SUN  RIVER,  0.8  m.  (3,416  alt.,  57  pop.),  one  of  the  oldest  settlements  in  the 
State,  is  at  the  old  Sun  River  crossing  on  the  trail  between  Fort  Benton  and  the 
gold  camps.  Before  the  railroads  came,  it  was  a  lively  place — a  rendezvous  for  cow- 
boys, bullwhackers,  mule  skinners,  and  trappers.  Thousands  of  gold  seekers  and  set- 
tlers passed  through  it. 

FORT  SHAW,  5.9  m.   (3,502  alt.,  85  pop.),  the  trade  center  of  a  beekeeping 


268  TOURS 

area,  was  settled  in  1867  as  a  military  post  protecting  travelers  on  the  Mullan  Road 
and  settlers  in  the  Sun  Valley  from  Blackfeet  raiders.  It  was  named  for  Col.  Robert 
G.  Shaw,  a  veteran  of  the  Civil  War.  One  fort  building,  125  feet  long,  was  the 
scene  of  many  dances,  and  was  sometimes  a  theater.  The  movable  benches  had  no 
backs  and  the  floor  was  merely  hard-trodden  earth ;  when  it  was  necessary  to  dim  the 
footlights,  members  of  the  orchestra  rose  and  turned  down  the  wicks  of  the  kero- 
.sene  lamps  that  lined  the  stage  apron.  Despite  the  primitive  living  conditions,  the 
place  was  the  social  center  of  a  large  area;  the  first  professional  stage  performance 
in  Montana  was  given  on  this  stage. 

From  Fort  Shaw  Gen.  John  Gibbon  in  1876  led  the  Seventh  Infantry  to  join 
Generals  Terry  and  Custer  in  the  campaign  against  the  Sioux  and  Cheyenne.  It  was 
while  Terry  and  Gibbon  were  attempting  an  encircling  movement  that  Custer  was 
wiped  out  on  the  Little  Horn. 

General  Gibbon  was  interested  in  more  than  military  affairs.  He  planted  trees 
and  flowers  and  made  lawns  and  gardens  about  Fort  Shaw.  In  1890,  when  the  fort 
was  abandoned,  the  Government  turned  it  over  for  use  as  an  Indian  school.  In  1910 
the  Indian  school  was  closed  and  one  for  white  children  was  opened. 

SIMMS,  11.5  m.  (3,563  alt.,  464  pop.),  is  a  farmers'  town  shaded  by  giant  cot- 
tonwoods  whose  branches  make  vaulted  corridors  of  the  streets.  Irrigation  has  re- 
claimed much  formerly  barren  land  about  the  town  and  made  grain  growing  as  im- 
portant as  cattle  raising. 

At  15.8  m.  is  the  junction  with  a  graded  dirt  road;  R.  here  1  m.  to  LOWRY 
(3,650  alt.,  8  pop.),  a  river  hamlet  surrounded  by  hay  ranches. 

RIEBELING,  22.4  m.  (3,755  alt.,  14  pop.),  is  a  ranch  and  post  office. 

At  33.1  m.  is  the  junction  with  State  33  (see  side  tour  above  from  Choteau), 

VAUGHN,  173.4  m.  (3,366  alt.,  45  pop.),  is  at  the  junction  with 
US  91  (see  Tour  6).  Between  Vaughn  and  Great  Falls,  US  89  and 
US  91  are  one  route. 

At  185  m.  is  the  junction  with  State  29  (see  Tour  14).  US  89  crosses 
the  Missouri  River. 

GREAT  FALLS,  185.8  m.  (3,300  alt.,  28,822  pop.)  (see  GREAT 
FALLS). 

Points  of  Interest:  Russell  Museum,  State  School  for  the  Deaf  and  Blind,  High 
School,  Gibson  Park,  Black  Eagle  Falls,  Giant  Springs,  and  others. 

Section  b.  GREAT  FALLS  to  LIVINGSTON,  1743  m.,  US  89. 

Between  Great  Falls  and  Belt  US  89  runs  along  the  ancient  bed  of  a 
glacial  lake;  near  Belt  it  passes  the  line  that  marks  the  southern  reach  of 
the  prehistoric  continental  ice  sheet;  it  crosses  the  Little  Belt  Mountains, 
whose  slopes  are  thickly  covered  with  the  pine,  fir,  and  spruce  of  the 
Lewis  and  Clark  National  Forest;  and  continues  southward  between  the 
Big  Belt  Mountains  (R)  and  the  Castle  and  Crazy  Mountains  (L).  The 
Little  Belts  produce  some  coal,  silver,  lead,  zinc,  and  gold. 

In  GREAT  FALLS,  0  m.,  US  89  goes  eastward  on  2nd  Ave.  N.,  leav- 
ing the  Missouri  River  and  the  giant  smokestack  of  the  reduction  works 
behind. 

Between  the  city  and  a  junction  near  Armitage  US  89  and  US  87  (see 
Tour  3)  are  one  route. 

BELT  BUTTE  (L),  20.5  m.,  with  its  girdle  of  dark  limestone,  offers 
an  explanation  for  the  name  of  the  Belt  Mountains. 

BELT,  22.2  m.  (3,574  alt.,  810  pop.),  formerly  called  Castner,  was 


TOUR   4  269 

founded  by  John  Castner,  whose  coal  mine,  the  first  in  Montana,  sup- 
plied fuel  to  Fort  Benton.  In  1893  the  Boston  and  Montana  Mining 
Company  began  operation  in  the  Belt  coal  field  and  was  soon  supplying 
all  fuel  for  the  smelter  at  Great  Falls.  Finns  and  Slavs  settled  the  town. 
In  1930  the  smelters  at  Anaconda  and  Great  Falls  began  using  natural^ 
gas  piped  in  from  the  Cut  Bank  field  (see  Tour  2,  Sec.  b),  decreasing  the 
market  for  coal  for  the  Belt  mines,  though  they  continue  to  produce  for 
the  region  surrounding  them. 

ARMINGTON,  24.9  m.  (3,558  alt,  150  pop.),  is  a  coal  miners' 
town. 

At  26.6  m.  is  the  junction  (L)  with  US  87  (see  Tour  3).  US  89 
swings  R.  through  the  deep  gorge  of  Belt  Creek. 

It  leaves  the  narrow  canyon  at  36.8  m.  and  climbs  up  the  northern 
slope  of  the  Little  Belt  Mountains  in  long  curves.  It  runs  across  an  eroded 
plateau,  low  and  wide,  with  many  spurs.  The  mountains  are  forest-clad, 
with  yellow  and  lodgepole  pine  predominating. 

MONARCH  CANYON,  45.5  m.t  is  a  defile  between  steep  limestone 
cliffs  of  various  shades.  A  boundary  of  the  LEWIS  AND  CLARK  NA- 
TIONAL FOREST  is  crossed  at  47.5  m.  Several  improved  public  camp- 
grounds maintained  by  the  U.  S.  Forest  Service  are  near  at  hand. 

Old  silver  mines  are  seen  here  and  there  in  this  region,  some  of  them 
abandoned,  some,  after  years  of  idleness,  active  again  because  of  higher 
silver  prices. 

MONARCH,  48.8  m.  (4,563  alt.,  66  pop.),  is  an  old,  partly  deserted 
mining  town  at  the  junction  of  two  gulches  whose  creeks  join  the  Belt. 
From  this  point  prospectors,  with  some  grub  and  an  extra  pair  of  socks 
in  their  packs,  go  into  the  hills  to  look  for  pay  dirt.  A  mine  that  yields 
a  profit,  or  at  least  gives  a  fair  return  in  gold  is  known  as  "good  ground." 
Placer  gold  is  of  four  grades:  nuggets,  coarse  gold,  fine  gold,  and  flour. 
Nuggets  range  from  a  dollar  up  in  value.  Coarse  and  fine  gold  can  be 
caught  in  ordinary  sluice  boxes  with  little  loss,  but  flour  is  so  light  that 
it  washes  out  of  the  sluices  with  the  water.  When  a  considerable  quantity 
of  flour  gold  is  found,  miners  use  quicksilver  in  the  riffles  of  their  sluices 
and  allow  the  mixture  to  settle  in  woolen  blankets ;  they  burn  the  blankets 
(if  they  are  old)  or  wash  them,  to  recover  the  amalgam,  which  is  then 
heated  to  drive  off  the  quicksilver.  Several  machines  for  recovering  flour 
gold  by  combining  gravitational  separation  with  the  amalgamation  process, 
have  been  patented. 

Left  from  Monarch  on  an  improved  dirt  road  to  FINN  CREEK,  8  m.,  whose 
waterfalls  and  sylvan  charm  amply  repay  a  short  walk  up  its  narrow  ravine. 

HUGHESVILLE,  14  m.  (4,960  alt.,  66  pop.),  is  one  of  a  group  of  mining  camps 
settled  in  1879.  From  this  region  rich  silver  and  lead  ores  were  hauled  by  bull 
team  to  Fort  Benton,  shipped  down  the  Missouri  and  Mississippi  to  New  Orleans, 
and  transferred  to  ocean  steamers  for  shipment  to  smelters  at  Swansea,  Wales. 

Since  1905  Hughesville  has  seen  several  mining  revivals.  The  largest  mine  in  the 
district  is  the  BLOCK  P,  which  has  a  mill  of  the  most  modern  type,  with  a  daily 
capacity  of  1,000  tons  of  ore,  and  uses  an  improved  flotation  method  (see  Tour  18) 
of  ore  concentration. 

Between   Monarch   and   Neihart,   US   89   again   follows   Belt   Creek 


270  TOURS 

through  its  deep,  narrow  upper  canyon.  Amethysts  and  marine  fossils 
have  been  found  here. 

NEIHART,  62.2  m.  (5,800  alt.,  168  pop.),  trading  center  of  the 
Little  Belt  mining  district,  was  named  for  J.  L.  Neihardt,  uncle  of  the 
poet  John  G.  Neihardt,  and  discoverer  in  1881  of  one  of  the  richest  de- 
posits of  silver-lead  ore  in  the  Little  Belts;  40  mines  have  been  operated 
in  the  vicinity.  The  igneous  rock  in  which  the  ore  is  found  is  called  pinto 
diorite  because  of  its  red-and-green  spotted  appearance.  Great  masses  of 
it  are  near  the  town. 

Some  of  the  Neihart  lodes  yielded  more  than  500  ounces  of  silver  to 
the  ton.  Among  the  largest  producers  were  the  Rochester,  M  and  I, 
Florence,  and  Silver  Dyke  mines,  the  last  having  a  large  low-grade  de- 
posit. There  was  considerable  new  activity  here  between  1935  and  1937. 
Several  properties  yield  zinc  in  addition  to  the  silver-lead-gold  combina- 
tion. Even  in  inactive  periods  the  people  of  the  district  have  an  air  of  ex- 
pectancy, for  they  are  certain  that  there  are  lodes,  yet  to  be  discovered, 
which  will  bring  prosperity  overnight. 

South  of  Neihart  the  highway  follows  Sawmill  Creek,  and  begins  the 
climb  to  King's  Hill,  a  pass  through  the  Little  Belts. 

In  the  dark  red  and  purple  base  rocks  feldspar  crystals  are  imbedded. 

At  70.3  m.  is  the  junction  with  the  Chamberlain  Creek  road. 

Left  on  this  road  to  Chamberlain  Creek,  1  m.;  from  the  mouth  of  this  creek  a 
foot  trail  runs  2.6  m.  to  the  SUMMIT  OF  NEIHART  BALDY  (9,000  alt.),  from 
which,  at  night,  the  lights  of  Great  Falls,  70  miles  north,  are  visible.  Two  immense 
natural  amphitheaters  in  the  igneous  rock  of  the  southern  slope  show  sharply  pro- 
jecting buttresses  and  talus  slides.  A  lakelet,  surrounded  by  talus  heaps  overgrown 
with  stunted  alpine  growth,  fills  a  hollow  at  the  bottom  of  the  longest  slope. 

The  summit  of  KING'S  HILL,  71.7  m.  (7,300  alt.),  has  a  ranger  sta- 
tion and  a  public  campground  in  groves  of  alpine  fir.  The  highway,  here 
known  as  King's  Hill  Road,  winds  down  the  southwest  slopes  of  the  Little 
Belt  Mountains.  At  90  m.  it  crosses  the  southern  boundary  of  the  LEWIS 
AND  CLARK  NATIONAL  FOREST. 

At  100.5  m.  is  a  junction  (L)  with  State  6  (see  lour  11).  For  12  miles 
US  89  and  State  6  are  one  route. 

WHITE  SULPHUR  SPRINGS,  100.6  m.  (5,200  alt.,  575  pop.),  seat 
of  Meagher  (pronounced  mar)  County,  was  so  named  because  of  mineral 
springs.  The  springs  are  now  privately  exploited.  Indians  came  great  dis- 
tances to  use  the  hot  water  here  for  medicinal  purposes.  White  people  who 
follow  their  example,  report  improvement  in  cases  of  rheumatism  and 
some  stomach  disorders. 

Meagher  County  was  named  for  Gen.  Thomas  Francis  Meagher,  an 
Irish  patriot  and  Civil  War  hero  who  came  to  Montana  as  a  Federal  offi- 
cial. Acting  as  Territorial  Governor  in  the  absence  of  Sidney  Edgerton, 
General  Meagher  made  a  trip  to  Fort  Benton,  July  i,  1867,  intending  to 
go  down  the  river  to  obtain  arms  for  a  campaign  against  the  Indians.  Late 
at  night,  on  the  eve  of  his  expected  departure  from  Fort  Benton,  he  went 
to  his  stateroom  on  the  steamer  after  a  visit  to  a  tavern,  and  was  never 
seen  again.  For  some  time  rumors  were  afloat  that  the  general  had  been 


US  89  NEAR  NEIHART 


pushed  into  the  river  while  attempting  to  board  the  steamer,  but  this  was 
denied  by  responsible  citizens  of  Fort  Benton  who  had  escorted  him  to 
his  room.  He  was  a  large,  powerful  man;  it  is  improbable  that  he  could 
have  been  forcibly  taken  from  his  stateroom  and  hurled  into  the  water 
without  a  struggle  that  would  have  aroused  the  crew  and  passengers. 
What  happened  to  him  remains  one  of  the  mysteries  of  pioneer  Montana. 

Contemporaries  say  that  Meagher  was  a  quarrelsome  person;  that  many 
of  his  decisions  as  Acting  Governor  had  met  bitter  opposition  and  made 
enemies  who  might  conceivably  have  seized  the  opportunity  to  do  away 
with  him.  Some  members  of  the  Ancient  Order  of  Hibernians  took  the 
stand  that  he  was  a  martyr  to  the  Irish  cause  and  erected  a  statue  of  him 
on  the  capitol  grounds  at  Helena,  near  the  main  entrance  (see  HELENA). 

White  Sulphur  Springs  was  the  boyhood  home  of  Taylor  Gordon  (see 
THE  ARTS),  a  Negro  singer  of  spirituals. 

The  country  around  White  Sulphur  Springs  offers  excellent  hunting 
and  fishing,  and  is  a  popular  summer-resort  area.  An  annual  Labor  Day 
Rodeo  in  the  town  draws  some  of  the  best  riders  and  ropers  in  the  State. 

The  AUDITORIUM,  built  (1870)  when  plans  were  projected  to  make 
White  Sulphur  Springs  a  rival  of  the  popular  spa  of  the  same  name  in 
West  Virginia,  boasts  a  false  ceiling  made  of  a  "big  top"  purchased  from 
the  Ringling  Brothers'  circus. 

Right  from  White  Sulphur  Springs  on  an  oiled  road  to  FORT  LOGAN,  17  m. 
(3,972  alt.),  a  former  military  post  established  in  1869  to  protect  the  mining  camps 


272  TOURS 

and  the  Fort  Benton  freight  route.  First  called  Camp  Baker,  it  was  renamed  in  mem- 
ory of  a  Captain  Logan  killed  at  the  Big  Hole  Battle  (see  HISTORY).  The  block- 
house still  stands. 

South  of  White  Sulphur  Springs  the  highway  traverses  the  wide,  open, 
sage- dotted  Smith  River  Valley,  in  which  are  holdings  of  the  Ringling 
family  of  circus  fame. 

At  112.5  m.  is  the  junction  (R)  with  State  6  (see  Tour  11). 

RINGLING,  125.1  m.  (5,304  alt.,  152  pop.),  was  named  for  the 
circus  Ringlings,  whose  ranch  properties  in  this  section  formerly  included 
more  than  100,000  acres.  The  town  is  an  important  shipping  point  for 
Smith  River  Valley  wheat,  which  has  high  protein  content.  It  was  the 
southern  terminal  of  the  old  White  Sulphur  Springs  and  Yellowstone 
Park  R.  R.,  now  a  '23-mile  spur  of  the  Milwaukee;  this  short  railroad  for 
many  years  operated  but  one  combination-train  daily,  yet  paid  regular 
dividends. 

South  of  Ringling  the  highway  crosses  a  low  divide  into  the  south  cen- 
tral mountains.  For  a  part  of  the  way  three  ranges  are  in  view — the  Crazy 
(L),  the  Absaroka  (straight  ahead),  and  the  Bridger  (R). 

WILSALL,  146.8  m.  (5,048  alt.,  413  pop.),  at  the  northern  end  of  a 
Northern  Pacific  Ry.  spur,  depends  on  the  shipping  and  trade  of  home- 
steaders in  the  upper  Shields  River  Valley,  a  region  producing  wheat,  seed 
peas,  hay,  and  livestock.  The  town's  name  is  a  combination  of  Will  and 
Sal,  nicknames  of  the  children  of  an  early  settler. 

Between  Wilsall  and  Livingston  the  highway  closely  follows  the  course 
of  the  old  Bridger  trail  (see  Tour  1,  Sec.  b). 

CLYDEPARK,  154.6  m.  (4,821  alt.,  302  pop.),  was  named  for  a 
breed  of  horses  popular  here,  and  for  the  parklike  appearance  of  the  val- 
ley. Two  cattle  kings,  Harvey  and  Tregloan,  once  had  the  run  of  the  en- 
tire valley. 

The  nighway  swings  into  the  Yellowstone  Valley  at  169  m. 

At  174.1  m.  is  the  junction  with  US  10  (see  Tour  1,  Sec.  b).  Between 
this  point  and  Livingston  US  10  and  US  89  are  one  route. 

LIVINGSTON,  174.5  m.  (4,490  alt.,  6,391  pop.)  (see  Tour  1,  Sec.  b), 
is  at  the  junction  with  US  10  (see  Tour  1). 

Section  c.  LIVINGSTON  to  WYOMING  LINE,  60.2  m.  US  89. 

This  section  of  US  89  parallels  the  Yellowstone  River  between  the 
Absaroka  and  Gallatin  Ranges,  and  passes  through  a  popular  dude-ranch 
region.  A  dirt  road  on  the  west  river  bank  follows  the  earliest  trail  used 
by  white  men  in  the  area.  The  upper  valley  is  rich  in  the  lore  of  Yellow- 
stone National  Park;  countless  people  were  drawn  through  this  approach 
to  the  park  by  tales  of  fabulous  wonders,  most  of  which  were  not  wholly 
believed  until  the  official  Washburn-Langford  expedition  of  1870  con- 
firmed them. 

South  of  LIVINGSTON,  0  m.,  for  5  miles  US  89  follows  the  old  trail 
on  the  right  bank  of  the  Yellowstone,  then  crosses  to  the  left  bank. 

The  snowcapped  ABSAROKA  RANGE  is  seen  (L)  at  20  m.;  US  89 


an 
S 


TOUR   4  273 

skirts  EMIGRANT  PEAK   (10,900  alt.).  The  mountains   (R)   which 
cast  their  notched  and  somber  shadows  on  the  Absarokas  are  the  Gallatins. 
At  25.2  m.  is  the  junction  with  a  dirt  road. 

Left  on  this  road  to  CHICO  HOT  SPRINGS  (adm.  35<j:;  hotels,  cabins;  shower,  tub, 
and  vapor  baths,  mineral  water,  warm  and  hot  plunges;  horses  available  for  saddle 

d  pack  trips  into  the  Absarokas,  and  for  fishing  and  hunting),   1.4  m.    (5,160 

.).  The  resort  is  in  sheltered  EMIGRANT  GULCH,  where  placer  gold  was  dis- 
covered by  Thomas  Curry  in  1862 ;  the  earliest  trappers  and  prospectors  bathed  in 
crude  vats  built  around  the  hot  springs. 

Jim  Bridger  is  believed  to  have  spent  the  winter  of  1844-45  here,  though  legend 
and  story  set  an  even  earlier  date  for  his  first  visit. 

When  a  train  of  immigrants  arrived  near  the  narrow  entrance  to  the  gulch  in 
1864,  their  attention  was  drawn  to  a  lone  pine  with  18  to  20  elk  horns  around  its 
base,  so  strongly  imbedded  that  they  could  not  be  removed.  In  December  of  that 
year  Jim  Bridger  and  one  of  the  settlers  met  at  a  primitive  hotel  near  Bozeman. 
When,  during  the  swapping  of  stories,  the  ring  of  elk  horns  was  mentioned, 
Bridger  asserted  that  he  had  placed  them  there  25  years  before. 

The  ghost  town  of  CHICO,  2.9  m.  (5,020  alt.),  is  inhabited  by  a  few  families 
who  work  side-gulch  placers. 

In  YELLOWSTONE  CITY,  5.2  m.  (5,250  alt.),  only  rotting  log  foundations  of 
its  early  buildings  remain,  but  some  new  cabins  have  been  built  by  prospectors  now 
plying  pick  and  pan  in  the  gulch. 

Gold  was  found  in  upper  Emigrant  Gulch  on  August  30,  1864.  The  usual  stam- 
pede followed,  and  Yellowstone  City  began  as  a  tent  camp.  When  cold  weather 
froze  the  sluices,  the  miners  moved  down  into  the  valley  and  lived  in  holes  dug  in 
the  mountain  sides.  The  first  winter  was  severe  and  supplies  ran  short;  a  96-pound 
sack  of  flour  cost  $28,  tea  sold  for  $2  a  pound,  and  "chawing"  tobacco  for  $5  a 
pound.  Game,  plentiful  in  the  vicinity,  provided  most  of  the  food. 

Yellowstone  City  boomed  briefly  but  the  strike  was  not  a  rich  one.  Crow  killed 
several  whites,  and  in  1866,  the  place  was  abandoned. 

In  the  cemetery  nearby  is  the  GRAVE  OF  DONALD  L.  BYNUM,  judge  of  the  miners' 
court  that  tried  and  convicted  George  Ives,  the  first  of  the  Virginia  City  road  agents 
to  be  brought  to  justice  (see  HISTORY). 

The  EMIGRANT  FISH  HATCHERY  (R),  25.9  m.,  rears  blackspot,  rain- 
bow, eastern  brook,  and  Loch  Leven  trout  for  stocking  Montana  streams. 

Five-mile  YANKEE  JIM  CANYON,  41  m.,  was  named  for  James 
George,  a  picturesque  character  of  pioneer  days.  Almost  single-handed  he 
built  the  first  road  into  Yellowstone  National  Park  on  what  became  the 
Northern  Pacific  right-of-way,  paralleling  the  modern  highway  on  the 
opposite  bank.  He  had  a  tollgate  at  the  narrowest  point.  When  in  1883 
construction  began  on  the  Yellowstone  Park  branch  of  the  Northern 
Pacific  Ry.,  he  fought  the  company  until  it  agreed  to  build  another  road 
for  him  in  the  hills  above  the  right-of-way.  The  old  man  remained  in  the 
region  for  many  years,  trapping  and  serving  as  a  guide.  Rudyard  Kipling 
visited  him  in  1890  and  told  of  the  experience  in  a  volume  on  his  Ameri- 
can travels. 

CORWIN  HOT  SPRINGS,  49.3  m.  (5,133  alt.),  has  cabins,  a  dance  hall, 
a  restaurant,  a  golf  course,  and  a  plunge.  It  is  owned  (1938)  by  Walter 
Hill,  son  of  James  J.  Hill,  the  railroad  builder. 

The  DEVIL'S  SLIDE,  51  m.,  an  exposed  dike  of  bright-red  iron- 
impregnated  rock  on  Cinnabar  Mountain,  is  (R)  across  the  river.  The 
mountain  was  named  by  early  settlers  who  thought  the  red  rock  was 
cinnabar. 


274  TOURS 

The  legend  of  the  Devil's  Slide  is  told  in  a  jingle: 

"Ages  ago,  one  can  easily  see, 
Old  Yellowstone  Valley  went  on  a  spree; 
The  mountains  had  risen,  the  valleys  had  sunk, 
And  old  Mother  Nature  got  roaringly  drunk. 
The  Devil,  as  drunk  as  the  Devil  would  be, 
Slid  to  the  bottom  of  Cinnabaree." 

GARDINER,  56  m.  (5,287  alt,  350  pop.),  is  the  northern  entrance 
to  Yellowstone  National  Park.  Rude  old  log  buildings  stand  in  sharp 
contrast  with  newer  structures  of  pink  stucco,  milled  logs,  and  brick 
veneer,  that  are  brilliantly  lighted  at  night  during  the  tourist  season  to  at- 
tract patronage.  In  winter  Gardiner  is  almost  deserted. 

The  town  was  named  for  Johnston  Gardiner,  a  trapper  who  worked 
along  the  upper  Yellowstone  and  its  tributaries  in  the  1830'$.  Early  efforts 
at  settlement  were  frustrated  by  the  hostility  of  the  Crow,  who  hunted  in 
this  area.  In  1883  the  building  of  the  railroad  provided  the  impetus  to 
settlement,  but  disputes  arose  over  the  proposed  townsite  and  the  North- 
ern Pacific  established  its  terminal  at  Cinnabar,  4  miles  north.  Gardiner 
became  known  as  "the  town  that  waited  twenty  years  for  a  railroad,"  be- 
cause the  line  was  not  extended  to  it  until  1902. 

At  57.3  m.  the  road  crosses  the  northern  boundary  of  YELLOW- 
STONE NATIONAL  PARK  through  the  ROOSEVELT  ARCH,  the 
cornerstone  of  which  was  laid  by  Theodore  Roosevelt  in  1903. 

At  60.2  m.  US  89  crosses  the  Wyoming  Line,  1.9  miles  north  of  Mam- 
moth Hot  Springs,  Wyo.  (see  WYOMING  GUIDE). 


Tour  5 


Bozeman — Gallatin  Gateway — Junction  with  State  i — West  Yellowstone 
—(St.  Anthony,  Idaho);  US  191. 
Bozeman  to  Idaho  Line,  101.1  m. 

Route  paralleled  by  Chicago,  Milwaukee,  St.  Paul  &  Pacific  R.R.  between  Bozeman 

Hot  Springs  and  Gallatin  Gateway. 

Hotels  in  Bozeman,  Gallatin  Gateway,  and  West  Yellowstone. 

Dude  ranches,  mountain  resorts,  tourist  camps,  and  public  campgrounds  along  route. 

Oil-surfaced  roadbed,  open  throughout  year. 

US  191,  the  Gallatin  Way,  winds  up  the  rugged  canyon  of  the  Gallatin 
River  between  the  Gallatin  and  Madison  Mountains.  One  of  the  two  most 


s 


TOUR   5  275 

frequently  used  Montana  approaches  to  the  country's  oldest  national  park, 
it  offers  an  appropriate  introduction,  and  effectively  whets  the  appetite  for 
the  grandeur  of  Yellowstone.  Numerous  trails  and  roads  along  this  short 
route  strike  into  forested  semiwilderness,  where  green  hills  and  pure  air 
offer  rest  and  peace,  mountain  streams  provide  game  fish,  high  ridges 
challenge  exploration,  and  a  great  variety  of  bird  and  animal  life  tempts 
the  naturalist  and  photographer.  Much  of  the  route  traverses  the  Gallatin 
National  Forest  and  for  nearly  30  miles  it  skirts  the  western  edge  of 
Yellowstone  National  Park. 

At  intervals  the  canyon  widens,  and  the  summits  of  the  mountains 
form  a  tremendous  backdrop  for  the  quieter  landscape  near  at  hand. 

US  191  branches  west  from  US  10  at  BOZEMAN,  0  m.  (see  Tour  1, 
Sec.  b). 

At  0.4  m.  (L)  is  MONTANA  STATE  COLLEGE  (see  Tour  1,  Sec.  b). 
Immediately  adjacent  are  the  college  experimental  farms. 

The  lower  Gallatin  Valley,  across  which  the  highway  takes  its  course, 
bears  abundant  crops  of  hay,  small  grains,  and  garden  truck.  In  summer 
the  fields  are  blue  and  purple  with  flowering  alfalfa  and  peas  and  along 
the  roadside  are  brilliant  wild  flowers.  According  to  an  Indian  legend,  on 
the  third  day  of  a  bloody  battle  here  between  Sioux  and  Nez  Perce,  the 
sun  was  blotted  out,  and  from  the  terrifying  darkness  came  a  voice.  It 
was  the  Great  Spirit  commanding  the  warriors  to  forget  old  wrongs  and 
cease  shedding  blood,  for  they  were  in  the  Valley  of  Peace  and  Flowers. 
Then  the  sun  shone  again.  Since  then  the  Sioux  and  Nez  Perce  have  been 
friends.  Another  legend  declares  that  whoever  drinks  of  the  waters  of 
the  Gallatin  will  return  to  the  valley  before  he  dies. 

When  Lieutenant  Clark  camped  here  in  July  1806,  he  noted  in  his 
journal:  "I  saw  Elk,  deer  &  Antelopes,  and  great  deel  of  old  signs  of 
buffalow.  Thie  roads  is  in  every  direction — emence  quantities  of  beaver 
on  this  Fork — and  their  dams  very  much  impeed  the  navigation  of  it." 

At  7.7  m.  is  the  junction  with  a  dirt  road. 

Right  on  this  road  is  ANCENEY,  9  m.,  headquarters  of  the  Flying  D  Ranch. 
Charles  L.  Anceney  was  an  early-day  cattle  baron,  whose  2,500,000  acres  were 
among  the  largest  holdings  in  the  State.  The  Flying  D  is  still  one  of  the  State's 
largest  ranches,  though  it  is  reduced  to  399,350  acres  and  has  to  lease  1,500,000 
acres  of  National  Forest  land  for  summer  range.  No  dude  ranch,  it  runs  as  many  as 
40,000  head  of  cattle  in  good  years. 

Modern  ranch  roundups  differ  somewhat  from  those  of  the  open  range,  but  the 
Flying  D  operations  are  as  lively  as  any  of  the  present  day.  The  spring,  or  calf, 
roundup  is  held  in  May  or  early  June.  Riders,  working  from  the  various  ranches, 
bring  cows  and  calves  in  from  river  bottoms  and  other  sheltered  spots  where  they 
have  wintered.  Since  the  holdings  are  largely  under  fence,  there  are  few  if  any 
strays,  slickears,  or  mavericks;  consequently  no  repping  (checking  of  ownership) 
is  necessary,  as  in  the  old  days  when  neighboring  spreads  sent  riders  to  see  that 
their  calves  were  branded  with  the  proper  irons.  The  calves  are  separated  from  the 
cows  and  steers  and  thrown  into  corrals;  as  in  former  days,  smoke  goes  up  from 
branding  fires  and  mingles  with  the  fumes  of  burning  hair;  but  the  calves  are 
branded  with  a  stamping  iron  while  standing  up  in  a  chute,  and  so  there  is  now  no 
danger  from  the  horns  of  the  resentful  mothers.  Acid  branding  is  increasingly  used; 

is  quicker,  safer,  and  more  humane.  The  bull  calves  are  castrated;  some  of  the 
rs  and  steers  are  dehorned;  all  are  checked  for  ticks,  ringworm,  blackleg,  or 
troubles. 


276  TOURS 

The  herds  are  wilder  and  more  widely  scattered  in  the  fall  when  the  beef  roundup 
is  held;  it  is  simplified  by  the  present-day  freedom  from  cattle  thieves  and  by  the 
fact  that  railroad  shipping  pens  are  at  most  within  a  few  days'  drive,  and  over- 
night camps  can  always  be  made  at  ranch  buildings. 

When  the  range  was  wild,  the  roundup  crew  went  out  in  the  spring,  equipped 
for  several  weeks  in  the  field.  It  always  had  one  chuck  wagon,  sometimes  several ;  a 
wagon  for  bed-rolls  and  extra  gear;  and  many  horses.  The  riders  scoured  all  the 
country  between  great  natural  boundaries,  such  as  rivers  or  mountain  ranges.  What 
they  gathered  in  a  day  they  threw  into  a  herd  and  held  until  they  had  covered  a 
certain  territory  or  had  as  many  head  as  they  could  conveniently  handle.  Then, 
while  some  of  the  riders  held  the  herd,  others  worked  out  the  unbranded  calves, 
cows,  and  steers,  roped  them,  dragged  them  to  a  fire,  and  held  them  down  by  force 
while  the  iron  was  applied.  The  branded  animals  were  kept  apart  from  the  un- 
branded until  the  whole  herd  had  been  worked;  then  the  herd  was  sent  back  on 
grass,  and  the  wagon  went  on  to  another  part  of  the  range.  Riders  slept  on  the 
ground,  ate  food  cooked  in  a  Dutch  oven,  and  caught  their  horses  in  a  flimsy  rope 
corral,  improvised  daily  by  the  wrangler.  Each  man  had  to  stand  guard  during  a 
part  of  the  night,  riding  around  the  herd  and  singing  to  keep  the  cattle  quiet.  Dur- 
ing storms,  when  the  herd  was  likely  to  stampede,  the  riders  were  sometimes  in  the 
saddle  24  hours  at  a  stretch.  Double  roundups  were  held  in  the  fall,  one  in  Sep- 
tember, and  another — for  beef — in  October.  Then  came  the  drive  to  the  railroad, 
with  stampedes,  swollen  rivers,  soaked  blankets,  and  cold  supper  or  no  supper,  all 
in  the  day's  work.  The  puncher's  pay  was  $30  a  month  and  grub. 

BOZEMAN  HOT  SPRINGS,  8.5  m.  (4,772  alt.),  is  a  health  and 
recreation  resort.  The  springs  provide  mineral  water  at  a  temperature  of 
137.5°  F.  for  the  baths  and  plunge.  Dances  at  the  pavilion  are  summer 
attractions ;  but  the  big  annual  event  is  the  night  rodeo  held  under  flood- 
lights in  August.  Professional  performers,  many  of  whom  have  ridden 
and  roped  in  Madison  Square  Garden,  N.Y.C.,  demonstrate  their  skill 
on  horses  and  steers  who  understand  the  act  required  of  them. 

GALLATIN  GATEWAY  INN,  13.3  m.  (R),  is  a  dude  lodginghouse 
of  Spanish-Romanesque  architecture,  operated  during  the  park  season 
(June  20-Sept.  10)  by  the  C.M.St.P.&  P.R.R.  Its  cream-colored  stucco 
walls  and  red-tile  roof  stand  out  brilliantly  against  the  green  mountains. 

GALLATIN  GATEWAY,  13.7  m.  (4,906  alt.,  160  pop.),  near  the 
entrance  to  Gallatin  Canyon  is  announced  by  an  arch  of  logs  over  the 
highway.  The  town  exists  only  through  the  tourist  trade,  and  so  its 
residents  strive  for  rustic  and  picturesque  effect  in  their  buildings.  Until 
the  railroad  company  made  it  the  terminus  of  a  branch  line  to  Yellow- 
stone Park,  it  was  known  as  Salesville,  for  Zach  Sales  who  had  a  mill  here 
in  the  late  i86o's  to  saw  logs  driven  down  the  Gallatin  River. 

The  highway  twice  crosses  the  river,  which  winds  through  part  of  the 
Flying  D  range. 

The  entrance  to  narrow  GALLATIN  CANYON  is  at  19.6  m. 

At  23  m.  is  a  boundary  of  the  GALLATIN  NATIONAL  FOREST, 
a  582,922-acre  area  that  borders  Yellowstone  Park  on  the  north  and  west. 
In  season,  hunters  from  all  over  the  State  come  here  to  hunt  the  elk  that 
drift  over  from  Yellowstone  Park  when  the  snow  is  deep.  Even  without 
this  immigration  there  are  elk  and  a  few  moose  in  the  area.  Mule  deer, 
whitetail  deer,  mountain  sheep,  and  black  and  grizzly  bear  also  range 
these  forests.  Marten,  mink,  beaver,  badger,  weasel,  and  skunk  are  the 
principal  fur-bearing  animals.  Ruffed  and  blue  grouse  are  plentiful.  The 


TOUR   5  277 

streams  are  well  stocked  with  eastern  brook,  Loch  Leven,  rainbow,  and 
cutthroat  trout. 

The  blue  mountains  that  bulk  on  the  sky  line  straight  ahead  are  the 
Spanish  Peaks  of  the  Madison  Range;  BEEHIVE  PEAK  (10,500  alt.) 
and  WILSON  (10,194  alt.)  are  the  most  prominent.  About  50,000  acres 
around  them,  accessible  by  trails,  has  been  set  aside  by  the  U.  S.  Forest 
Service  as  the  Spanish  Peaks  Primitive  Area  (see  RECREATION). 

ROCK  HAVEN  (L),  23.6  m.,  a  group  of  log  cabins,  lies  neat  and 
snug  along  the  riverbank.  It  is  a  summer  camp  maintained  by  the  Presby- 
terian Church. 

SQUAW  CREEK  RANGER  STATION  (L),  26.9  m.,  is  a  typical  Forest 
Service  station,  with  neatly  painted  buildings,  well-kept  grounds,  and  an 
air  of  efficiency.  Such  posts  are  manned  by  well  trained  career  men.  The 
first  forest  ranger  was  perhaps  a  cowpuncher  or  homesteader  before  he 
took  a  Civil  Service  examination  and  went  out  to  close-herd  trees.  His 
knowledge  of  botany,  range  conditions,  silviculture,  surveying,  fire  fight- 
ing, packing,  road  building,  and  a  hundred  other  matters  was  picked  up 
by  haphazard  practical  experience.  He  had  to  mediate  between  angry 
ranchmen,  all  of  whom  regarded  him  as  an  intruder  who  ought  to  be 
shot;  he  had  to  placate  a  bewildering  variety  of  short-tempered  interests 
that  did  not  at  first  like  the  new  Forest  Service;  he  had  to  prevent  the 
slaughter  of  game  by  poachers.  In  handling  such  matters,  he  was  thrust 
into  the  role  of  educator  and  apologist.  He  had  to  spend  his  evenings 
bruising  two  fingers  on  a  typewriter,  making  out  reports  in  duplicate, 
triplicate,  infinity,  and  confusion.  The  early  stations  were  stout  log  cabins 
that  smelled  of  bacon  and  ham  hung  from  the  rafters,  packsaddles  and 
block  salt,  fire  fighting  tools  oiled  and  stored,  and,  as  the  years  went  on, 
pack  rats  and  skunks. 

The  modern  ranger  is  college-trained  and  has  a  corps  of  trained  helpers 
to  handle  details.  He  builds  landing  fields,  and  takes  jealous  care  of  his 
short-wave  radio,  barometers,  and  humidity  charts.  He  is  not  much  like  his 
predecessor,  the  venturesome  ex-cowpuncher  who  rode  out,  six-gun  on 
hip,  but  he  has  made  the  forests  much  safer. 

At  the  station  is  the  junction  with  Hellroaring  Trail. 

Right  on  this  to  DEER  CREEK  LAKES,  15  m.,  in  the  high-peak  area. 

An  ASBESTOS  MINE  on  the  mountain  side  (R),  34.5  m.,  is  operated  on 
a  small  scale  by  local  people.  It  taps  large  deposits. 

KARST'S  RUSTIC  KAMP  (R),  35.3  m.,  is  a  group  of  modern  log  cabins, 
where  saddle  horses  and  pack  trains  are  outfitted  for  trips  into  the  moun- 
tains. There  is  good  fishing  in  the  river. 

At  37.7  m.  is  the  junction  with  the  Portal  Creek  Trail. 

Left  on  this  dirt  road  to  HIDDEN  LAKES,  4  m.  Fishing  is  the  main  attraction 
here. 

A  saddle  trail  leads  on  2  m.  to  the  GOLDEN  TROUT  LAKES  (a  plunge,  cabins, 
saddle  horses),  named  for  the  fish  with  which  they  are  stocked. 

SWAN  CREEK  FOREST  SERVICE  CAMPGROUND  (L),  40.3  m.,  lies  along 
river. 


,, 


2j8  TOURS 

The  highway  crosses  the  West  Fork  of  the  Gallatin  at  42.8  m.  to  the 
junction  with  a  forest  trail. 

Right  on  this  trail  to  OUZEL  FALLS,  5.5  m.,  a  small,  beautiful  cataract,  whose 
green  water  plunges  in  white  foam  over  rocks.  LONE  MOUNTAIN  (11,194  alt.) 
is  R. 

The  highway,  winding  along  close  to  the  river,  gains  altitude  steadily. 
At  45.8  m.  is  the  junction  with  Beaver  Creek  Trail. 

Right  on  this  trail  to  BUCK  CREEK  RIDGE,  7  m.,  the  GALLATIN-MADISON 
DIVIDE,  9  m.,  and  YELLOW  MULE  RANGER  STATION,  10  m. 

Vivid  rose-colored  cliffs  crowned  with  a  heavy  growth  of  dark  green 
timber  here  rise  200  feet,  the  colors  emphasized  in  the  evening  and  the 
morning  when  sunshine  floods  the  walls.  The  cliffs,  broken  and  irregular, 
appear  sometimes  on  one  side,  and  sometimes  on  the  other. 

GALLATIN  CAMP  (R),  52.6  m.,  a  typical  tourist  camp,  is  a  rest  stop 
during  the  park  season  for  Milwaukee  Road  busses,  locally  called  "Galla- 
gaters."  Here  tourists  stretch  themselves,  and  have  pie  and  coffee,  a  can 
of  beer,  or  a  milk  shake. 

The  CINNAMON  CREEK  RANGER  STATION  (R),  54.2  m.,  is  at  the 
junction  with  the  Cinnamon  Creek  Trail. 

Right  on  this  trail  to  BUCK  CREEK  BASIN,  B  m.f  BUCK  CREEK  RIDGE, 
10  m.,  and  the  GALLATIN-MADISON  DIVIDE,  13  m. 

At  55.2  m.  is  the  junction  with  the  Buffalo  Horn  Road. 

Left  on  this  dirt  road  to  BUFFALO  HORN  LAKE,  B  m.,  RAMS  HORN  LAKE, 
8  m.,  and  the  EAST  GALLATIN  DIVIDE,  9  m.  From  the  Divide  a  foot  trail  leads 
to  the  YELLOWSTONE  RIVER,  20  m. 

At  57.5  m.  is  the  junction  with  Taylor's  Fork  Road. 

Right  on  this  dirt  road  to  TAYLOR  RANGER  STATION,  6.5  m.,  and  WAPITI  CREEK 
CAMP,  7.5  m. 

Taylor's  Peak  (11,293  alt.)  and  the  Wedge  (10,508  alt.)  bulk  up  R. 

The  highway  leaves  Gallatin  Canyon  at  57.8  m.  to  cross  a  high  plateau. 

SNOWFLAKE  SPRINGS  (R),  59  m.,  is  a  small  cascade  foaming  down  a 
heavily  timbered  slope.  It  may  have  been  named  for  a  somewhat  larger 
Snowflake  Springs  in  Yellowstone  Park,  which  is  the  source  of  the  Galla- 
tin River. 

At  60.2  m.  is  a  boundary  of  Yellowstone  National  Park,  along  which 
US  191  runs  for  about  20  miles. 

BLACK  BUTTE  (L),  62.7  m.,  is  a  peak  so  densely  timbered  that  at  a 
little  distance  its  green  appears  heavily  shaded  with  black. 

SNOWSHOE  CLIFF  (R),  66.5  m.,  is  a  very  steep,  heavily  timbered 
ridge. 

At  69.2  m.  is  the  junction  with  a  dirt  road. 

Right  on  this  road  to  GALLATIN  RANGER  STATION,  0.5  m. 

From  the  divide,  76.1  m.,  between  the  Madison  and  Gallatin  Valleys  is 
a  view  embracing  summits  and  ridges  heavily  furred  with  dark,  bristling 
timber,  and  an  occasional  upthrust  of  gray  crags.  HORSESHOE  CURVE, 
76.3  m.,  is  sharp  (drive  carefully). 


; 


TOUR    5  279 

At  83.8  m.  is  the  junction  with  State  i  (see  Tour  15).  South  of  this 
point  the  road  becomes  an  aisle  between  impenetrable  ranks  of  lodge- 
pole  pine,  each  shaft  rising  clean,  straight,  and  lofty.  So  close  do  they 
stand  that  in  late  afternoon  only  an  occasional  gleam  of  sunshine  reaches 
the  road. 

BAKER'S  HOLE  CAMPGROUNDS  (R),  89.5  m.,  is  a  Forest  Service  camp 
and  picnic  ground. 

WEST  YELLOWSTONE,  92.7  m.  (6,665  alt.,  300  pop.),  the  western 
entrance  to  the  park,  is  a  tourist  town,  full  of  eager  competition  and  alert 
service.  Here  thousands  arrive  each  summer — on  the  Union  Pacific  R.R., 
whose  Yellowstone  branch  ends  here,  by  automobile,  and  by  plane  from 
Great  Falls  or  Salt  Lake  City.  There  are  some  visitors  who  have  been  here 
often  but  there  is  an  ever-increasing  horde  of  dudes.  Every  variation  of 
western  costume  appears.  In  winter  the  town  is  abandoned,  snow-bound, 
its  many  shops  boarded  up. 

The  Yellowstone  area  was  known  to  the  Indians  as  the  Land  of  Evil 
Spirits.  Most  of  them  shunned  it  except  when  gathering  obsidian  for 
arrowheads. 

Long  ago  the  Sheepeaters,  a  peaceful  people,  lived  in  the  lofty  cliffs 
near  the  steaming  hot  springs,  bubbling  "paint  pots,"  and  spouting  geysers 
that  other  tribes  dared  not  approach.  The  men,  skillful  hunters  of  moun- 
tain sheep,  their  chief  food,  used  bows  made  of  rams'  horns,  bound  with 
sinew.  They  fashioned  their  clothing  of  the  skins  of  the  dwarf  whitetail 
deer  that  frequented  the  high  forests  and  meadows.  Their  dwellings  were 
frames  made  of  poles  covered  with  cedar  bark  and  moss  cemented  with 
pitch. 

These  people  chipped  obsidian  arrowheads  of  exquisite  design  that 

won  them  another  name,  the  Arrow  Makers.  The  history  of  these  people 

carved  on  the  canyon  walls  near  West  Yellowstone,  in  what  the  Indians 

lied  the  Country  of  the  Painted  Rocks.  The  picture  writings,  tribal  em- 

lems,  and  outlines  of  pygmy  men  and  women  are  cut  in  irregular  semi- 

ircles. 

Some  anthropologists  believe  the  Sheepeaters  were  a  remnant  of  a  non- 
dian  race;  others  regard  them  as  the  descendants  of  outcast  Bannack 
d  Shoshone.  Around  their  campfires,  and  in  tribal  ceremony  and  song 
e  Sheepeaters  told  that  their  forebears  had  inhabited  the  geyser  region 
from  the  beginning,"  and  that  a  large  part  of  the  tribe  had  once  been 
troyed  by  a  terrible  convulsion  of  the  earth  in  the  Upper  Geyser  Basin. 
US  191  turns  westward  and  cuts  a  broad  avenue  through  forests  of 
Igepole  pine;  occasionally  there  are  glimpses  of  the  silver- white  bark 
young  limber  pine.  As  the  road  winds  upward  on  the  4oo-foot  rise  to 
Continental  Divide,  the  sharp  spires  of  alpine  fir  appear,  together  with 
luish  Engelmann  spruce  and  Rocky  Mountain  red  cedar. 
TARGHEE  PASS,  101.1  m.   (7,078  alt.),  named  for  a  chief  of  the 
Bannack,  was  used  by  Chief  Joseph  on  his  way  into  Montana  after  his 

; if  eat  of  General  Howard  at  the  Battle  of  the  Big  Hole  (see  HISTORY). 
ist  before  Joseph  entered  the  park  area,  he  sent  back  a  scouting  party, 


280  TOURS 

which  stole  a  hundred  of  Howard's  pack  mules  and  seriously  hampered 
the  pursuit. 

At  Targhee  Pass  US  191  crosses  the  Idaho  Line,  68  miles  north  of  St. 
Anthony,  Idaho  (see  Tour  1,  IDAHO  GUIDE). 


Tour  6 


(Lethbridge,    Alberta) — Sweetgrass — Shelby — Great    Falls — Helena— 
Butte — Dillon — Monida — (Idaho  Falls,  Idaho);  US  91. 
Canadian  Border  to  Idaho  Line,  423.6  m. 

Busses  between  Shelby  and  the  Idaho  Line;  US  91   roughly  paralleled  by  Great 

Northern  Ry.  between  Sweetgrass  and  Butte,  and  by  Oregon  Short  Line  of  the  Union 

Pacific  R.R.  between  Butte  and  the  Idaho  Line. 

Varied  hotel  accommodations  in  cities  and  larger  towns;  tourist  cabin  camps  here 

and  there  south  of  Great  Falls. 

Roadbed  oil-surfaced  throughout;  open  all  seasons. 

Section  a.  CANADIAN  BORDER  to  GREAT  FALLS,  727.4  m.,  US  91. 

Between  the  Canadian  Border  and  Great  Falls,  US  91  roughly  parallels 
the  Continental  Divide  100  miles  away  which  on  clear  days  forms  the 
western  horizon.  To  the  east  only  the  unexpected  upthrust  of  the  Sweet- 
grass  Hills  breaks  the  monotony  of  the  Great  Plains.  The  road  passes 
through  oil  fields  and  between  great  wheat  and  livestock  ranches,  and 
crosses  several  tributaries  of  the  Missouri  River. 

US  91  crosses  the  Canadian  Border,  0  m.,  as  a  continuation  of  Al- 
berta 4,  65  miles  south  of  Lethbridge,  Alberta. 

SWEETGRASS,  0.1  m.  (3,471  alt.,  356  pop.),  is  a  port  of  entry  with 
U.  S.  customs  and  immigration  offices.  It  was  so  named  because  of  the 
abundance  of  sweet  grass  on  the  surrounding  prairie.  Only  the  invisible 
boundary  line  separates  Sweetgrass  from  Coutts,  the  Canadian  customs 
station,  and  they  are  often  mentioned  as  a  single  place,  Sweetgrass-Coutts. 
The  Stars  and  Stripes  and  the  Union  Jack  flutter  above  the  twin  villages. 

In  1887  a  narrow-gauge  railroad  called  "the  Turkey  Track"  was  built 
across  the  border  between  Shelby  and  Lethbridge.  Before  that  time  the 
country  was  traversed  only  by  range  riders  whose  headquarters  were  south 
of  the  Marias  River.  Not  until  the  coming  of  the  dry-land  farmer,  about 
1900,  did  Sweetgrass  become  much  of  a  trading  center. 

The  Sweetgrass  Hills  are  visible  (L)  for  nearly  15  miles.  WEST  BUTTE 
(7,000  alt.)  is  cone  shaped;  EAST  BUTTE  (5,000  to  6,000  alt.),  consists 


TOUR   6  28l 

of  three  peaks  whose  slopes  bear  lodgepole  pine.  MIDDLE  BUTTE,  locally 
called  Gold  Butte,  is  farther  south,  on  a  morainal  ridge.  Placer  gold  was 
found  there  by  a  Blackfoot  in  1884.  It  was  not  a  fabulous  strike,  as  stam- 
peders  soon  learned,  but  until  the  vein  was  worked  out  nearly  every  shovel 
of  pay  dirt  yielded  25$  in  colors  (gold  left  after  waste  has  been  washed 
away).  Hence,  the  discovery  canyon  was  named  Two  Bits  Gulch. 

Farthest  south  are  the  prominent  Grassy  and  Haystack  Buttes.  A  lobe  of 
the  great  Keewatin  ice  sheet  covered  all  this  area  to  a  depth  of  2,000  feet 
and  left  behind  a  deposit  of  glacial  drift  from  15  to  100  feet  deep.  The 
glacial  invasion  smoothed  the  hills  and  filled  the  valleys  between.  Some  of 
the  high  ridges  were  not  entirely  cut  away,  and  new  valleys  were  formed ; 
the  countryside  was  thus  left  with  a  billowy  appearance. 

The  HUDSON  BAY  DIVIDE  (4,000  average  alt.)  is  visible  (R)  for 
about  27  miles. 

The  wide  coulee  in  which  Sweetgrass,  Sunburst,  Kevin,  and  Shelby  are 
built  is  believed  to  have  been  the  preglacial  stream  bed  of  the  Milk  River, 
only  partly  filled  with  glacial  deposits.  The  present  Milk  River  is  like  a 
bent  bow  lying  across  southern  Alberta,  with  both  ends  in  the  United 
States. 

US  91  closely  follows  the  old  Whoop-up  Trail.  In  1870  the  U.  S.  Gov- 
ernment outlawed  the  selling  of  whiskey  to  the  Indians.  Whiskey  traders 
from  Fort  Benton  thereupon  established  themselves  in  Canadian  territory. 
According  to  the  story,  someone  asked  a  Fort  Benton  trader  how  business 
was  progressing  at  the  new  post.  "Oh,  they're  damn  well  whoopin'  it  up," 
he  declared.  To  stop  the  whiskey  trade  among  the  Indians,  the  Royal 
Northwest  Mounted  Police  in  1874  built  Fort  McLeod  on  Old  Man's 
River,  28  miles  from  Whoop-up.  This  caused  most  of  the  traders  to  re- 
turn to  Montana.  The  trail,  however,  was  long  used,  all  supplies  for  Fort 
McLeod  being  hauled  by  bull  train  from  Fort  Benton,  the  terminus  of 
traffic  on  the  Missouri. 

At  8.9  m.  is  the  junction  with  a  dirt  road. 

Right  on  this  road  is  SUNBURST,  0.3  m.  (3,349  alt.,  486  pop.),  a  gusher  town, 
so  named  because  the  rising  sun  bursts  over  the  Sweetgrass  Hills. 

The  northern  end  of  the  KEVIN-SUNBURST  OIL  FIELD  is  (R)  at  14.7  m. 
Between  Sunburst  and  Shelby  the  prairie  on  both  sides  of  the  road  is  for- 
ested with  derricks.  This  field  and  several  others  nearby  are  in  the  great 
Sweetgrass  Arch  (see  NATURAL  SETTING). 

The  producing  sand  of  this  oil  field  lies  at  the  contact  (plane  between 
adjacent  bodies  of  dissimilar  rock)  of  the  Ellis  formation  and  the  Madi- 
son limestone,  at  an  average  depth  of  1,200  to  1,500  feet;  its  thickness 
ranges  from  a  few  inches  to  more  than  20  feet.  In  nearly  every  well  here 
is  oil,  gas,  or  sulphur  water,  in  some  wells  all  three.  Three  hundred  feet 
above  the  Ellis-Madison  contact  is  the  Sunburst  sand,  the  gas-producing 
horizon  (deposit  of  a  particular  geologic  time). 

Dry  holes  as  well  as  old  stripper  wells  (those  from  which  oil  must  be 
pumped)  have  been  made  to  produce  again  by  the  acid  treatment  intro- 
duced in  1933.  Gallons  of  a  hydrochloric  acid  compound  are  dumped  into 
the  wells  and  when  it  reaches  the  Madison  limestone  a  sulphur  colored 


282  TOURS 

smoke  rises.  The  acid  makes  the  limestone  porous  and  allows  the  oil  or 
gas  to  gush  through. 

At  19.8  m.  is  the  junction  with  an  improved  road. 

Right  on  this  road  is  KEVIN,  5  m.  (3,331  alt.,  324  pop.),  near  which  the  first 
gusher  of  the  Sweetgrass  Arch  was  drilled  in  1922. 

SHELBY,  36.3  m.  (3,276  alt.,  2,004  P°P-)  (we  Tour  2,  Sec.  b),  is 
at  the  junction  with  US  2  (see  Tour  2). 

From  benchland  the  highway  winds  down  between  high  and  barren 
bluffs  of  glacial  gravel  into  the  valley  of  Marias  River,  a  region  of  sage 
and  parched  grasses.  This  is  the  heart  of  the  old  Blackfeet  country,  where 
these  Indians  usually  wintered.  The  cottonwoods  and  willows  that  fringed 
the  river  were  among  the  advantages  it  offered. 

US  91  crosses  the  Marias  River  at  43.7  m.  The  Marias  is  closely  inter- 
woven with  the  early  history  of  north-central  Montana.  In  1806  Capt. 
Meriwether  Lewis,  suspecting  that  it  might  be  the  main  channel  of  the 
Missouri,  and  hoping  that  it  might  prove  an  important  waterway  to  the 
north,  left  the  main  party  and  ascended  it  to  a  point  near  the  site  of  Cut 
Bank  (see  HISTORY).  Later  it  was  used  by  successive  exploring  and 
trading  expeditions.  In  10  days  in  1831  James  Kipp  bought  2,400  beaver 
pelts  from  Indians  who  came  to  visit  his  new  fort  at  its  mouth. 

At  52.5  m.  is  the  junction  with  a  dirt  road. 

Left  on  this  road  to  a  FOSSIL  AREA,  8  m.  The  Dry  Fork  of  the  Marias,  a  peren- 
nial stream,  has  cut  a  deep  channel  through  the  Colorado  shale  and  exposed  many 
marine  fossils  of  the  Cretaceous  period. 

CONRAD,  64.1  m.  (3,500  alt.,  1,499  P°P-)»  seat  °f  Pondera  County, 
is  the  distributing  center  of  a  prosperous  grain-growing  section.  In  the 
vicinity  are  oil  wells  that,  like  those  in  the  Kevin-Sunburst  field,  produce 
from  the  Ellis-Madison  contact. 

1.  Right  from  Conrad  on  Main  St.,  which  becomes  a  dirt  road,  to  VALIER,  24 
m.  (3,802  alt,  575  pop.),  on  the  shore  of  LAKE  FRANCIS,  the  reservoir  of  an 
irrigation  system  capable  of  watering  100,000  acres.  Formed  by  the  damming  of 
a  coulee  that  cuts  through  a  high  bench,  the  lake  has  a   1 6-mile  shore  line.  A 
spawning  station  is  on  the  south  shore,   5   miles  from  Valier.  The  lake  is  well 
stocked  with  fish,  chiefly  rainbow  trout.  Valier  is  served  by  the  Montana  Western 
Ry.,  20. 2  miles  in  length;  its  single  daily  freight-and-passenger  train  has  run  be- 
tween Conrad  and  Valier  since  1909. 

The  country  nearby  was  settled  by  Belgians  imported  in  1913  by  the  Great  North- 
ern Ry.  These  people  are  now  among  the  sturdiest  and  most  prosperous  citizens  of 
the  region.  They  maintain  their  national  identity,  speak  their  native  language,  and 
attend  the  Belgian  Roman  Catholic  church. 

2.  Right  from  Conrad  on  an  improved  road  to  the  VIRGELLE  FORMATION,  9  m., 
a  sandstone  group,  eroded  by  wind  and  rain  into  all  manner  of  grotesque  figures, 
that  lines  both  sides  of  the  road  for  5  miles. 

3.  Left  from  Conrad  on  Main  St.,  which  becomes  a  graveled  road,  to  a  DUTCH 
COLONY,  3  m.,  established  under  the  same  conditions  as  was  the  Belgian  colony 
near  Valier  (see  above).  At  22  m.  is  a  bridge  crossing  DEAD  INDIAN  COULEE. 
Right  on  foot  along  the  coulee  to  a  steep-walled   4-acre  RATTLESNAKE  PIT, 
which  in  August  and  September,  before  the  time  of  hibernation,  swarms  with  hiss- 
ing, writhing  snakes.  Altogether  they  possess  enough  venom  to  do  away  with  an 
army — and  they  have  plenty  of  relatives  outside  the  pit.  Hikers  are  comparatively 
safe  but  should  exercise  caution  (see  GENERAL  INFORMATION,  and  FAUNA). 


TOUR   6  283 

BRADY,  75.6  m.  (3,535  alt.,  185  pop.),  is  a  grain-marketing  and  dis- 
tributing center  for  5,000  acres  of  the  Bynum  Irrigation  Project.  Water 
is  conveyed  to  the  Brady  district  through  Muddy  Creek  from  a  reservoir 
30  miles  west. 

The  road  crosses  the  Teton  (Fr.,  woman's  breast)  River  at  85.1  m. 
The  name  was  first  applied  to  a  mountain  at  the  river's  source. 

BUTTON,  92.1  m.  (3,535  alt.,  350  pop.),  is  a  small  collection  of 
frame  houses  built  around  grain  elevators  and  a  flour  mill.  In  normal 
years  it  is  one  of  the  leading  wheat-shipping  points  in  the  State;  in  1934 
it  shipped  977  carloads.  Dry-land  farmers  in  its  vicinity  sometimes  make 

pressive  income  tax  returns.  A  hard,  heavy  wheat,  high  in  protein,  is 
"uced. 

A  low  range  of  hills  at  93.8  m.  (R),  composed  of  loose  piles  of  dirt, 

k,  and  debris,  is  a  terminal  moraine  of  the  great  Keewatin  ice  sheet. 

At  101.9  m.  is  the  junction  with  a  graveled  road. 

Right  on  this  road  is  POWER,  1  m.  (3,681  alt.,  120  pop.),  a  wheat-shipping 
point  on  the  Great  Northern  Ry.  Its  clustered  grain  elevators  stand  like  lighthouses 
in  a  sea  of  wheat. 

At  108.4  m.  is  a  wide  view  of  the  main  range  of  the  Rocky  Mountains 
(R)  and  the  Great  Plains  (L).  Here  and  there  a  brown  butte,  with  spread- 
ing fingers  of  alluvium,  rises  above  the  prairie.  The  foliage  is  sparse, 
bunch  grass  predominating.  Cottonwoods  and  alders  grow  along  the 
stream  courses,  the  only  trees  in  this  dry  range  country. 

In  a  SALT  MARSH,  109.8  m.  (R),  an  alkaline  crust  covers  consider- 
able patches  of  ground  (see  NATURAL  SETTING). 

VAUGHN,  116  m.  (3,366  alt.,  56  pop.),  is  at  the  junction  with  US  89 
(see  Tour  4).  Between  this  point  and  6th  St.  W.  in  Great  Falls,  US  91 
and  US  89  are  one  route  (see  Tour  4). 

GREAT  FALLS,  127.4  m.  (3,330  alt.,  28,822  pop.)  (see  GREAT 
FALLS). 

Points  of  Interest:  Charles  M.  Russell  Memorial  Museum,  Giant  Springs,  State 
School  for  the  Deaf  and  Blind,  Black  Eagle  Falls,  Gibson  Park,  and  others. 

Great  Falls  is  at  the  junctions  with  US  89  (see  Tour  4)  and  State  29 
(see  Tour  14). 

Section  b.  GREAT  FALLS  to  BUTTE,  163.9  m.,  US  91. 

South  of  Great  Falls  the  highway  winds  through  mountainous  country. 
The  most  glamorous  pages  of  Montana's  history  were  written  here. 

US  91  runs  southwestward  from  GREAT  FALLS,  0  m.,  on  6th  St.  W., 
and  crosses  the  railroad  yards  between  double  bends  of  the  Missouri  and 
Sun  Rivers. 

US  91  crosses  Sun  River,  1.1  m.,  near  its  confluence  with  the  Missouri. 
Blackfeet  who  hunted  buffalo  in  this  vicinity  called  the  river  the  Medi- 
cine. On  his  return  from  the  Pacific  in  1806  Capt.  Meriwether  Lewis  (see 
HISTORY)  crossed  the  Continental  Divide  from  the  Big  Blackfoot  Val- 
ley, followed  the  Sun  River  downstream,  and  camped  at  its  mouth  July  n, 
1806.  On  the  south  bank  (L)  of  Sun  River  is  the  MEADOW  LARK 


PAINTED  ROCKS 


COUNTRY  CLUB.  US  91  ascends  from  the  river  flat  to  a  high  bench 
affording  a  view  of  Great  Falls.  The  Little  Belt  Mountains  (L),  then  the 
Big  Belts,  form  the  horizon. 

SQUARE  BUTTE,  6.1  m.  (R),  large,  flat-topped,  and  isolated,  has  an 
area  of  650  acres  on  its  top.  Abandoned  ranch  buildings  near  a  clear  spring 
on  the  top  are  reached  by  a  country  road  from  Ulm. 

Dry-land  wheatnelds  stretch  from  the  highway  to  the  distant  mountains. 
During  times  of  drought  the  area  is  partly  uncultivated.  Russian  thistles 
flourish  by  the  roadside. 

ULM,  11.6  m.  (3,345  alt.,  75  pop.),  is  a  grain-shipping  town.  Three 
elevators,  red  storehouses  for  Missouri  benchland  wheat,  rise  above  the 
small  cluster  of  homes  shaded  and  half  hidden  by  clumps  of  gnarled 
cottonwoods. 

At  25.9  m.  is  the  junction  with  a  graveled  road. 

Right  on  this  road  to  the  fire-swept  ruins  of  ST.  PETER'S  MISSION,  17  m.,  at  the 
base  of  Bird  Tail  Divide  on  the  old  stage  road  to  Helena.  Across  the  road  are  the 
ruins  of  an  early  Jesuit  school.  The  mission,  which  began  work  here  in  the  stone 
buildings  in  1886,  had  been  established  earlier  just  south  of  where  Choteau  now 
stands  (see  Tour  4,  sec.  a) ;  after  two  years  among  the  hostile  Blackfeet,  who,  un- 
like the  Flathead,  were  content  to  do  without  the  white  man's  religion,  the  priest 
and  his  assistants  moved  to  Sun  River,  and  then  to  Flood,  16  miles  up  the  Missouri 
from  Great  Falls.  Later  the  mission  was  transferred  to  Skull  Butte  near  Cascade 
and  then  to  this  place. 


GATES  OF  THE  MOUNTAINS 


Before  its  last  move,  St.  Peter's  had  on  its  teaching  staff  Louis  Riel,  the  man 
who  had  led  the  half-breed  rebellion  against  the  Canadian  Government  in  1869. 
By  birth  Riel  was  a  quarter-breed,  but  his  sympathies  were  those  of  a  full-blood 
Indian.  He  became  a  citizen  of  the  United  States  while  at  St.  Peter's,  but  in  1885 
he  returned  to  Canada  to  lead  another  rebellion;  it  failed  and  he  was  captured  and 
hanged. 

CASCADE,  26.4  m.  (3,378  alt.,  520  pop.),  like  the  county  of  which 
it  is  a  part,  was  named  for  the  falls  of  the  Missouri,  none  of  which  are 
near  the  neat  little  town  on  the  rolling  bottom  lands.  Cascade  was  once 
the  home  of  Charles  M.  Russell  (see  THE  ARTS). 

At  39.4  m.  the  valley  narrows,  and  the  highway  crosses  to  the  south 
side  of  the  Missouri  to  run  through  BIG  BELT  CANYON,  in  which  the 
walls  are  mottled  with  tints  of  red,  moss  green,  and  yellow  which  vary  in 
brilliance  with  the  amount  of  sunlight  and  shadow. 

CRAIG,  50.6  m.  (3,455  alt,  103  pop.),  was  named  for  an  early  set- 
tler in  the  valley. 

At  52.8  m.  is  the  junction  with  a  dirt  road. 

Left  on  this  road  to  HOLTER  DAM  (1912),  2  m.,  which  backs  up  the  Missouri 
River  for  30  miles  in  a  deep  canyon,  and  forms  Holter  Lake.  Broad  at  the  dam,  the 
lake  narrows  and  twists  and  turns  through  Ox  Bow  Bend. 

At  55.1  m.  is  the  junction  with  State  33  (see  Tour  4,  Sec.  a). 

The  road  turns  south  through  the  precipitous  canyon  of  Little  Prickly 
Pear  Creek.  The  roadway  in  many  places  is  carved  from  vertical  walls  of 
stratified  shale.  At  68.1  m.  it  leaves  the  canyon,  to  ascend  to  a  high,  open, 


286  TOURS 

intermountain  plateau.  At  76.6  m.  the  Gates  of  the  Mountains  (L)  be- 
come visible. 

At  77.9  m.  is  the  junction  with  a  graveled  road. 

Left  on  this  road,  which  turns  sharply  back  toward  the  north,  to  the  GATES  OF 
THE  MOUNTAINS,  3  m.,  a  deep  gorge  cut  by  the  Missouri  River  in  the  Big  Belt 
Mountains.  Capt.  Meriwether  Lewis  (see  HISTORY)  wrote  of  it  in  his  journal: 

"these  cliffs  rise  from  the  waters  edge  on  either  side  perpendicularly  to  the  height 
of  (about)  1200  feet,  every  object  here  wears  a  dark  and  gloomy  aspect,  the  tower- 
ing and  projecting  rocks  in  many  places  seem  ready  to  tumble  on  us.  the  river  ap- 
pears to  have  forced  it's  way  through  this  immense  body  of  solid  rock  for  the  dis- 
tance of  5^4  miles  and  where  it  makes  it's  exit  below  has  thrown  on  either  side  vast 
collumns  of  rocks  mountains  high  ...  it  is  deep  from  side  to  side  nor  is  ther  in 
the  i  st.  3  Miles  of  this  distance  a  spot  except  one  of  a  few  yards  in  extent  on 
which  a  man  could  rest  the  soal  of  his  foot,  several  fine  springs  burst  out  of  the 
waters  edge  from  the  interstices  of  the  rocks,  it  happens  fortunately  that  altho'  the 
current  is  strong  it  is  not  so  much  so  but  what  it  may  be  overcome  with  oars  for 
there  is  hear  no  posibility  of  using  either  the  cord  or  Setting  pole,  it  was  late  in 
the  evening  before  I  entered  this  place  and  was  obliged  to  continue  my  rout  untill 
sometime  after  dark  before  I  found  a  place  sufficiently  large  to  encamp  my  small 
party;  at  length  such  an  one  occurred  on  the  lar'd  side  where  we  found  plenty  of 
lightwood  and  pitch  pine,  this  rock  is  black  grannite  below  and  appears  to  be  of 
a  much  lighter  colour  above  and  from  the  fragments  I  take  it  to  be  flint  of  a  yel- 
lowish brown  and  light  creemcoloured  yellow,  from  the  singular  appearance  of  this 
place  I  called  it  the  gates  of  the  rocky  mountains." 

At  the  end  of  the  road  is  a  boat  landing.  In  summer  motorboats  make  regular 
trips  through  the  gorge.  The  cliffs  are  of  limestone  eroded  into  fantastic  shapes, 
which  have  been  given  names  suggestive  of  their  forms:  Indian  Head,  Beartooth, 
Robber's  Roost,  Bride  and  Groom,  Amphitheater.  On  an  island  in  the  center  of  the 
gorge  is  the  MERIWETHER  CANYON  PICNIC  GROUND.  Here  the  Lewis  and  Clark  ex- 
pedition camped  July  19,  1805. 

The  highway  descends  to  the  PRICKLY  PEAR  VALLEY,  80  m.,  usu- 
ally called  the  Helena  Valley,  a  scantily  settled  region  of  grain  and  dairy 
farms. 

At  91.6  m.  is  the  junction  with  a  dirt  road. 

Right  on  this  road  to  a  GOLD  DREDGE  (visited  on  application  at  office,  Bank  of 
Montana  Bldg.,  Helena),  0.2  m.,  among  conical  heaps  of  dirt  and  debris,  the  tailings 
of  its  operations.  The  dredge  operates  along  the  lower  reaches  of  Last  Chance  Creek 
and  reaches  to  a  maximum  depth  of  74  feet.  The  boulders  and  earth  it  scoops  up 
are  placed  in  a  washing  compartment,  where  the  gold  sifts  to  the  bottom.  As  the 
dredge  proceeds,  it  makes  a  small  pond  on  which  to  float. 

HELENA,  94.3  m.  (4,124  alt,  11,802  pop.)  (see  HELENA). 

Points  of  Interest:  State  Capitol,  St.  Helena  Cathedral,  Lewis  and  Clark  County 
Courthouse,  Public  Library,  Carroll  College,  Algeria  Shrine  Temple,  Hill  Park, 
Placer  Diggings. 

Helena  is  at  the  junction  (R)  with  US  loN  (see  Tour  lA),  which 
unites  with  US  91  between  Helena  and  a  junction  (L)  at  96.2  m. 

Across  the  Prickly  Pear  Valley  (L)  and  above  the  low  range  of  the 
Spokane  Hills  are  the  Big  Belt  Mountains.  MOUNT  ASCENSION 
(5,360  alt.)  rises  (R)  above  Helena. 

The  SITE  OF  MONTANA  CITY,  104.9  m.  (4,067  alt.),  is  marked  by  the 
weed-covered  tailings  of  what  were  once  extensive  placer  operations. 
Nothing  else  remains  to  indicate  the  site  of  a  town  that  in  its  flourishing 


TOUR   6  287 

days  boasted  a  population  of  3,000  and  was  mentioned  as  a  possible  capi- 
tal of  the  State. 

CLANCEY,  106.7  m.  (4,213  alt.,  125  pop.),  a  famous  silver  camp  in 
the  late  nineteenth  century,  is  still  a  shipping  point  for  ore  from  small 
lines  in  the  vicinity.  The  dumps  of  old  mining  operations  are  (L)  near 
service  station. 

Right  from  Clancey  on  a  dirt  road  is  LUMP  CITY,  2  m.  (4,850  alt.),  the  scene 
of  extensive  silver  mining  in  the  past.  The  Liverpool  (R),  most  noteworthy  of  the 
mines  in  and  about  Clancey,  produced  $1,500,000  in  the  late  1890*5.  Ore  from  the 
Clancey  district  was  so  rich  that  it  could  be  hauled  by  bull  team  to  Fort  Benton, 
shipped  by  river  and  ocean  to  Swansea,  Wales,  and  still  net  a  profit.  The  only  thing 
left  of  the  once  lively  mining  town  is  a  dilapidated,  weather-worn  schoolhouse  in- 
habited by  mountain  rats. 

ALHAMBRA  HOT  SPRINGS  (L),  108.9  m.  (4,265  alt.),  is  a  quiet  resort 
(cabins,  saddle  horses  available;  outdoor  plunge,  25$  and  500;  vapor 
baths,  500).  The  hot  water,  which  has  a  high  mineral  content,  flows  un- 
derground from  Lava  Mountain  (L),  a  high  volcanic  mound. 

JEFFERSON  CITY,  112.7  m.  (4,708  alt.,  68  pop.),  began  in  1864  as 
a  stage  station  on  the  line  between  Virginia  City  and  Fort  Benton.  It  has 
been  active  at  times  as  a  mining  town. 

1.  Right  from  Jefferson  City  on  a  dirt  road  to  CORBIN,  2  m.  (4,769  alt.),  and 
WICKES,  4  m.  (5,165  alt.),  mining  and  smelting  camps  in  the  boom  days.  Wickes 
boasted  of  the  first  lead-silver  smelter  in  Montana;  the  plant  was  dismantled  in 
the  early  1890*5.  Near  Wickes  and  Corbin  are  such  gold  and  silver  mines  as  the 
Alta,  with  a  reported  production  record  of  $32,000,000;  the  Gregory,  with  $9,000,- 
ooo ;  the  Ninah  and  the  Bertha.  Most  of  the  important  production  came  before 
1892,  but  the  district  is  still  regarded  as  a  potential  source  of  silver,  lead,  zinc,  and 
gold.  The  Mount  Washington  Mine  (visited  on  application)   is  i  mile  south  of 
Corbin. 

2.  Left  from  Jefferson  City  on  a  dirt  road,  barely  passable  for  cars,  to  PRICKLY 
PEAR  DIVIDE,  12  m.  (Horses  available  at  Jefferson  City  for  trip.)  A  good  view  of 
the  upper  Prickly  Pear  Valley  is  obtained  from  the  summit.  Just  over  the  divide  are 
three  small  lakes,  the  headwaters  of  Crow  Creek. 

3.  Left  from  Jefferson  City  on  a  dirt  road  to  the  junction  of  Prickly  Pear  and 
Golconda  Creeks,  2  m.;  R.  across  the  Prickly  Pear  and  along  Golconda  Creek  to  the 
BUCKEYE  MINE  and  the  remains  of  an  old  Spanish  ARRASTRA,  6  m.,  a  crude  mill 
for  grinding  gold  ore,  used  by  the  first  owners  of  the  mine. 

US  91  runs  through  a  narrow  winding  canyon  and  ascends  to  the  divide 
between  the  Prickly  Pear  and  Boulder  Valleys.  The  descent  that  follows 
is  a  series  of  loops  and  sharp  turns. 

BOULDER,  125.1  m.  (5,158  alt,  760  pop.),  seat  of  Jefferson  County, 
was  named  for  the  massive  stones  strewn  about  the  valley.  It  was  estab- 
lished in  the  early  i86o's  as  a  stage  station  on  the  Fort  Benton- Virginia 
City  route,  and  later  became  the  trade  center  of  a  mining  and  agricultural 
area.  The  MONTANA  SCHOOL  FOR  THE  FEEBLE-MINDED  (open  on  appli- 
cation to  superintendent),  at  the  southern  limits,  cares  for  about  400  per- 
sons. Those  capable  of  learning  are  trained  in  useful  occupations;  the 
older  boys  do  farm  work  and  care  for  the  dairy  herd ;  the  girls  are  taught 
sewing,  weaving,  and  housekeeping. 

Left  from  Boulder  on  a  dirt  road  to  the  junction  with  another  dirt  road,  2  m.; 
L.  1  m.  on  the  side  road  to  BOULDER  HOT  SPRINGS  (4,824  alt.).  Here  are  vapor 


288  TOURS 

baths  (adm.  50$)  and  a  natural  hot-water  plunge  (adm.  25$  and  50$).  (Equipment 
for  saddle  and  pack  trips  and  hunting  and  fishing  available.) 

The  dirt  road  winds  southward  along  the  mountain  sides. 

ELKHORN,  18  m.  (5,430  alt.),  is  a  former  mining  camp,  established  in  1872, 
that  sent  out  $14,000,000  worth  of  gold  and  silver.  In  boom  days  this  frontier  town 
had  14  saloons;  bullet  holes  in  the  buildings  show  how  disputes  were  sometimes 
settled. 

Left  from  Elkhorn  4  m.  on  a  foot  and  bridle  trail  to  ELKHORN  PEAK  (9,500 
alt.)  ;  the  last  half  mile  must  be  climbed  on  foot.  Near  the  peak  the  rock  formation 
changes  abruptly.  Marble  cliffs  of  dazzling  white  glisten  in  the  sun  on  clear  days. 

WHITEHALL,  32  m.  (4,371  alt.,  553  pop.)  (see  Tour  1,  Sec.  c),  is  at  the  junc- 
tion with  US  10  S  (see  Tour  1). 

US  91  turns  up  the  narrow  canyon  of  Boulder  River.  There  are  gold 
and  silver  mines  at  the  heads  of  many  of  the  gulches  that  end  in  the 
valley. 

At  132  m.  is  the  junction  with  a  dirt  road. 

Right  on  this  road  up  High  Ore  Creek  to  the  GRAY  EAGLE  AND  COMET  MINES, 
4  m.,  active  silver  and  gold  producers. 

BASIN,  134.4  m.  (5,306  alt.,  250  pop.),  a  typical  mining  camp, 
booms  or  dozes  as  the  price  of  metal  determines.  Most  of  the  buildings 
are  frame,  with  the  second-story  false  fronts  common  in  nineteenth  cen- 
tury camps;  some  are  squalid  shacks.  Across  Boulder  River  (L)  is  the 
JIB  MINE,  a  sensational  gold  producer  in  the  1920'$. 

The  highway  crosses  Boulder  River  and  follows  the  edge  of  a  deep 
rocky  gorge  in  whose  walls  red  argillites  predominate. 

The  SHAMROCK  FOREST  SERVICE  CAMPGROUND,  141.6  m.  (R),  is  in 
the  DEER  LODGE  NATIONAL  FOREST. 

After  the  highway  crosses  Bison  Creek  it  begins  the  ascent  of  a  long 
hill,  becoming  a  narrow  shelf  on  the  mountain  side,  with  a  stream  ram- 
paging over  stubborn  boulders  far  below. 

ELK  PARK  CAMPGROUND  (L),  144.9  m.,  has  outdoor  stoves,  tables,  and 
other  conveniences. 

ELK  PARK,  146.4  m.  (6,237  alt),  a  roadside  service  station,  is  on  a 
flat  plateau  covered  with  dairy  farms  that  supply  milk  to  Butte.  The  farm- 
ers are  of  Swiss-Italian  stock. 

The  CONTINENTAL  DIVIDE,  158.9  m.  (6,354  alt.),  marks  the 
boundary  between  Jefferson  and  Silver  Bow  Counties;  the  latter  is  Mon- 
tana's smallest  county  in  area,  but  the  largest  in  population  and  wealth. 
The  highway  twists  down  through  a  bare  and  rocky  canyon.  At  160.1  m. 
BUTTE  HILL  (R),  with  its  mine  buildings,  gallows  frames,  ore  bins, 
and  sprawling  city,  is  in  view  across  the  valley. 

MEADERVILLE,  161.8  m.,  a  suburb  of  Butte,  has  many  important 
mines  (see  BUTTE).  Its  night  clubs  and  Italian  restaurants  are  numerous 
and  popular. 

BUTTE,  163.9  m.  (5,755  alt,  39,532  pop.)  (see  BUTTE). 

Points  of  Interest:  Marcus  Daly  Statue,  Smithers  Historical  Photographs  Collec- 
tion, Chinatown,  Meaderville,  Leonard  Mine,  State  School  of  Mines,  Columbia  Gar- 
dens, and  others. 

Butte  is  at  the  junction  (L)  with  US  10  S  (see  Tour  1). 


TOUR   6  289 

Section  c.  BUTTE  to  IDAHO  LINE,  732.3  m.,  US  91. 

This  section  of  US  91  crosses  some  of  the  finest  grazing  lands  in  the 
State,  which  are  inside  a  great  loop  of  the  Continental  Divide  with  east- 
ward drainage  through  the  Big  Hole  and  Beaverhead  Rivers.  The  valley 
bottoms,  at  an  average  elevation  of  5,000  feet,  are  broad;  the  benches  rise 
gently  to  low,  rounded  summits,  treeless  or  only  lightly  forested. 

This  part  of  Montana  was  the  first  settled;  it  was  easily  reached  from 
the  Oregon  Trail  and  the  Mormon  country  to  the  south.  The  gold  rush  of 
1862-63  attracted  many  fortune  hunters  who,  after  sampling  the  excite- 
ment of  Alder  Gulch  and  Grasshopper  Creek,  settled  down  in  the  verdant 
valleys  and  founded  Montana's  livestock  industry. 

Some  mining  is  carried  on  in  the  mountains.  Fishing  and  hunting  are 
good. 

Between  BUTTE,  0  m.,  and  a  junction  (R)  at  5.7  m.,  US  91  and  US 
10  S  (see  Tour  1)  are  one  route  (see  Tour  1,  Sec.  c). 

South  of  the  western  junction  with  US  10  S,  US  91  crosses  the  Mil- 
waukee, the  Union  Pacific,  and  the  Northern  Pacific  tracks ;  the  Milwaukee 
Road  is  identified  by  the  electric  wires  above  the  track.  By  an  easy  grade 
the  road  ascends  to  the  CONTINENTAL  DIVIDE,  14.8  m.  (5,915  alt.), 
which  here  is  scarcely  recognizable  as  anything  more  than  a  high,  sparse 
sheep  range.  South  of  the  crest  the  waters  drain  into  the  Big  Hole  River, 
which  flows  into  the  Jefferson.  "Hole,"  was  the  word  used  by  early  trap- 
pers to  designate  a  mountain  valley.  Lewis  and  Clark,  who  followed  the 
stream  for  a  short  distance  in  August  1805,  named  it  Wisdom  River. 

DIVIDE,  25  m.  (5,397  alt.,  113  pop.),  is  a  distributing  and  stock- 
shipping  point  for  the  upper  Big  Hole  Valley. 

Right  from  Divide  on  a  graveled  road  along  the  Big  Hole  River  to  the  RALSTON 
RANCH,  28  m.,  once  a  well-known  stage  station  halfway  between  Divide  and  Wis- 
dom, where  the  up  stage  and  the  down  stage  met,  and  where  passengers  and  drivers 
enjoyed  thick,  tender  steaks,  crisp  brown  grayling  from  the  river,  and  Mrs.  Ralston's 
pies.  Strings  of  freight  wagons,  each  string  drawn  by  8  to  1 6  horses,  rounded  the 
curves  in  the  road  about  dinnertime;  fresh  horses  replaced  the  road-weary  ones, 
which  stayed  here  and  were  rubbed  down,  fed,  and  bedded  for  the  night.  Sometimes 
there  was  a  dance  at  the  station,  in  which  cowboys,  freighters,  girls  from  surround- 
ing ranches,  and  country  schoolma'ams  took  part. 

The  Big  Hole  River  is  a  natural  habitat  of  grayling;  rainbow  trout  have  been 
planted  in  it.  There  is  also  excellent  fishing  in  tributary  streams.  Cattle  fattened  on 
the  nutritious  wild  grasses  of  the  valley  compete  with  the  corn-fed  stock  of  the 
Middle  West.  Men  from  many  parts  of  the  country  come  in  for  the  late  hay  harvest, 
willing  to  work  long  and  hard  for  the  sake  of  a  summer  in  this  fastness  of  the  old 
West,  for  top-notch  haying  hand's  pay,  and  excellent  food. 

MELROSE,  35.2  m.  (5,173  alt.,  380  pop.),  in  large  part  consists  of 
cabins  that  show  the  effects  of  time  and  storm.  Nearby,  along  Big  Hole 
River,  are  many  inviting  fishing  holes ;  from  Forty-five  Bend,  the  best  of 
them  all,  prize-winning  rainbow  trout  have  been  taken  with  light  tackle. 

BROWNS,  41  m.,  is  a  roadside  service  station. 

Right  from  Browns  on  a  dirt  road  along  Rock  Creek  to  small  BROWNS  LAKE, 
7  m.,  a  favorite  with  Butte  fishermen. 


290  TOURS 

Big  Hole  River  parallels  the  road  for  a  few  miles  farther,  then  the 
stream  turns  sharply  northeastward  to  join  the  Jefferson. 

GLEN  (Reichle  P.O.),  46.2  m.  (5,000  alt.,  35  pop.),  is  a  shipping 
point  for  surrounding  hay  ranches. 

The  road  ascends  the  low  divide  between  the  Big  Hole  and  Beaverhead 
Valleys.  The  rocky  hillsides  (R)  are  a  retreat  of  rattlesnakes.  Local  people 
conduct  occasional  snake  hunts  during  which  they  blast  the  rattlers  from 
their  dens. 

As  the  highway  enters  the  BEAVERHEAD  VALLEY,  fields  of  bunch 
grass,  brome  grass,  sedge,  and  wild  timothy  flank  the  highway.  In  spring 
the  bluebell,  lupine,  shooting  star,  buttercup,  and  daisy  bloom  profusely 
near  the  road.  The  sunflowerlike  Wyethia,  a  comparatively  rare  plant  in 
other  sections  of  the  State,  is  common  here. 

At  54.1  m.  is  the  junction  with  a  dirt  road. 

Left  on  this  road  to  ZIEGLER'S  HOT  SPRINGS,  12  m.,  on  the  Big  Hole  River, 

(Cabins,  campground;  plunge  and  hot  bath,  adm.  50$.) 

At  64.8  m.  is  the  junction  with  State  41  (see  lour  16). 

DILLON,  65.9  m.  (5,057  alt.,  2,422  pop.),  seat  of  Beaverhead  County, 
was  named  for  Sidney  Dillon,  president  of  the  Union  Pacific  R.R.  It  is 
a  very  important  primary  wool  market,  and  the  largest  wool-shipping 
point  in  Montana.  Dillon  has  the  air  of  a  much  larger  city,  and  an  assur- 
ance and  repose  that  it  owes  perhaps  to  its  having  known  few  economic 
setbacks.  Many  of  the  homes  are  typical  of  the  early  1900'$,  while  others 
are  of  modern  design.  A  few  of  the  first  log  cabins  remain  on  the  north- 
ern side  of  town.  The  broad,  tree-shaded  streets  become  country  roads 
that  lead  to  ranches  much  older  than  the  city. 

As  the  seat  of  the  State  Normal  College,  Dillon  has  a  great  variety  of 
cultural  activities,  including  those  of  literary  and  choral  clubs,  college  and 
high  school  bands,  and  a  college  string  orchestra.  The  college  prepares 
teachers  for  the  public  schools  of  the  State;  the  supervised  practic»work 
is  done  in  the  local  schools,  which  serve  as  laboratories.  This  arrange- 
ment, in  operation  for  many  years,  has  provided  unusual  educational  ad- 
vantages for  local  children. 

The  position  of  the  town,  amid  the  low,  lazy,  rather  arid  hills,  was 
determined  by  accident.  Construction  of  the  Utah  and  Northern  R.R. 
was  suddenly  brought  to  a  standstill  in  1880,  when  a  rancher  on  land 
here  refused  to  give  up  land  for  the  right-of-way.  A  few  enterprising 
men  engaged  in  business  at  or  near  the  terminus  banded  together,  bought 
the  ranch,  and  gave  the  railroad  company  the  right  to  go  through.  They 
continued  their  partnership  by  executing  a  trust  deed,  recorded  on  De- 
cember 4,  1880,  which  marked  the  birth  of  Dillon.  Lambert  Eliel,  trustee 
for  the  group,  granted  title  to  town  lots,  which  were  sold  at  public  auc- 
tion. The  new  town  became  the  county  seat  when  voters  decided  that 
Bannack  was  too  far  off  the  beaten  track. 

The  WOOL  WAREHOUSE,  near  the  railroad  station  (R),  is  operated  by 
a  local  company  that  markets  wool  for  the  growers  at  a  charge  of  one 
cent  for  10  pounds.  The  warehouse  can  hold  3  million  pounds  of  wool, 
and  has  electric  conveyors  for  loading  and  hauling  the  huge  wool  sacks. 


TOUR   6  291 

MONTANA  STATE  NORMAL  COLLEGE  (L),  near  the  southern  city  lim- 
its, has  a  main  hall,  a  gymnasium,  residence  halls,  and  athletic  fields  on  an 
attractive  campus  of  14  acres.  There  are  about  350  students  and  25  teach- 
ers. The  small  MUSEUM  (open  when  school  is  in  session)  in  MAIN  HALL 
contains  pioneer  relics  and  Indian  artifacts. 

Right  from  Dillon  on  State  36,  a  graveled  road,  to  the  junction  with  an  improved 
road,  8  m.;  L.  here  15  m.  to  BANNACK  (5,510  alt.,  180  pop.),  Montana's  oldest 
town,  which  was  named  for  the  Bannack  Indians,  who  once  roamed  the  region. 

Here,  on  July  28,  1862,  John  White  and  a  small  party  of  prospectors  from  Colo- 
rado discovered  a  bonanza  of  placer  gold  along  GRASSHOPPER  CREEK.  News  of 
the  strike  spread,  and  in  a  few  months  a  roaring,  vigorous  tent,  shack,  and  log  cabin 
city  of  about  1,000  people  grew  up.  A  horde  of  rough-and-ready  adventurers  from 
all  parts  of  the  West  came  in,  among  them  scoundrels  such  as  Henry  Plummer,  who 
had  been  run  out  of  California  and  Nevada  gold  camps.  For  a  year,  until  vigilantes 
caught  up  with  him  and  his  deputies,  Plummer  and  his  gang  robbed  and  killed 
miners  by  the  score  (see  HISTORY). 

In  September  1863  Sidney  Edgerton,  a  brilliant  lawyer  of  Akron,  Ohio,  who  had 
been  appointed  chief  justice  of  the  newly  created  Idaho  Territory,  arrived  here  with 
his  family.  He  was  on  his  way  to  Lewiston,  Idaho,  but  because  of  the  lateness  of  the 
season  and  the  difficulties  of  travel  over  the  mountains,  he  decided  to  remain  in  the 
lively  camp  for  the  winter.  In  the  spring  he  returned  to  Washington  to  advocate 
creation  of  a  new  territory.  On  May  26,  1864,  Congress,  heeding  his  pleas,  created 
the  Territory  of  Montana;  President  Lincoln  named  Edgerton  its  Governor  and 
Bannack  the  temporary  capital. 

Governor  Edgerton  called  the  first  Montana  legislative  assembly  to  order  at  Ban- 
nack on  December  12,  1864.  By  that  time  the  Grasshopper  diggings  had  proved 
shallow  and  most  of  the  miners  had  pulled  stakes  for  the  richer  prospects  in  Alder 
Gulch;  there  Virginia  City  boasted  a  boom  population  of  about  10,000,  with  as 
many  more  people  in  its  vicinity.  The  first  legislature  therefore  decided  that  the 
second  session  should  convene  at  Virginia  City. 

Bannack  remained  a  mining  town,  with  small  quartz  mines  and  placer  operations 
nearby.  Its  post  office  was  closed  in  January  1938,  but  the  weathered  remains  of  the 
State's  FIRST  CAPITAL,  FIRST  JAIL,  and  FIRST  HOTEL  still  face  the  single  street  in 
the  narrow  gulch. 

At  32  m.  on  State  36  is  the  junction  with  a  dirt  road ;  R.  here  to  ELKHORN  HOT 
SPRINGS,  44  m.  (4,830  alt.),  in  the  BEAVERHEAD  NATIONAL  FOREST  (hotel, 
cabins,  baths;  an  open  plunge,  adm.  50$;  guides,  saddle  horses,  and  pack  outfits 
available  for  big-game  hunting).  There  is  good  fishing  nearby.  A  general  store  and 
a  Forest  Service  campground  with  free  firewood  make  this  an  excellent  base  for 
visitors  to  the  high  mountains. 

At  the  confluence  of  Beaverhead  River  and  Rattlesnake  Creek,  67.9  m., 
in  1862  stood  the  only  signpost  in  a  vast  wilderness.  On  one  side  of  a 
rough-hewn  board  was  daubed  in  axle  grease: 

"Tu  grass  Hop  Per  digins 

30  myle 
Kepe  the  trale  nex  the  bluff e." 

On  the  other  side  was: 

"To  Jonni  Grants 
one  Hundred  &  twenti  myle" 

The  "grass  Hop  Per  digins"  were  at  Bannack;  "jonni  Grant"  was  a 
rancher  in  the  Deer  Lodge  Valley  (see  Tour  1,  sec.  c). 


292  TOURS 

A  monument  (R)  at  75.1  m.  is  on  the  westward  route  of  Lewis  and 
Clark  through  Beaverhead  Canyon,  and  the  later  trail  of  prospectors  com- 
ing up  from  Fort  Hall  on  the  Oregon  Trail.  Through  this  canyon  the 
tracks  of  the  first  railroad  in  Montana  were  laid  (see  TRANSPORTA- 
TION). The  canyon  sides  are  dark  with  lodgepole  pine,  Engelmann 
spruce,  and  balsam  fir. 

ARMSTEAD,  89-3  m.  (5,505  alt.,  109  pop.),  is  at  the  junction  of 
Prairie  and  Red  Rock  Creeks,  which  form  the  Beaverhead  River.  Capt. 
Meriwether  Lewis,  scouting  ahead  of  his  canoe  party,  turned  west  along 
an  Indian  trail  by  Prairie  Creek,  and  found  the  camp  of  Cameahwait, 
Sacajawea's  brother  (see  HISTORY).  The  meeting  between  Sacajawea 
and  Cameahwait  occurred  a  little  way  downstream. 

Right  from  Armstead  on  a  dirt  road  to  ROCK  PAINTINGS,  1  m.,  believed  to  be 
the  work  of  prehistoric  Indians.  Behind  the  first  large  red  butte  are  lines  of  stones 
running  from  it  across  the  valley  like  spokes  radiating  from  a  hub.  At  the  foot  of 
the  butte  are  crude  paintings  in  the  center  of  a  large  ring  of  rock;  it  is  supposed 
that  the  place  was  the  scene  of  tribal  rites. 

RED  ROCK,  93.1  m.  (5,490  alt.,  20  pop.),  so  named  because  of  the 
predominant  red  of  the  rocks  around  it,  is  in  Red  Rock  Valley,  a  fine 
broad  sweep  of  irrigated  hayland.  Because  of  the  elevation  and  the  short 
growing  season,  sheep  and  cattle  are  the  chief  products  of  the  ranches, 
whose  prosperity  is  shown  by  their  well-kept  buildings. 

DELL,  108.5  m.  (6,050  alt.,  45  pop.),  is  a  trading  center  for  valley 
ranchers. 

LIMA,  116.9  m.  (6,256  alt,  459  pop.),  is  a  division  point  on  the 
Oregon  Short  Line.  Since  the  removal  of  the  railroad  repair  shops  it  has 
lost  much  of  its  activity.  Some  of  its  stores  are  boarded  up,  and  several 
houses  have  been  deserted. 

Left  from  Lima  on  a  dirt  road  to  LIMA  RESERVOIR,  13  m.,  which  provides  water 
for  much  of  the  grassland  along  Rock  Creek.  There  is  good  fishing  here. 

MONIDA,  132  m.  (6,798  alt.,  75  pop.),  on  the  Continental  Divide, 
has  a  name  composed  of  parts  of  the  names  of  the  States  meeting  here. 
It  was  a  welcome  stage  stop  on  the  old  Salt  Lake  Trail,  which  in  the 
i86o's  brought  people  hungry  for  gold  into  Montana  and  took  away  those 
who  were  satisfied.  The  Centennial  Mountains  (L)  and  the  Beaverhead 
Mountains  (R)  form  the  Continental  Divide. 

Left  from  Monida  on  an  improved  dirt  road  to  LAKEVIEW,  29  m.,  with  hotel, 
auto  camp,  and  general  store  overlooking  the  RED  ROCK  LAKES.  Butte  and  Dillon 
sportsmen  maintained  a  duck-hunting  club  here,  until  the  area  became  part  of  a 
5o,ooo-acre  migratory  bird  refuge.  When  drought  struck  the  eastern  part  of  the 
State  there  was  a  great  concentration  of  ducks  and  geese  on  this  preserve.  White 
trumpeter  swans,  a  species  almost  extinct  in  the  United  States,  nest  here.  There  is 
good  fishing. 

MONIDA  PASS,  132.3  m.  (6,823  alt),  is  on  the  hardly  perceptible 
CONTINENTAL  DIVIDE,  which  here  forms  the  Idaho  Line,  at  a  point 
83  miles  north  of  Idaho  Falls,  Idaho  (see  Tour  2,  IDAHO  GUIDE). 


TOUR    7  293 

<   ««<«««««  &  >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>» 


Tour  7 


{Cranbrook,  B.  C.) — Eureka — Kalispell — Missoula — Hamilton — (Salmon, 

Idaho)  ;  US  93. 

Canadian  Border  to  Idaho  Line,  297  m. 

Route  served  by  bus  lines;  paralleled  by  Great  Northern  Ry.  between  Eureka  and 
Kalispell,  by  Northern  Pacific  Ry.  between  Poison  and  Missoula,  and  also  between 
Missoula  and  Darby,  with  logging  and  sugar  beet  trains  in  season. 
Hotels  and  cabins  in  cities  and  larger  towns;  tourist  camps  at  irregular  intervals. 
Oil-surfaced  roadbed  except  between  Canadian  Border  and  Eureka  and  for  25  miles 
north  of  the  Idaho  Line.  Open  all  seasons  except  south  of  Hamilton;  winter  trav- 
elers should  ascertain  conditions  over  Clark  and  Gibbons  Pass. 

Section  a.  CANADIAN  BORDER  to  KALISPELL,  76.8  m.,  US  93. 

This  section  of  US  93  in  its  general  direction  follows  the  Tobacco  Plains 
Trail,  through  the  country  of  the  Salish  and  Kootenai  Indians,  an  ancient 
pathway  that  became  the  route  of  fur  traders  and  pack  trains  between 
Missoula  and  Vancouver,  British  Columbia.  David  Thompson,  Alexander 
Ross,  Finan  McDonald,  and  Jacques  Finlay,  and  other  employees  of  the 
Hudson's  Bay  and  the  North  West  Companies,  explored  the  region  and 
established  the  trading  posts  that  were  the  first  white  settlements  in  it. 

After  rich  placer  discoveries  in  the  mountains  drew  prospectors  who 
needed  goods,  long  and  heavily  laden  caravans  of  pack  mules  and  horses 
toiled  over  this  trail.  Later  the  division  of  Indian  lands  brought  settlers 
swarming  to  the  fertile  Kootenai  and  Flathead  Valleys. 

The  highway  passes  through  sections  of  the  Kootenai  National  Forest, 
with  tamarack  and  fir  forming  dense  walls  on  both  sides.  Throughout  this 
area,  wood  cutting  is  a  major  occupation.  Great  stacks  of  cordwood  are 
piled  along  the  highway  awaiting  transportation. 

US  93,  a  continuation  of  an  unnumbered  British  Columbia  road,  goes 
south  from  the  Canadian  Border,  0  m.,  o.i  mile  south  of  Roosville,  a 
Canadian  customs  station,  and  86  miles  southwest  of  Cranbrook,  B.  C. 
The  U.  S.  customs  and  immigration  station  (R),  a  red-brick  Colonial- 
type  structure  with  white  columns,  is  among  low  pine-covered  hills.  The 
two  cottages  back  of  it  are  the  homes  of  officials. 

The  Whitefish  Range  (L),  moderately  timbered,  is  vividly  green  m 
the  distance.  MT.  POORMAN  (2,900  alt.)  lifts  its  conical  peak  just 
south  of  the  border.  The  Purcell  Mountains  (R)  and  the  Cabinets  (straight 
ahead),  their  summits  often  only  vaguely  discernible  in  a  gray  haze,  form 
a  dark  horizon. 

At  6.9  m.  is  the  junction  with  State  37  (see  Tour  2,  sec.  c).  Between 
this  junction  and  Eureka  US  93  and  State  37  are  united. 

EUREKA,  8.9  m.   (2,571  alt.,  860  pop.),  is  slowly  climbing  up  a 


294  TOURS 

hillside  above  its  first  buildings  on  the  banks  of  Tobacco  River.  After  its 
large  sawmill  burned  in  1923,  the  town  developed  a  Christmas  market 
for  evergreens;  sixty-eight  carloads  of  small  firs  were  shipped  to  eastern 
markets  in  1935.  Huckleberries  grow  in  abundance  on  the  mountain  sides. 

US  93  follows  the  Tobacco  River  (R)  through  dairy  and  hay  country. 

At  13.4  m.  is  the  junction  with  a  dirt  road. 

Left  to  GLEN  LAKE  (cabins,  boats),  3  m.,  a  tarn  in  a  dense  forest. 
Because  of  dense  stands  of  larch  and  Douglas  fir  that  border  the  high- 
way, the  slopes  and  summits  beyond  are  only  occasionally  visible. 
At  20.6  m.  is  the  junction  with  a  dirt  road. 

Right  on  this  road  is  FORTINE,  0.6  m.  (2,955  alt.,  100  pop.),  one  of  those 
flag  stops  whose  inhabitants  gather  on  the  station  platform  to  watch  the  trains  pass, 
then  retire  to  the  post  office  to  gossip  and  await  the  distribution  of  letters  and 
papers. 

At  22.8  m.  is  the  junction  with  a  dirt  road. 

Right  on  this  road  to  ANT  FLATS  RANGER  STATION,  1  m.,  built  of  great  rough- 
hewn  logs. 

MURPHY  LAKE  (L),  23.6  m.,  is  long,  narrow,  and  bordered  with 
dense  tamarack  growth.  A  State  game  preserve  surrounds  it.  There  is  an 
improved  campground  on  its  shore. 

Between  25.4  m.  and  27.4  m.  the  highway  winds  along  the  shore  of 
the  deep  blue  DICKEY  LAKE  (R),  which  has  many  small  inlets. 

At  29-3  m.  is  the  junction  with  a  graded  dirt  road. 

Left  to  FISH  LAKE  (cabins  and  boats  available),  3m.,  which  is  annually  re- 
stocked with  trout. 

WHITEFISH  MOUNTAIN  (7,445  alt.)  towers  (L)  above  lesser 
peaks.  Immediately  south  of  it  is  DIAMOND  PEAK  (7,285  alt.). 

The  highway  makes  an  S-curve  at  30.4  m.  through  a  defile  between 
jagged  cliffs  buttressed  (L)  by  somber  outcrops  of  rock. 

SPRING  CREEK  CAMPGROUND  (R)  (tables,  outdoor  stoves,  good  spring 
water),  35.4  m.,  is  in  a  thinned  grove  of  firs. 

At  40.8  m.  is  the  junction  with  a  forest  road. 

Left  on  this  through  good  hunting  country  to  STRYKER  RIDGE,  5  m.  (7,000 
avg.  alt.),  a  rampart  of  the  Whitefish  Range. 

The  HEADQUARTERS  OF  THE  STILLWATER  STATE  FOREST,  43.9  m. 
(R),  is  in  six  log  buildings.  The  forest  covers  90,000  acres.  Within  it 
are  the  headwaters  of  the  Whitefish  River,  part  of  the  Stillwater,  and 
many  small  lakes. 

STILLWATER  LAKE  (R),  44.9  m.,  formed  by  a  dam  on  the  Still- 
water  River,  has  a  campground  (boats,  cabins)  on  its  shore. 

WHITEFISH,  61.3  m.  (3,035  alt,  2,803  P°P-)>  is  a  neat  lake-shore 
town,  with  modern  business  buildings  of  brick,  and  dwellings  of  frame- 
and-stucco  construction.  Shaded  streets  border  lawns  ornamented  with 
shrubs  and  trees. 

The  town  is  in  the  open  upper  Flathead  Valley,  with  the  Kootenai 
National  Forest  R.,  the  Flathead  L.  It  is  a  division  point  on  the  Great 


TOUR   7  295 

Northern  Ry.,  with  railroad  shops.  Nearby  sawmills  give  employment  to 
many  men. 

WHITEFISH  LAKE,  i  mile  wide  and  7  miles  long,  stretches  north- 
ward with  many  summer  homes  and  camps  along  its  forested  shores. 
Between  the  town  and  the  lake  is  a  public  park  and  bathing  beach.  A 
regatta  (July  4th)  features  outboard  motorboat  racing,  aquaplaning, 
swimming,  and  diving. 

At  63.3  m.  is  the  junction  with  a  dirt  road  (see  side  tour  from  Tour  2, 
sec.  c). 

KALISPELL,  76.8  m.  (2,959  a^-»  6,094  P°P-)  (see  Tour  2,  sec.  c)  is 
at  the  junction  with  US  2  (see  Tour  2). 

Section  b.  KALISPELL  to  MISSOULA,  ^23.2  m.,  US  93. 

For  more  than  40  miles  this  section  of  US  93  winds  along  the  western 
shore  of  Flathead  Lake,  the  broad  blue  expanse  of  water  now  in  view, 
now  hidden  beyond  a  higher  part  of  the  rough,  wooded  rim  of  the  lake. 
Here  and  there  an  island,  steep-sided  and  tree-covered,  rises  out  of  the 
water;  the  road  makes  innumerable  loops  and  long  curves  around  the 
large  and  small  bays  that  indent  the  shore  line.  Almost  all  the  way,  the 
mighty  Swan  and  Mission  Mountains  (L)  are  in  view,  awe  inspiring 
in  their  austerity,  always  commanding.  In  contrast,  the  view  R.  is  mostly 
of  valley  flats  alternating  with  low,  rounded  hills. 

US  93  follows  Main  St.  in  KALISPELL,  0  m.,  around  the  courthouse 
and  through  a  residential  section  to  a  level  valley. 

SOMERS  (L),  9.5  m.  (2,950  alt.,  750  pop.),  is  a  sawmill  town  by  Flat- 
head  Lake.  The  buildings  are  of  the  frame  type  usual  in  mill  towns;  the 
water  below  is  crowded  with  logs  that  have  been  shipped  in  by  rail  or 
driven  down  the  Flathead  and  Stillwater  Rivers  and  towed  in  by  small 
steamers. 

FLATHEAD  LAKE,  about  30  miles  long  and  10  miles  wide,  has 
an  average  depth  of  220  feet.  A  product  of  glacial  action,  it  is  fed 
mostly  by  the  icy  waters  of  melting  glaciers  and  snowbanks  in  the 
high  mountains  to  the  east  and  north.  Its  outlet  during  the  glacial  age 
was  westward  through  the  Big  Draw  at  Elmo  into  Little  Bitterroot  River; 
as  the  ice  receded,  a  new  outlet,  from  Poison  Bay  into  Flathead  River, 
developed.  Local  lore  has  it  that  Paul  Bunyan  became  interested  in  Poison 
(see  below),  and  in  an  effort  to  boom  that  town  dug  the  new  channel  that 
replaced  the  Big  Draw. 

Flathead  Lake  offers  opportunities  for  boating,  swimming,  and  fishing. 
(Fishing  best  in  June.)  It  is  stocked  with  salmon,  trout,  whitefish,  and 
bass.  Several  charming  islands  lie  near  the  west  shore.  Near  Dayton,  ac- 
cessible only  by  boat,  are  the  PAINTED  ROCKS,  signs  and  characters  in 
vivid  colors  left  by  an  unknown  Indian  artist  or  historian  long  before 
white  men  saw  the  region. 

LAKESIDE,  14.9  m.,  near  the  shore  of  the  lake,  exists  to  entertain 
tourists. 

ANGEL  POINT  LOOKOUT,  19.5  m.,  on  clear  days  offers  an  unobstructed 


296  TOURS 

view  across  the  lake  to  the  Mission  Range  (L).  The  road  sweeps  down  a 
hill  and  comes  close  to  GOOSE  BAY,  21  m.  In  a  log  house  among  the 
trees  lived  Frank  B.  Linderman,  poet,  novelist,  and  friend  of  the  Indian 
(see  THE  ARTS). 

DAYTON,  30.5  m.  (2,884  alt-)»  is  tne  embarkation  point  for  a  4,500- 
acre  dude  ranch  on  WILD  HORSE  ISLAND,  7  miles  from  shore. 

Right  from  Dayton,  on  a  dirt  road  to  LAKE  MARY  RONAN  (cabins,  boats),  7 
m.  It  is  stocked  with  silver  salmon  and  Dolly  Varden  trout. 

Between  Dayton  and  Evaro,  a  distance  of  70  miles,  the  route  runs 
through  the  Flathead  Indian  Reservation. 

BIG  ARM,  40.2  m.  (2,941  alt.,  50  pop.),  is  a  small  Indian  village  on 
the  lake  shore.  Indians  here  wear  native  dress  and  live  somewhat  as  they 
did  before  the  coming  of  the  white  man. 

The  road  proceeds  over  a  broad,  rugged  headland.  There  are  several 
deceptively  sharp  curves. 

POLSON,  53.1  m.  (2,949  alt,  1,456  pop.),  seat  of  Lake  County,  is 
in  a  natural  amphitheater  at  the  foot  of  the  lake.  The  town,  the  trade 
center  of  one  of  the  most  fertile  farming  areas  in  Montana,  has  modern 
stores,  and  homes  with  delightful  gardens.  Within  a  block  of  the  busi- 
ness district  is  a  dock  and  breakwater.  A  63-acre  park  on  the  lake  shore 
affords  facilities  for  golfing,  playing  tennis,  and  for  boating  and  swim- 
ming. The  Cherry  Regatta  on  Poison  Bay  celebrates  the  cherry  harvest 
(1st  week  in  August).  A  9-hole  GOLF  COURSE  (greens  fee  500)  is  L. 

An  increasing  number  of  visitors  outfit  here  for  mountain  trips  (saddle 
horses,  $2.50  up;  guides,  $5  a  day). 

Right  from  Poison  on  a  dirt  road  to  the  GORGE  OF  THE  FLAT- 
HEAD  RIVER,  5  m.  During  May  and  June,  flood  season,  water  pours 
through  this  gorge  at  the  rate  of  500,000  gallons  a  second.  The  walls  are 
perpendicular,  and  rise  200  to  500  feet  above  the  white  water. 

Here  is  the  $11,000,000  FLATHEAD  DAM  AND  POWER  PLANT,  built 
on  a  site  owned  by  the  Confederated  Tribes  of  the  Flathead.  This  plant 
will  be  able  to  generate  between  200,000  and  250,000  horsepower. 

South  of  Poison  the  whole  Mission  Range  is  in  view.  The  loftiest  of 
these  snow-capped  peaks  are  at  the  southern  end,  with  a  very  gradual 
diminution  northward  toward  the  mouth  of  Swan  River,  which  cuts 
through  the  range.  Among  the  higher  peaks  are  glaciers,  cataracts,  and 
rocky  precipices.  The  region  was  the  ancient  summer  hunting  ground  of 
the  Salish,  and  is  rich  in  their  lore. 

At  54.8  m.  is  the  junction  with  State  35  (see  side  tour  from  Tour  2, 
sec.  c). 

PABLO,  61.3  m.  (3,100  alt,  150  pop.),  a  trading  center  for  ranchers, 
was  named  for  Michael  Pablo,  an  Indian  stockman,  who  reared  a  herd  of 
bison  in  Flathead  Valley.  PABLO  RESERVOIR  (R)  is  a  refuge  for  migra- 
tory waterfowl. 

Between  Pablo  and  St.  Ignatius  the  route  traverses  the  irrigated  lands 
of  the  Flathead  Indians.  Between  Pablo  and  Ronan,  SHEEPSHEAD 
MOUNTAIN  (L),  named  for  its  form,  is  in  view. 

RONAN,  66.8  m.  (3,064  alt.,  1,600  est.  pop.),  was  named  for  Maj. 


TOUR   7  297 

Peter  Ronan,  first  Indian  agent  to  the  Flathead,  who  wrote  a  history  of 
valley  tribes.  It  is  a  busy  town  with  a  flour  mill ;  the  population  tripled 
between  1930  and  1937,  partly  because  of  a  great  influx  of  farmers  into 
the  lower  Flathead  Valley  from  the  drought  areas  of  North  Dakota  and 
>tern  Montana.  The  area  around  Ronan,  formerly  part  of  the  Flathead 
nervation,  was  thrown  open  to  white  settlement  in  1910,  and  10,000 
)ple  soon  established  themselves  on  ranches  and  small  irrigated  farms, 
[any  Indians  and  numerous  horse-drawn  vehicles  are  seen  on  the  streets. 
Above  (L)  is  McDONALD  GLACIER,  on  the  north  side  of  MOUNT 
[cDONALD  (9,800  alt.),  the  loftiest  peak  in  the  Mission  Range. 
[OUNT  HARDING,  north  of  Mount  McDonald,  is  only  a  little  lower. 
At  74.9  m.  is  the  junction  with  a  dirt  road. 

Left  on  this  road  to  McDONALD  LAKE   (not  to  be  confused  with  Lake  Mc- 
onald  in  Glacier  Park),  7  m.,  fed  by  glacial  waters  from  the  Mission  Range. 
(Boats,  campgrounds,  good  fishing.) 

ST.  IGNATIUS,  81.2  m.  (2,900  alt.,  303  pop.),  is  a  subagency  almost 
at  the  center  of  the  Flathead  Reservation.  The  village  is  dominated  by 
Indians.  Like  the  ROMAN  CATHOLIC  MISSION,  established  here  in  1854 
by  Fathers  De  Smet,  Hoecken,  and  Menetrey,  the  town  was  named  in 
honor  of  St.  Ignatius  of  Loyola,  the  Spanish  priest  who  founded  the  So- 
ciety of  Jesus. 

The  MISSION  SCHOOL,  CHURCH,  and  HOSPITAL  are  the  results  of 
nearly  a  century  of  patient,  conscientious  work  among  the  natives.  Early 
paintings  used  in  teaching  the  Indians  are  on  view. 

Left  from  St.  Ignatius  on  a  dirt  road  to  ST.  MARY'S  LAKE  (not  to  be  confused 
with  the  St.  Mary  Lakes  in  Glacier  Park),  11  m.,  which  offers  excellent  trout  fish- 
ing. The  Salish  called  it  "the  waters  of  the  forgiven";  their  tradition  is  that  a 
brave  once  expiated  a  murder  on  its  shore.  Another  Salish  legend  tells  that  beautiful 
spirits  inhabited  the  deep  waters  and  lured  careless  warriors  to  destruction. 

South  of  St.  Ignatius  US  93  makes  a  narrow  winding  turn  (R)  at  the 
bottom  of  St.  Ignatius  Hill.  Mostly  R.  is  the  FLATHEAD  (formerly  the 
Jocko)  INDIAN  RESERVATION,  of  1,403,058  acres,  created  in  1855. 
The  agency  is  i  mile  north  of  Dixon  (see  Tour  12).  The  Indian  popula- 
tion in  1936  numbered  3,400,  with  3,051  enrolled  in  the  Confederated 
Tribes  of  the  Flathead  (Salish,  Kalispel,  and  Kootenai).  Though  enroll- 
ments are  increasing,  full-blood  Indians  (750  in  1936)  decrease  in  num- 
bers. The  tribes  have  so  intermarried  that  an  accurate  estimate  of  the 
number  in  each  one  is  impossible.  More  than  three-fourths  have  white 
blood.  Many  have  French  and  Scottish  names  inherited  from  trappers  and 
traders  of  the  old  North  West  Company,  who  married  squaws  (see  HIS- 
TORY). Allotted  to  individual  Indians  are  227,113  acres  of  reservation 
land;  255,000  acres  are  held  by  the  tribal  council  as  a  grazing  reserve  for 
Indian  herds.  Much  land  is  occupied  by  whites.  Irrigation  was  begun  in 
1907. 

Lewis  and  Clark,  the  first  white  men  to  visit  the  Salish  (September 
1805),  called  them  the  Ootlashoots.  They  were  few  in  number  (about 
700),  but  loyal,  honest,  and  respected  by  the  Blackfeet  for  their  fighting 
prowess.  They  believed  in  a  Good  Spirit,  a  Bad  Spirit,  and  a  summer 


'/*. 


4' 


A  FLATHEAD  WOMAN 


country  where  the  good  Indian,  when  he  died,  met  his  wife  and  children 
and  found  game  plentiful.  The  bad  Indian  passed  to  a  land  of  perpetual 
ice  where,  shivering,  he  saw  fire,  and,  thirsty,  he  saw  water — beyond  his 
reach.  Beavers,  the  Salish  believed,  were  fallen  Indians,  condemned  to 
their  lowly  state  by  the  Great  Spirit. 

In  early  days  Flathead  Valley  was  inhabited  by  the  Pend  d'Oreille 
(Fr.,  ear  pendant},  or  Kalispel;  the  Salish  lived  in  the  Bitterroot  coun- 
try. When  the  great  council  signed  the  reservation  treaty  in  1855,  at  Grass 
Valley,  near  Missoula,  it  was  agreed  that  the  Salish  should  remain  in  the 
Bitterroot  Valley  until  the  Government  needed  the  land.  Chief  Victor 
probably  did  not  fully  understand  what  this  meant.  Two  years  after  his 
death  in  1870,  his  son  Chariot  refused  to  move  to  the  Jocko  Reservation. 
Thereupon,  Alee  (or  Arlee),  who  was  willing  to  move,  was  named  chief 
of  the  Flathead.  Chariot  never  recognized  Alee  as  chief  and  it  was  not 
until  1891,  after  years  of  destitution,  that  he  gave  up  his  ancient  home  and 
led  a  band  of  about  200  remaining  Salish  to  the  reservation. 


TOUR   7  299 

After  the  Indian  Reorganization  Act  of  1934,  the  Confederated  Tribes 
adopted  a  constitution  under  which  a  council  is  popularly  elected;  but 
hereditary  chiefs  head  the  tribal  organization  and  are  recognized  by  the 
U.  S.  Indian  Service.  Noted  chiefs  include  Three  Eagles,  who  ruled  in  the 
days  of  Lewis  and  Clark's  visit;  Bear  Looking  Up,  who  was  chief  when 
Father  De  Smet  arrived;  and  Big  Face,  the  first  Salish  Indian  baptized  a 
Roman  Catholic. 

Beadwork  and  the  making  of  buckskin  clothing  are  the  principal  tra- 
ditional Flathead  handicrafts.  A  few  brass  ornaments  and  pipes  of  stone 
and  carved  wood  are  made.  Considerable  beadwork  in  animal  designs  is 
used  on  horse  trappings. 

These  Indians  no  longer  use  primitive  methods  of  cookery  but  still  pre- 
serve meat  and  roots  by  drying.  The  bitterroot  is  sun-dried  on  canvas  until 
hard;  camas,  when  not  sun-dried,  is  pit-roasted.  Strips  of  meat  from  the 
back  of  elk  are  dipped  in  grease  and  smoked. 

Some  of  the  Flathead  depend  on  fishing  and  hunting  for  one- fourth  of 
their  food  supply.  In  the  fall  many  engage  in  a  special  hunt  for  meat  and 
hides.  The  skins  are  soaked  in  water  for  10  days,  then  treated  with  a  mix- 
ture of  brains  and  liver  to  waterproof  them  and  rot  the  hair.  After  stretch- 
ing and  scraping,  they  are  worked  over  carefully  until  soft  enough  to  be 
used  for  moccasins  and  the  like. 

The  annual  bitterroot  feast  is  held  at  Camas  Prairie  in  the  spring  be- 
fore the  bitterroot  blooms;  the  camas  feast  is  in  June.  All  full-bloods  par- 
ticipate. Prayers  are  offered  for  good  crops,  and  dried  camas  and  bitterroot 
are  eaten.  Other  ancient  ceremonies  still  observed  are  the  blue- jay  dance 
(January),  and  war  dances  (visitors  admitted)  in  July.  These  are  also 
attended  by  the  full-bloods.  From  75  to  100  tepees  are  pitched  in  a  circle 
around  the  war  dance  tent,  which  is  a  double  lean-to  of  poles  and  hides. 

To  MOUNT  E-TAM-A-NA,  at  the  head  of  Crow  Creek  in  the  Mission 
Mountains,  young  braves  used  to  come  to  fast  and  pray.  If  a  petitioner 
dreamed  about  some  animal  or  bird,  it  became  his  shumash  (guide) 
through  life,  aiding  him  in  battle  and  healing  him  in  illness. 

The  NATIONAL  BISON  RANGE,  85  m.,  is  R.  (see  Tour  12). 

At  86.8  m.  is  the  junction  with  State  3  (see  Tour  12). 

RAVALLI,  87  m.  (2,760  alt.,  15  pop.),  was  named  for  Father  An- 
thony Ravalli  (see  HISTORY). 

ARLEE,  96.9  m.  (3,094  alt.,  450  pop.),  was  named  for  Alee  (Ind., 
red  night) ,  the  Salish  chief  (see  above).  The  name  is  Arlee  only  in  white 
usage,  for  the  Salish  language  has  no  "r."  Arlee  is  a  small  trading  center 
for  the  Jocko  Valley.  Usually  there  are  Indians  on  its  streets ;  in  summer 
they  occasionally  have  powwows  on  the  river  flat  at  the  edge  of  town. 

Left  from  Arlee  on  a  dirt  road  through  the  Mission  Range  to  the  CLEAR  WATER 
LAKES,  30  m.  (see  Tour  8). 

EVARO,  107.8  m.  (3,972  alt.,  25  pop.),  a  small  cluster  of  houses  at 
the  top  of  a  hill,  is  at  the  southern  limits  of  the  Flathead  Reservation.  The 
southern  peaks  (L)  of  the  Mission  Range  are  seen  here  rising  7,000  feet 
above  the  valley. 

The  highway  descends  through  the  narrow  CORIACAN  DEFILE,  the 


3OO  TOURS 

gateway  between  the  Flathead  and  Missoula  Valleys.  It  is  reputedly  named 
for  Koriaka,  a  Hawaiian,  who  was  killed  there  during  an  attack  by  Black- 
feet  upon  a  party  of  trappers  and  traders. 

At  114.6  m.  is  the  junction  (R)  with  US  10  (see  Tour  1).  Between 
this  point  and  Missoula  US  10  and  US  93  are  one  route  (see  Tour  1, 
sec.  d). 

MISSOULA,  123.2  m.  (3,233  alt.,  14,657  pop.)   (see  MISSOULA). 

Points  of  Interest:  Montana  State  University,  Missoula  County  Courthouse,  Cath- 
olic Group,  Free  Library,  Bonner  House,  Greenough  Park,  Waterworks  Hill,  and 
others. 

Missoula  is  at  the  junction  with  US  10  (see  Tour  1). 

Section  c.  MISSOULA  to  IDAHO  LINE,  97  m.,  US  93. 

US  93  traverses  the  entire  length  of  the  Bitterroot  Valley,  following 
in  reverse  order  the  route  of  Lewis  and  Clark  from  the  Big  Hole  Basin 
to  the  Lolo  Trail.  Sheltered  on  the  east  and  southeast  by  the  rounded  Sap- 
phire Mountains  and  the  southwestward  loop  of  the  Continental  Divide, 
and  on  the  west  by  the  high,  irregularly  toothed  Bitterroot  Range,  this 
valley  is  widely  known  as  Montana's  best — in  some  years,  almost  its  only 
— fruit-growing  area.  Here,  where  the  first  crop  in  the  State  was  planted 
in  1842  (see  HISTORY),  rich  fields,  gardens,  orchards,  pastures,  and 
meadows  stretch  from  mountain  range  to  mountain  range. 

South  of  MISSOULA,  0  m.,  US  93  crosses  Clark  Fork  of  the  Columbia, 
locally  called  the  Missoula;  then  swings  slightly  R.  and  L.  passing  the 
WESTERN  MONTANA  FAIRGROUND  and  the  MUNICIPAL  AIRPORT  (L), 
1.9  m. 

MOUNT  LOLO  (9,075  alt. ),  bearing  permanent  snow  fields,  is  straight 
ahead;  Squaw  Peak  (see  Tour  1)  is  R. 

At  2  m.  is  the  junction  with  an  improved  road. 

Right  on  this  road  to  FORT  MISSOULA,  0.5  m.,  founded  in  1877  when  it  was 
believed  that  efforts  to  remove  the  Salish  from  the  Bitterroot  Valley  to  the  Jocko 
Reservation  might  cause  an  uprising.  The  only  garrisoned  post  in  Montana,  it  is 
manned  by  two  battalions  of  the  Fourth  Infantry.  The  frame  buildings  at  the  west- 
ern end  of  the  reservation  are  headquarters  of  the  CCC  in  Montana  and  northern 
Idaho. 

The  military  reservation  was  formerly  much  larger,  but  squatters  crowded  in  and 
were  permitted  to  stay.  Abandoned  in  1898  the  post  was  re-established  in  1901; 
5  years  later  the  city  of  Missoula  bought  land  and  increased  the  reservation  to  about 
3,000  acres.  Fort  Missoula  became  a  regimental  post,  and  permanent  fireproof  build- 
ings were  completed  by  1910.  It  was  abandoned  again  from  1912  to  1921,  except  as 
the  site  of  a  mechanics'  school  during  the  World  War. 

The  officers'  club,  of  logs,  and  the  powder  house,  of  stone,  are  all  that  remain 
of  the  early  structures.  They  contrast  oddly  with  the  newer  barracks  and  the  tiled 
roof  line  of  officers'  residences. 

The  Missoula  Valley  was  once  the  bottom  of  a  lake  that  left  the  marks 
of  successive  water  levels  on  Mounts  Sentinel  and  Jumbo  (L).  In  some 
places  the  soil  is  productive;  in  others  the  smooth  water-washed  stones  lie 
near  the  surface,  and  the  thin  topsoil  does  not  retain  moisture  long. 

The  road  crosses  the  Bitterroot  River,  4.2  m.  The  Bitterroot  Valley  was 


ST.  MARY'S  MISSION,  STEVENSVILLE 


known  to  the  Salish  as  Spetlemen  (place  of  the  root),  for  here,  in  June, 
they  dug  the  brown  bitterroot  (see  FLORA)  and  dried  it  for  food. 

LOLO  (Ind.,  muddy  water),  11.1  m.  (3,198  alt.,  102  pop.),  is  made 
up  of  a  store,  a  beer  hall,  a  service  station,  and  a  few  houses  and  tourist 
cabins. 

Right  from  Lolo  on  State  9,  a  graveled  road  through  the  LOLO  NATIONAL 
FOREST,  to  the  SITE  OF  FORT  FIZZLE  (R),  6  m.  When  Chief  Joseph,  on  his  re- 
treat toward  Canada  in  1877  (see  HISTORY),  crossed  the  pass  from  Idaho,  he 
found  a  barricade  erected  here  to  head  him  off.  Joseph  slipped  past  the  barricade 
and  continued  down  the  Lolo  Trail  and  up  the  Bitterroot  Valley  with  all  his  tribe 
and  a  large  herd  of  horses.  The  barricade  became  known  as  Fort  Fizzle. 

LOLO  HOT  SPRINGS  (3,786  alt.)  is  at  30  m.  (hotel,  cabins,  campground;  warm- 
water  plunge,  adm.  50$).  The  water  is  not  mineralized. 

The  road  ascends  through  heavy  timber  with  only  occasional  far  views  to  LOLO 
PASS,  37  m.  (5,187  alt.),  closely  following  the  route  of  Lewis  and  Clark  in  1805 
(see  HISTORY).  At  the  pass  State  9  crosses  the  Idaho  Line,  10  miles  north  of 
Powell  Ranger  Station,  Idaho  (see  Tour  8,  IDAHO  GUIDE). 

FLORENCE,  20.1  m.  (3,273  alt.,  95  pop.),  is  a  one-street  trading  cen- 
ter with  a  creamery  and  a  cheese  factory. 

Left  from  Florence  on  a  graveled  road  to  a  junction  with  a  side  road,  4  m.;  L. 
here  6  m.  to  RED  ROCK  MINE  (open  to  •visitors),  a  gold  property  developed  by  shaft 
and  crosscut. 

The  three  pointed  summits  sharply  outlined  against  the  southern  hori- 
zon (R)  are  the  Como  Peaks. 


302  TOURS 

At  28.5  m.  is  the  junction  with  a  graveled  road. 

Left  on  this  road  to  the  SITE  OF  FORT  OWEN,  0.5  m.  (R),  a  trading  post  estab- 
lished in  1850  by  Maj.  John  Owen.  Nothing  remains  of  the  buildings  but  part  of 
one  wall  made  of  crude  bricks.  In  the  spring  of  1841  Father  De  Smet  and  six  com- 
panions (see  HISTORY)  had  erected  a  small  chapel  here  of  whipsawed  lumber  held 
together  with  wooden  pins.  They  had  built  a  sawmill  and  a  gristmill,  making  the 
saw  from  the  iron  band  of  a  wagon  wheel.  The  mill  stones,  shipped  from  Antwerp, 
Belguim,  had  been  brought  ashore  at  Fort  Vancouver  on  the  Columbia  and  carried 
overland.  Oxen  and  wagons,  carts  and  plows  had  also  been  brought  to  the  mission 
and  in  1842  the  Mission  garden  had  produced  some  wheat  and  vegetables. 

Major  Owen  differed  from  many  of  the  early  citizens  of  Montana  in  that  he  came 
with  definite  intent  to  settle.  He  began  by  buying  the  buildings  from  the  Catholic 
authorities  at  St.  Mary's  Mission,  and  added  others  of  his  own.  Refusing  to  be  di- 
verted by  gold  rushes  and  booms,  he  stayed  at  his  fort  and  developed  it  into  the 
most  important  travel  and  trade  center  in  the  valley.  A  genial  host,  he  made  the  post 
popular  with  white  and  red  visitors  alike. 

STEVENSVILLE,  1  m.  (3,500  alt.,  691  pop.),  is  a  trade  center  for  farmers  in 
this  valley,  which  today  produces  grain,  hay,  sugar  beets,  seed  and  canning  peas, 
potatoes,  apples,  cherries,  and  strawberries.  A  cannery  and  a  cooperative  creamery 
provide  markets  for  local  products.  The  creamery  picnic  held  annually  in  August 
is  an  event  of  much  importance  to  the  valley  people. 

ST.  MARY'S  MISSION  (1867),  near  the  southern  edge  of  town,  is  a  small  log 
church  of  conventional  design.  In  the  rear  of  the  church  is  a  small  MUSEUM  (open) 
containing  mementos  of  the  early  days  of  St.  Mary's. 

VICTOR,  35.8  m.  (3,414  alt.,  350  pop.),  was  named  for  Chief  Victor 
of  the  Flathead. 

HAMILTON,  48  m.  (3,600  alt.,  1,839  P°P-)>  seat  of  Ravalli  County 
and  chief  center  of  Bitterroot  Valley  business,  in  its  modern  business 
buildings  and  attractive  dwellings  reflects  the  prosperity  of  the  surround- 
ing country.  It  owes  much  of  its  development  to  Marcus  Daly,  who  estab- 
lished his  Bitterroot  Stock  Farm  east  of  town,  and  caused  many  fine 
homes  and  stores  to  be  built.  He  gave  two  lots  to  each  of  the  town's  reli- 
gious congregations  as  sites  for  churches. 

The  U.  S.  PUBLIC  HEALTH  SERVICE  LABORATORY  (open  2:30-4:30  by 
appointment;  guides),  900  block  on  S.  4th  St.,  is  maintained  for  research 
in  the  control  of  Rocky  Mountain  spotted  fever  (see  FAUNA).  It  manu- 
factures and  distributes  without  charge  phenolized  virus  prepared  from 
the  tissues  of  infected  ticks,  which  is  used  as  a  vaccine  that  lessens  the 
severity  of  this  disease.  Its  use  in  the  mountains  and  Pacific  States  has  low- 
ered the  death  rate  from  85  to  26  percent  or  less.  The  laboratory  produces 
enough  virus  annually  for  50  or  60  thousand  vaccinations,  which  is  less 
than  the  demand. 

1.  Left  from  Hamilton  on  Adirondack  St.  to  a  comfortable  FREE  TOURIST  PARK, 
just  out  of  town  on  a  green  meadow  shaded  by  trees.  It  faces  a  tiny  lake  and  has  a 
rustic  lodge,  and  camp  sites  with  outdoor  stoves.  Once  part  of  the  Marcus  Daly 
estate,  it  was  used  as  a  training  ground  for  the  Daly  race  horses. 

2.  Left  from   Hamilton  on   an   improved   road   to   the   MARCUS  DALY  ESTATE 
(private),  2  m.,  a.  22,ooo-acre  ranch  with  a  Colonial-type  mansion  at  the  end  of  a 
shaded  avenue.  Deer  graze  on  the  front  meadows. 

At  50.9  m.  is  the  junction  with  State  38. 

Left  on  this  partly  improved  dirt  road,  called  the  Skalkaho  Trail,  to  BLACK  BEAR 
CAMP,  12.8  m.  (R),  a  large  Forest  Service  campground.  Adjacent  is  the  summer 
camp,  with  log  lodge,  of  Hamilton's  Boy  Scouts. 


TOUR   7  303 

State  38  winds  through  a  thick  forest  of  lodgepole  pine,  to  SKALKAHO  (Ind., 
many  trails}  FALLS  (L),  20.7  m.,  a  slender  stream  descending  in  long,  graceful 
plunges  from  a  heavily  timbered  mountain  side,  so  near  the  road  that  light  breezes 
blow  spray  across  it.  Large  rocks  border  the  falls  on  one  side,  on  the  other  the 
mountain  is  steep  and  dark  green.  A  smaller  waterfall  is  beyond  the  first,  hidden  in 
the  forest.  The  green  and  white  water  of  the  large  falls  passes  under  a  bridge  and 
descends  again. 

SKALKAHO  PASS,  25.4  m.  (7,258  alt.),  is  in  the  Sapphire  Range,  which  forms 
the  boundary  between  the  Bitterroot  and  Deer  Lodge  National  Forests. 

Between  Skalkaho  Pass  and  Rock  Creek  lies  a  region  that  despite  its  network  of 
trails,  seems  untouched  wilderness.  Color  is  everywhere.  Distant  timbered  ridges 
are  deep  blue  and  purple  beyond  the  dark  green  of  nearer  slopes.  Light  green  aspen, 
cottonwood,  and  willow  border  the  streams.  Red-brown  and  blue-gray  rocks  and 
slaty  to  auburn  logs  are  partly  covered  by  the  green,  red,  and  yellow  of  flowering 
and  berry-bearing  undergrowth.  Brown  and  yellow  pine  needles  carpet  the  entire 
area. 

ROCK  CREEK,  36.7  m.,  is  an  excellent  trout  stream.  Sapphires  are  found  along 
its  course,  often  in  old  placer  diggings. 

At  52.3  m.  is  the  junction  with  US  10  A  (see  Tour  18). 

At  62.8  m.  is  the  junction  with  a  dirt  road. 

Left  on  this  road  to  SLEEPING  CHILD  HOT  SPRINGS,  10  m.,  in  a  wooded  canyon 
below  austere  granite  peaks.  The  name  was  "Weeping  Child"  in  the  Indian  tongue. 
(Hotel,  cabins,  campground;  warm  plunge,  adm.  50$.) 

DARBY,  64.9  m.  (3,881  alt.,  285  pop.),  is  the  terminus  of  the  railroad. 
Except  for  the  handsome  Forest  Service  dwellings  among  the, trees  (L),  it 
consists  chiefly  of  log  houses  and  frame  buildings  with  high  false  fronts. 
Prospectors  dressed  for  the  hills  walk  the  streets,  bargain  for  outfits  in  the 
stores,  or  "toss  a  poke"  on  a  bar  to  pay  in  gold  dust  for  a  round  of  drinks. 

DEND  POND  (R)  is  a  rearing  pool  for  trout. 

Forested  slopes  at  70  m.  form  a  foreground  for  the  bare  spire  (R)  of 
TRAPPER'S  PEAK  (10,175  alt). 

INDIAN  MEDICINE  TREE,  76.4  m.  (L),  is  a  large  yellow  pine.  Above  it, 
on  the  mountain  side,  the  rock  has  profiles  resembling  human  beings ;  one 
is  fairly  large  and  quite  distinct.  For  many  years  it  was  the  custom  of  the 
Salish  to  gather  each  summer  at  Medicine  Tree  for  ceremonial  dances. 
Offerings  to  the  Great  Spirit  were  hung  upon  the  tree  and  the  Indians 
prayed  beneath  it  for  special  benefits  and  blessings. 

According  to  legend,  the  Great  Spirit  once  said  to  Coyote:  "Go  forth 
and  discover  all  things  that  prey  on  human  beings.  You  will  always  have  a 
friend,  the  Fox,  who  will  not  be  far  behind  you.  You  may  be  killed,  but  he 
will  have  power  to  bring  you  back  to  life." 

Coyote  was  wise  and  cunning.  He  went  forth  as  he  was  bidden.  While 
traveling  he  one  day  stepped  on  a  lark  and  broke  its  leg.  He  healed  the 
injury,  and  the  lark  warned  him  of  a  wicked  mountain  ram  that  killed  all 
who  passed  along  the  trail.  When  Coyote  came  to  the  ram's  lair,  he  taunted 
him  and  urged  him  to  show  his  strength.  The  ram  accepted  the  challenge 
and  buried  his  horn  in  the  trunk  of  a  pine  tree.  Before  he  could  withdraw 
it,  Coyote  drew  a  great  flint  knife  and  cut  off  his  head.  He  left  the  horn  in 
the  tree  and  threw  the  ram's  head  and  body  against  the  mountain  side. 
Blood  splashed  upon  the  rocks  and  left  the  imprints  resembling  faces  that 
now  look  toward  the  tree. 


304  TOURS 

Old-timers  in  the  Bitterroot  Valley  tell  of  seeing  a  horn  imbedded  in  the 
tree.  It  was  broken  off  in  the  course  of  time  and  bark  grew  over  the  hole 
it  had  made. 

At  81.1  m.  is  the  junction  with  a  dirt  road. 

Right  on  this  road  to  MEDICINE  HOT  SPRINGS,  1  m.  (cabins,  hotel;  warm  plunge, 
adm.  50$).  The  Indians,  who  credited  the  waters  with  therapeutic  qualities,  called 
the  spring  "the  dwelling  place  of  the  Great  Spirit." 

SULA,  84.2  m.    (6,692  alt.,  25  pop.),  an  attractive  service  station, 
built  of  logs,  is  at  the  bottom  of  the  ascent  to  Gibbons  Pass. 
At  96.9  m.  is  the  junction  with  State  36. 

Left  on  this  road  to  BIG  HOLE  BATTLEFIELD  NATIONAL  MONUMENT,  19  m. 
Here  on  August  9,  1877,  troops  under  Gen.  John  Gibbon  met  Chief  Joseph's  band 
of  Nez  Perce  (see  HISTORY).  The  Nez  Perce  did  not  flee,  as  was  the  Indian  cus- 
tom under  surprise  attack,  but  bundled  their  women,  children,  and  horses  to  safety, 
and  put  up  a  stiff  fight.  Joseph  fired  the  Army's  defense  line;  had  the  wind  not 
changed,  this  maneuver  would  have  routed  the  whites.  In  the  evening  Chief  Joseph 
learned  from  a  scout  that  General  Howard  was  approaching,  and  withdrew  toward 
the  Yellowstone  country  (see  Tour  13  A). 

Bullet-riddled  trees  and  rifle  pits  mark  the  site.  A  concrete  shaft  erected  by  the 
Government  bears  a  bronze  plate  upon  which  are  inscribed  the  names  of  those  of 
Gibbon's  command  who  fell  in  the  battle. 

GIBBONS  PASS,  97  m.  (6,982  alt.),  on  the  Continental  Divide,  was 
named  for  Gen.  John  Gibbon. 

Here  US  93  crosses  the  Idaho  Line,  50.2  miles  north  of  Salmon,  Idaho 
(see  Tour  5,  Idaho  Guide). 


Tour  8 


Helena — Wilborn — Lincoln — Ovando — Bonner — Junction   with   US    10; 
unnumbered  road,  State  20,  and  State  31. 
Helena  to  Junction  US  10,  129-9  m. 

Route  paralleled  between  Ovando  and  Bonner  by  Blackfoot  branch  of  C.  M.  ST.  P. 

&  P.  R.  R. 

Hotels  in  Lincoln,  Ovando,  and  Bonner;  accommodations  elsewhere  limited. 

Dirt  roadbed  between  Helena  and  Clearwater,   difficult  except  in  good  weather; 

graveled  between  Clearwater  and  Bonner.  Open  only  in  summer. 

This  combination  of  routes  strikes  across  the  lower  end  of  one  of  the 
largest  primitive  areas  in  the  United  States — a  vast  expanse  of  forested 
mountains  and  valleys  larger  than  some  eastern  States. 

The  unnumbered  route  between  Helena  and  Lincoln  passes  along  the 
shaded,  yellow-brown  foothills  below  the  Continental  Divide,  and  pene- 


TOUR   8  305 

trates  a  region  where  mining,  once  impressively  successful,  is  still  pursued, 
but  on  a  much  smaller  scale.  The  road  winds  over  rocky  ridges,  through 
deep  canyons,  and  past  abandoned  camps  and  workings.  It  crosses  the 
Continental  Divide  through  Stemple  Pass,  from  which  glittering  peaks 
extend  into  blue  distance.  The  descent  into  the  Blackfoot  Valley  is  through 
an  extremely  rugged,  heavily  timbered,  and  almost  untraveled  back  coun- 
try. Except  for  the  absence  of  hostile  Indians,  travel  on  part  of  this  route 
is  as  much  an  adventure  as  it  was  in  the  mid  i9th  century. 
HELENA,  0  m.  (4,124  alt,  11,803  P°P-)  (see  HELENA). 

Points  of  Interest:  State  Capitol,  St.  Helena  Cathedral,  Lewis  and  Clark  County 
Courthouse,  Public  Library,  Carroll  College,  Algeria  Shrine  Temple,  Hill  Park, 
placer  diggings,  and  others. 

North  from  US  10  N,  0  m.  (see  Tour  1A),  on  Benton  Ave.  in  HEL- 
ENA, crossing  the  tracks  of  the  Great  Northern  and  Northern  Pacific  Rys. 
to  the  unnumbered  dirt  road. 

The  NORTHERN  PACIFIC  DEMONSTRATION  FARM  (L),  1.9  m.,  for  the 
breeding  of  registered  cattle,  has  buildings  that  are  Old  English  in  style; 
stone  walls  enclose  the  yards. 

From  the  sagebrush  flats  below  Last  Chance  Gulch,  the  Big  Belt  Moun- 
tains (R)  are  seen.  The  umber  tints  of  the  rolling  foothills,  which  are 
dotted  with  farms,  change  to  deep  blues  and  purples  in  the  distance. 

At  14.2  m.  is  the  junction  with  a  dirt  road. 

1.  Right  on  this  road  to  SILVER  CITY,  0.5  m.  (4,335  alt.,  27  pop.),  a  station 
on  the  Great  Northern  Ry. 

2.  Left  on  this  road  along  Silver  Creek  to  MARYSVILLE,  6.5  m.   (5,035  alt., 
150  pop.),  which  in  the  i88o's  and  1890*5  was  the  State's  leading  gold  producer, 
with  about  3,000  inhabitants.  The  remnants  squat  against  high  barren  hills  bur- 
rowed in  innumerable  places  by  prospectors.  In  the  long  years  of  decline,  which 
began  in  the  early  part  of  the  2oth  century,  the  frame  buildings  decayed  and  sagged; 
the  false  fronts  now  lean  at  drunken  angles.  Broken  boardwalks  along  the  main 
street  pass  closed  shops  and  saloons  in  which  dust  is  deep  on  the  window  sills  and 
bars  and  counters  have  been  dulled  by  disuse.  Goats  graze  over  tumbled  grass-grown 
mounds  where  cabins  once  stood.  A  rickety  old  backstop  leans  over  a  baseball  field 
on  which  the  miners  played. 

West  and  south  of  the  camp  is  the  DRUMLUMMON  MINE.  Thomas  Cruse  pros- 
pected along  Silver  Creek,  which  rises  near  Marysville,  for  nine  years  before  1876 
when  he  struck  the  Drumlummon  ledge.  He  named  his  strike  for  his  native  town 
in  Ireland,  and  the  town  for  Mrs.  Mary  Ralston,  the  first  woman  who  came  to  the 
settlement.  The  Drumlummon  was  so  rich  in  gold  and  silver  that  in  1882  English 
capitalists  purchased  it  from  Cruse  for  $1,500,000  cash  and  $1,000,000  in  the  stock 
of  the  corporation  they  formed  to  develop  it.  The  corporation  gave  out  no  figures 
on  production,  but  authorities  have  estimated  that  between  1885  and  1895  the  out- 
put was  worth  $20,000,000.  When  the  cyanide  process  for  recovering  gold  and  sil- 
ver was  perfected,  a  million  tons  of  Drumlummon  tailings  were  treated,  and  yielded 
an  average  of  $8  a  ton.  Authorities  estimate  total  production  from  the  Drumlum- 
mon at  $50,000,000. 

Cruse  went  on  to  develop  the  Bald  Mountain  and  West  Belmont  mines;  these 
are  said  to  have  yielded  metal  worth  $3,000,000.  Others  developed  the  Bell  Boy, 
the  Piegan,  the  Gloster,  the  Penobscot,  the  Empire,  and  the  Shannon,  which  are 
said  to  have  produced  between  $20,000,000  and  $30,000,000  worth  of  gold.  The 
English  company  eventually  lost  title  to  the  Drumlummon  on  apex  litigation  (see 
HISTORY)  started  by  owners  of  adjoining  claims.  New  owners  operated  the  mine 
until  1920;  since  then  it  has  been  worked  by  lessees. 

Some  geologists  believe  that  rich  ore  bodies  still  exist  in  the  old  mines;  and  old- 


306  TOURS 

timers  are  sure  that  there  will  some  day  be  another  Drumlummon,  Bald  Butte,  Bell 
Boy,  or  Shannon  that  will  bring  surging  life  again  to  Marysville. 

CANYON  CREEK,  19.8  m.  (4,380  alt.,  37  pop.),  a  tiny  outpost  for 
ranches  of  the  Prickly  Pear  Valley,  has  a  general  store,  post  office,  and 
filling  station,  all  in  one  building. 

The  road  swings  sharply  R.  at  20.3  m.  through  the  Little  Prickly  Pear 
Valley.  No  forests  cover  the  brown,  monotonous  hills. 

At  22.1  m.  is  the  junction  with  a  dirt  road. 

Left  on  this  road  to  GRAVELLY  RANGE  LAKE,  3  m.,  a  small  mountain  pond 
surrounded  by  dense  woods.  Here  and  in  nearby  streams  is  good  fishing. 

The  road  swings  out  of  Prickly  Pear  Valley  at  23.8  m.  and  into  the  nar- 
row canyon  of  CANYON  CREEK.  The  yellow-brown  foothills  billow  up 
against  a  distant  blue  and  purple  background. 

WILBORN,  27.2  m.  (5,125  alt.,  40  pop.),  is  a  supply  point  and  post 
office  for  miners  of  the  surrounding  area.  It  is  a  mistake  to  speak  of  many 
such  rough  mountain  settlements  as  towns;  but  Wilborn  does  have  a 
school  and  a  sawmill.  Activity  here  is  sporadic,  depending  on  whether  or 
not  the  mines  are  in  operation. 

Right  from  Wilborn  on  a  dirt  road  to  CAMP  MASON,  0.3  m.,  a  cabin  camp  used 
by  tourists,  hunters,  and  fishermen.  The  dirt  road  proceeds  by  switchbacks  through 
heavy  timber  to  FLESHER  PASS,  7.8  m.  (6,200  alt.),  an  alternate  crossing  of  the 
Continental  Divide  (see  below).  Above  the  pass  mountains  rise  in  a  series  of  old 
scarps;  in  the  interstices  of  rocky  outcrops,  scrub  timber  lifts  twisted  greenery  on 
the  rims  of  somber  cliffs. 

The  road  follows  Willow  Creek  to  its  junction  with  the  Blackfoot  River,  and 
crosses  the  Blackfoot  Valley  to  LINCOLN,  27.4  m.  (see  below). 

West  of  Wilborn  the  mountains  are  pockmarked  with  mine  tunnels 
and  shafts;  some  of  the  mines  are  being  worked,  others  have  been  aban- 
doned. Most  of  the  active  mines  are  in  side  gulches.  There  are  deserted 
shacks  and  caved-in  prospect  holes  near  every  creek.  Typical  of  once 
wealthy  workings  that  remain  closed  for  long  periods  and  are  then  re- 
opened is  the  old  GOULD  MINE  (L),  29  m. 

The  road  follows  Virginia  Creek  in  its  winding  course  through  a 
canyon  and  at  31.5  m.  crosses  the  eastern  boundary  of  Helena  National 
Forest. 

The  JAY  GOULD  MINE  (L),  32.9  m.,  and  the  NORTH  GOULD  MINE 
(R),  33.1  m.,  are  consistent  producers  equipped  with  modern  mills  that 
turn  out  gold  bullion  on  the  premises.  The  BACHELOR  MINE  (L),  35.9 
m.,  was  formerly  a  large  producer.  Abandoned  log  cabins  adjacent  to  it 
are  all  that  remain  of  STEMPLE,  a  mining  town. 

STEMPLE  PASS,  35.4  m.  (6,600  alt.),  leads  over  the  Continental 
Divide.  On  the  summit  the  rotting  timbers  of  an  abandoned  mine  shaft 
(R)  evidence  an  ambitious  effort  to  find  gold  on  the  roof  of  the  continent. 

West  of  Stemple  Pass  the  road  winds  down  a  lane,  shaded  by  lodgepole 
pine,  that  follows  the  course  of  Poorman  Creek.  Several  of  the  pitches 
are  steep,  and  the  turns  sharp.  Forests  are  heavy  on  the  western  slope. 

At  38  m.  is  the  junction  with  Poorman  Road. 

Right  on  this  road  to  GRANITE  BUTTE  LOOKOUT,  B  m.,  one  of  the  comparatively 


TOUR  8  307 

few  Forest  Service  lookouts  that  can  be  visited  by  automobile.  The  ordinary  lookout, 
such  as  this  one,  is  a  frame  cabin  about  15  feet  square,  anchored  firmly  to  a  peak 
and  elaborately  grounded  against  lightning.  Large  windows  on  all  sides  command 
the  area  the  guard  must  constantly  watch.  In  the  single  small  room  are  his  stove, 
bunk,  emergency  tools,  and  grub.  Supplies  are  packed  in  at  the  beginning  of  the 
fire  season,  usually  about  the  first  of  July.  It  is  Forest  Service  policy  to  place  two 
men  at  a  lookout  when  possible;  often  a  man  and  his  wife  occupy  a  cabin.  Thus  the 
peak  is  not  deserted  when  one  of  the  two  leaves  to  snuff  out  a  nearby  smoke.  If  the 
guard  is  alone  his  solitude  is  nearly  complete;  he  may  see  the  packer  and  the  ranger 
only  once  or  twice  in  the  75  to  90  days  he  spends  on  guard.  He  soon  grows  bored 
with  no  other  activity  than  chopping  wood  and  carrying  water,  and  exhausts  his 
imagination  in  devising  new  things  to  cook.  After  he  has  memorized  every  contour 
in  the  area  under  surveillance,  and  the  name  of  every  lake,  ridge,  stream,  and  crag, 
he  begins  to  talk  to  the  ground  squirrels.  After  he  has  read  to  shreds  every  maga- 
zine in  his  pack,  he  calls  up  his  nearest  neighbor  for  a  chin-wagging.  Three  times 
a  day  he  calls  the  ranger  station  to  make  his  weather  report.  At  night  he  may  watch 
a  lightning  storm  go  around  him,  and  count  the  flashes  to  himself.  He  busies  him- 
self with  has  alidade  and  mapboard,  and  tries  vainly  to  guess  where  smokes  will 
break.  The  smokes  appear  at  last  in  half  a  dozen  or  more  places;  the  wires  hum 
with  excited  reports.  Then  the  danger  season  sets  in ;  smoke  sometimes  banks  around 
until  the  guard  cannot  see  more  than  the  area  close  around  his  cabin.  At  night  terri- 
fying red  flares  glow  behind  distant  ridges;  a  sheet  of  flame  sweeps  a  nearby  hill- 
side, trailing  a  storm  of  sparks.  By  day  planes  go  over  the  lookout,  bearing  men  and 
tools.  There  is  tension,  weariness,  and  fierce  drama.  At  the  season's  end  perhaps  a 
fog  comes,  cool  and  sweet  after  the  stinging  smoke;  then  rain  or  light  snow  begins, 
and  finally  the  order  is  received  for  him  to  hit  the  downstream  trail. 

On  more  important  peaks,  the  cabin  has  two  stories — living  quarters  downstairs 
and  workroom  with  mapboard,  telescope,  telephone,  and  possibly  a  short-wave  set 
upstairs.  Besides  the  lookout  and  his  wife  there  may  be  one  or  several  smoke  chasers 
who  go  on  foot  to  a  fire  as  soon  as  the  lookout  detects  it.  Their  job  is  to  stop  it 
while  it  is  small,  or  hold  it  until  crews  can  answer  the  lookout's  call  for  help. 

In  every  cabin  are  packages  of  emergency  rations  stamped  with  the  slogans  of  the 
Forest  Service:  "Get  'em  while  they're  small!";  "Don't  leave  'em  till  they're  out!"; 
and  the  like. 

The  guards,  or  lookouts,  are  usually  young  men,  often  students  of  forestry  out  to 
gain  experience  during  their  vacations.  The  smoke-chasers,  or  patrolmen,  may  be 
wire-bearded  veterans  who  have  tramped  the  forests  all  their  lives. 

RAMBLE  INN  CAMPGROUND  (R),  43.8  m.,  is  in  a  grove  of  magnificent 
pine  trees,  where  only  the  sound  of  running  water  breaks  the  stillness. 

The  road  crosses  the  western  boundary  of  the  Helena  National  Forest 
at  45.4  m.,  the  BLACKFOOT  RIVER  at  50.5  m.;  it  follows  the  stream 
from  this  point  to  its  confluence  with  the  Clark  Fork  of  the  Columbia 
near  Milltown  (see  Tour  1,  Sec.  d).  On  his  return  from  the  Pacific  in 
1806,  Captain  Lewis  worked  his  way  up  along  the  Blackfoot  River  to 
reach  the  Continental  Divide. 

LINCOLN,  49.6  m.  (4,800  alt.,  25  pop.),  in  a  forest  of  Montana's 
largest  pines,  is  buried  under  heavy  snows  in  winter.  In  summer  it  is  a 
place  to  which  citizens  of  Helena  come  for  rest  and  quiet.  The  stores  and 
post  office  are  in  a  clearing  among  the  yellow  pines,  with  summer  homes 
in  the  woods  around  them.  It  was  once  important  as  a  placer  mining  camp 
but  only  small  operations  are  now  carried  on  in  the  vicinity.  Lincoln  is  a 
popular  point  of  departure  for  fall  hunting  parties  and  summer  fishermen. 

At  Lincoln  is  the  junction  with  the  Flesher  Pass  Road  (see  above)  and 
with  State  20.  Left  here  on  State  20. 

At  51.5  m.  is  the  junction  with  a  dirt  road. 


308  TOURS 

Right  on  this  road  to  LAKE  SMITH  (good  fishing),  1  m.,  on  whose  shores  are 
cabins. 

An  unimproved  campground  is  L.  at  63.8  m. 

At  65.9  m.  is  the  junction  (L)  with  State  31,  which  is  united  with 
State  20  between  this  point  and  Clearwater. 

Left  on  State  31  to  the  junction  with  a  dirt  road,  5  m.;  L.  here  1  m.  to  HELM- 
VILLE  (4,255  alt.,  202  pop.),  a  lonely  village  that  is  a  gathering  place  for  scat- 
tered farmers  and  ranchers  in  a  large  valley.  Its  annual  Labor  Day  rodeo  is  widely 
known. 

At  23  m.  on  State  31  is  DRUMMOND  (see  Tour  1,  Sec.  d),  on  US  10  (see 
Tour  1). 

BROWNS  LAKE  (R),  71.3  m.,  is  much  frequented  by  duck  hunters  in 
season.  The  road  makes  a  half  circle  through  barren  country  along  the 
south  shore  of  the  lake;  the  eastern  sky  line  here  is  formed  by  irregular 
purple  summits. 

OVANDO,  82.2  m.  (3,980  alt.,  75  pop.),  another  backwoods  place, 
was  named  for  Ovando  Hoyt,  its  first  postmaster.  It  exists  as  a  supply 
point  for  hay  and  sheep  ranches  and  for  the  small  logging  camps  in  the 
heavy  black  forests  that  extend  endlessly  in  all  directions.  Pack  trains  out- 
fit here  for  trips  into  the  South  Fork  of  the  Flathead  Primitive  Area  ( see 
RECREATION  and  Tour  2,  Sec.  c). 

At  87.2  m.  is  the  junction  with  a  dirt  road. 

Right  on  this  road  to  WOOD  WORTH,  11  m.  (3,750  alt.),  headquarters  of  log- 
ging operations  for  the  Bonner  mill  (see  below).  A  large  crew  of  men  is  employed 
the  year  around  cutting  pine,  fir,  and  tamarack.  At  the  skidways  about  30  flatcars  a 
day  are  loaded  with  logs  for  the  mill  at  Bonner.  Caterpillar  tractors  have  largely 
replaced  horses  and  mules  in  logging;  instead  of  the  traditional  "skinners"  driving 
six-  and  eight-horse  teams,  the  Woodworth  operators  have  "cat  skinners"  and  "gear 
jammers"  to  wrangle  the  big  logs. 

The  camp  has  large,  neat  bunkhouses,  a  central  mess  hall,  a  commissary,  a  rec- 
reation hall,  shower  baths,  a  school  for  the  loggers'  children,  and  a  branch  of  the 
Missoula  County  Library. 

Many  of  the  timber  beasts  (loggers)  are  of  Scandinavian  stock.  Some  students  of 
folklore  say  that  the  Scandinavians  created  the  legendary  Paul  Bunyan  by  bringing 
to  America  their  tales  of  Thor,  the  Norse  god  of  indomitable  strength.  They  are 
prodigious  chewers  of  snus  (Dan.  and  Sw.,  snuff),  and  tellers  of  tales;  and  they 
are  proud  of  their  prowess  in  a  difficult  and  hazardous  occupation.  They  wear  the 
traditional  lumbermen's  stag  (or  tin)  pants,  heavy  woolen  shirts,  and  logger  boots. 
The  pants,  of  tan,  gray,  or  blue  plaid,  are  pure  wool,  very  thick  and  so  closely 
woven  as  to  be  almost  waterproof.  They  are  "stagged,"  or  cut  off  raggedly,  so  that 
the  bottoms  come  just  above  the  tops  of  eight-inch  boots,  a  precaution  against  being 
snagged  by  low  brush  or  broken  limbs.  The  soles  of  the  boots  are  heavily  studded 
with  sharp  calks  to  guarantee  sure  footing,  for  a  logger  must  move  nimbly. 

CLEARWATER,  97.3  m.  (3,773  alt.),  is  a  stock-loading  point  on  the 
Blackfoot  branch  of  the  C.  M.  St.  P.  &  P.  R.  R. 

Right  from  Clearwater  on  State  31,  a  dirt  road,  to  SALMON  LAKE  (L),  5.6  m., 
the  most  southerly  of  the  Clearwater  Lakes  chain,  all  of  which  have  natural  or 
improved  campgrounds  along  their  shores.  They  are  connected  by  Clearwater  River, 
a  tributary  of  the  Blackfoot.  Summer  cottages,  many  owned  by  Missoula  people,  dot 
the  shore  of  Salmon  Lake.  The  conspicuous  house  on  the  west  side  was  the  summer 
home  of  the  son  of  W.  A.  Clark  (see  HISTORY). 

At  the  southern  boundary  of  Lolo  National  Forest,  14.5  m.,  is  the  junction  with 
a  dirt  road ;  L.  here  3  m.  to  PLACID  LAKE,  a  popular  place  for  fishing,  swimming, 


LUMBERJACKS 


and  boating.  The  Placid  Lake  road  continues  over  the  mountains  to  ARLEE,  25  m. 
(3,094  alt.)  (see  Tour  7,  Sec.  b),  which  is  on  US  93  (see  Tour  7). 

SEELEY  LAKE  (L),  14.6  m.  on  State  31,  is  the  center  of  a  recreational  area 
second  only  to  the  Flathead  Lake  country  in  this  part  of  Montana.  The  small,  clear 
lake  was  named  for  J.  B.  Seeley,  the  first  white  man  to  make  his  home  on  its  shore. 

SEELEY  LAKE  POST  OFFICE,  16.1  m.,  serves  the  dwellers  in  the  cabins  and  sum- 
mer homes  around  the  lake,  and  several  dude  ranches  in  the  vicinity. 

The  SEELEY  LAKE  RANGER  STATION  (R),  17.5  m.,  provides  information  concern- 
ing the  trails  and  fishing  and  hunting  opportunities  of  the  Lolo  National  Forest. 

At  LAKE  INEZ  (L),  23.3  m.,  the  third  of  the  Clearwater  Lakes,  the  campground 
is  on  the  heavily  wooded  west  shore. 

LAKE  ALVA  (L),  24.5  m.,  and  RAINY  LAKE  (L),  26.8  m.,  are  the  smallest 
of  the  Clearwater  Lakes.  Rainy  Lake  is  reached  only  by  footpaths. 

At  33.9  m.  is  the  junction  with  a  dirt  road;  L.  here  4.7  m.  to  LINDBERGH 
LAKE,  formerly  Elbow  Lake,  whose  name  was  changed  in  1927  after  Charles  A. 
Lindbergh  visited  for  a  week  in  its  neighborhood.  Heavily  timbered  on  three  sides, 
it  lies  close  against  the  base  of  the  impressive,  snow-crested  Mission  Mountains.  On 
the  eastern  shore  is  a  public  campground  and  a  rustic  lodge  kept  (1939)  by  "Cap" 
Eli  Laird,  former  captain  of  a  packet  on  Coeur  d'Alene  Lake.  His  story  telling  is 
one  of  the  attractions. 

GORDON'S  RANCH,  34.6  m.,  is  one  of  the  largest  dude  ranches  in  the  Clearwater 
Valley.  Pack  trains  are  outfitted  here  for  trips  into  the  Mission  Mountains  and  into 
the  South  Fork  of  the  Flathead  Primitive  Area. 

At  34.8  m.  is  a  junction  with  a  dirt  road;  R.  here  1.8  m.  to  HOLLANt)  LAKE. 
At  2.8  m.  is  HOLLAND  LAKE  LODGE,  a  cabin  on  the  north  shore  of  the  lake.  Except 


HOLLAND  LAKE 


in  a  few  places,  dense  stands  of  tamarack  come  down  to  the  water's  edge.  At  the 
northern  end  several  waterfalls  show  against  the  dark  forest  mass.  Sheer  rock  rises 
from  the  water  on  the  east. 

North  of  Holland  Lake,  State  31  runs  through  the  heavy  Flathead  National  Forest 
of  the  Swan  Valley,  a  wild  land  with  fish  and  game,  rude  trails,  and  lookout  sta- 
tions. The  road  is  poor  with  an  average  of  20  curves  to  the  mile.  There  are  only 
occasional  glimpses  of  the  majestic  Mission  Mountains  (L)  and  Swan  Range  (R). 
The  forest  silence  is  broken  only  by  the  calls  of  wild  things,  the  splash  and  gurgle 
of  tumbling  streams,  and  the  sound,  like  surf  on  a  far  shore,  of  wind  flowing 
smoothly  through  the  tops  of  tamaracks  and  firs.  Nevertheless  occasional  cabins 
beside  the  road  indicate  that  a  few  hardy  human  beings  attempt  to  live  here. 

The  emergency  landing  field  at  43.1  m.  is  for  planes  bringing  in  fire  fighters. 

At  52.3  m.  the  road  intersects  an  old  Indian  trail  that  crossed  the  mountains  be- 
tween the  Flathead  Valley  and  the  Great  Plains.  Part  of  it  is  now  a  modern  forest 
trail. 

SWAN  LAKE  POST  OFFICE,  106.4  m.,  is  at  the  upper  end  of  SWAN  LAKE, 
a  long,  narrow  body  of  water  whose  clear  surface  reflects  the  rich  emerald  of  the 
forest.  On  its  shore,  at  107.7  m.,  are  campgrounds,  wharves,  and  a  beach. 

The  road  crosses  the  northern  boundary  of  Flathead  National  Forest  and  contin- 
ues along  Swan  Lake. 

SWAN  RIVER  GORGE  (R)  is  seen  at  123.1  m. 

BIGFORK,  123.3  m.  (2,989  alt.,  250  pop.)  (sec  side  tour  from  Tour  2,  Sec.  c), 
is  at  the  junction  with  State  35  ('see  Tour  2). 

State  20  crosses  the  Blackfoot  River,  100.1  m.,  at  its  confluence  with 
the  Clearwater  (R). 


TOUR   8  311 

GREENOUGH,  105.2  m.,  is  a  post  office  named  for  T.  L.  Greenough, 
an  early  settler  who  had  extensive  holdings  in  the  valley. 

POTOMAC,  113.5  m.  (3,870  alt.,  22  pop.),  was  named  in  1883  by  a 
settler  who  had  formerly  lived  by  the  Potomac  River.  Ranchers,  lumber- 
jacks, miners,  and  prospectors  make  weekly  trips  to  its  general  store  and 
post  office  to  get  their  mail  and  buy  supplies.  From  1925  to  1932  old-time 
dances  held  in  the  old  log  hall  drew  many  people. 

The  highway  crosses  the  Blackfoot  River  at  MCNAMARA'S  LANDING, 
122.2  m.,  a  loading  point  for  sheep  and  cattle.  From  this  place  logs  were 
formerly  floated  down  river  to  Bonner. 

BONNER,  129.4  m.  (3,321  alt.,  707  pop.),  is  a  collection  of  neat  com- 
pany houses  that  vary  only  slightly  in  construction,  but  are  painted  accord- 
ing to  individual  taste;  in  them  live  the  families  of  men  who  work  in 
Montana's  largest  sawmill  (R).  The  town  lies  mostly  south  of  the  mill 
buildings;  the  lumber  yards,  filled  with  great  piles  of  newly  sawed  lum- 
ber, extend  eastward.  Around  the  mill  the  air  is  charged  with  the  fresh, 
keen  smell  of  the  cut  logs;  near  the  sawdust  dump  it  is  sometimes  dank 
and  musty.  Sawdust  is  fed  to  the  great  black  burner  beside  the  mill  to 
provide  heat  for  many  buildings  of  the  town. 

The  MARGARET  HOTEL  (R),  on  a  fenced  square  near  the  center  of 
town,  was  a  show  place  when  it  was  built  in  1892.  All  the  ornate  detail  of 
its  period  survives.  Its  entrance,  in  which  gingerbread  mingles  with  the 
dignified  restraint  seen  in  old  southern  hotels,  faces  the  mill.  Missoula 
clubs  and  social  groups  sometimes  have  their  banquets  in  the  building. 

The  BONNER  SAWMILL  (open;  visitors'  entrance  at  southeastern  end), 
on  the  bank  of  the  Blackfoot  River,  was  built  in  1886,  destroyed  by  fire 
in  1919,  and  rebuilt  in  1920.  It  employs  400  men,  but  in  off  years  there 
are  several  months  during  which  the  men  work  only  part  of  each  week. 

The  mill  is  a  black  frame  shed,  300  feet  long  and  150  feet  wide.  Cat- 
walks afford  a  safe  view  of  the  screeching,  bellowing  room;  danger  signs 
warn  against  going  near  the  whirring  machines.  The  logs,  sawed  into 
convenient  lengths  before  they  leave  the  woods,  are  hooked  out  of  the 
pond  in  the  rear  of  the  plant  by  an  endless  belt,  set  with  ugly  sharp 
prongs,  that  carries  them  to  the  three  saw  carriages ;  band  saws  on  pulleys 
rip  through  them.  Sawdust  is  carried  off  to  the  engine  room  where  it 
feeds  the  big  furnaces  that  generate  steam  to  operate  the  machines.  End- 
less chains  carry  the  boards  to  the  planing  department  where  they  are 
smoothed  or  made  into  shingles  and  laths;  or  to  other  departments  for 
special  treatment.  On  the  top  floor  of  the  shed  is  the  filing  room,  where 
band  saws  are  filed  mechanically.  All  over  the  mill  the  men  work  fast; 
they  wear  clothing  without  loose  ends.  The  noise  seems  almost  unbear- 
able to  newcomers.  Between  1898  and  1938  the  mill  turned  out  3,990,- 
000,000  board  feet  of  lumber.  In  an  average  eight-hour  shift  the  saws  cut 
420,000  board  feet  of  lumber  and  the  planes  finish  200,000  feet.  The  an- 
nual shipment  of  mine  timbers,  wedges,  and  other  lumber  to  the  Butte 
mines  alone  is  40,000,000  board  feet. 

At  129-9  m.  is  the  junction  with  US  10  (see  Tour  1,  Sec.  c),  7.3  miles 
east  of  Missoula. 


312  TOURS 

<<<«<<<<<<<<<<<«  fr-M 


Tour 


(Charbonneau,     N.     D.) — Fairview — Glendive — Circle — Jordan — Grass 

Range;  State  14,  State  18. 

North  Dakota  Line  to  Grass  Range,  287.4  m. 

Route  served  by  Intermountain  Transportation  Co.  busses  between  Glendive  and 
Grass  Range;  paralleled  by  Northern  Pacific  Ry.  between  Sidney  and  Brockway,  and 
by  Chicago,  Milwaukee,  St.  Paul  &  Pacific  R.  R.  between  Winnett  and  Grass  Range. 
Hotels  in  towns;  few  tourist  camps  along  route. 

Roadbed  oil-surfaced  between  Fairview  and  Circle;  unimproved  dirt  between  Circle 
and  point  13.4  miles  east  of  Jordan;  improved  between  this  point  and  the  junction 
with  US  87.  Unimproved  section  poor  in  rainy  weather. 

State  14  follows  the  Yellowstone  River  through  a  rust-colored  semi- 
badland,  irrigated  in  part.  Along  the  highway,  traces  of  the  old  Fort 
Union  Trail  (L)  are  discernible.  Here,  in  the  late  iSyo's  and  early  i88o's, 
stagecoaches,  mail  carriers,  and  freighters  traveled  between  Fort  Keogh 
and  Fort  Union.  A  few  old  rest  camps,  stables,  and  bunkhouses  still  stand 
beside  the  road.  State  18  reaches  across  rolling,  thinly  settled  plains, 
which,  when  carpeted  with  buffalo  grass,  were  the  pastures  of  millions  of 
bison  and,  later,  of  cattle  and  sheep.  Much  of  the  grass  cover  has  been 
removed  by  the  plow  or  destroyed  by  overgrazing;  monotonous  stretches 
of  eroded  or  weed-grown  fields  lie  between  the  thinned  pastures  and 
patches  of  sage  and  cactus. 

Montana  14  is  a  continuation  of  N.  D.  23,  which  reaches  the  Montana 
Line  14  miles  west  of  Charbonneau,  N.  D. 

FAIRVIEW,  0  m.  (1,902  alt.,  576  pop.),  on  the  State  Line,  with  the 
Yellowstone  River  flowing  by  just  east  of  it,  has  one  street  in  North 
Dakota.  The  town  was  named  for  its  panorama  of  fertile  acres  in  the  Yel- 
lowstone Valley.  More  arid  lands,  which  in  several  areas  take  on  the  char- 
acter of  badlands,  lie  on  the  benches  above  the  river  bottoms.  A  lignite 
mine  on  the  edge  of  town,  employing  about  20  men  in  winter,  furnishes 
fuel  for  local  consumption  at  moderate  cost. 

SIDNEY,  11  m.  (1,928  alt.,  2,010  pop.),  seat  of  Richland  County,  is 
the  trade  town  of  farmers  dependent  on  land  producing  under  irrigation. 
Considerable  wheat  is  grown  under  ditch  (irrigation)  in  the  vicinity,  but 
40,000  of  the  60,000  irrigated  acres  are  used  to  grow  beets.  Most  of  the 
work  of  thinning  and  topping  sugar  beets,  formerly  done  by  migratory 
Mexican  and  Filipino  workers,  has  been  taken  over  since  1930  by  Mon- 
tana and  North  Dakota  farm  families  who  have  lost  the  battle  with 
drought. 

The  RICHLAND  COUNTY  COURTHOUSE  (R),  one  block  from  Main  St., 
is  the  town's  dominant  building.  In  the  sheriff's  office  is  a  collection  of  old 
firearms  and  of  archeological  finds  of  the  county. 


TOUR   9  313 

The  SUGAR  REFINERY  (open  to  visitors),  near  the  northeastern  city 
limits,  is  in  operation  in  late  fall  and  early  winter.  It  produces  13  million 
pounds  of  sugar  yearly. 

Just  north  of  Sidney,  on  a  small  flat  behind  Levering  Grove,  are  several 
low  MOUNDS  in  zigzag  formation.  Each,  100  yards  long,  is  larger  at 
one  end.  Neither  their  purpose  nor  the  date  of  their  construction  is 
known,  but  they  appear  much  older  than  the  ruins  of  Fort  Union,  the  first 
white  settlement  in  the  region. 

Right  from  Sidney  on  Main  St.,  which  becomes  a  dirt  road,  to  a  junction  with 
another  dirt  road,  5  m.;  L.  here  to  THREE  BUTTES,  10  m.,  high  sandstone  domes 
that  lie  in  an  east-west  line  along  the  edge  of  the  Missouri  River  badlands.  West  of 
the  last  butte  is  a  large  pit.  The  colors  and  formations  are  extravagantly  varied. 
Numerous  rattlesnakes  make  stout  boots  a  necessity  for  visitors.  (See  GENERAL 
INFORMATION.)  BLUE  HILL,  6  miles  south,  is  a  flat-topped  butte  formerly  used 
by  Indians  as  a  lookout. 

Southwest  of  Sidney  are  miles  of  weirdly  eroded  buttes.  Below  the  river 
breaks  (R)  lignite  coal  workings,  large  or  small,  are  occasionally  seen. 
Some,  little  more  than  holes  in  the  hillsides,  have  been  made  by  indus- 
trious farmers,  who  have  dug  their  winter's  supply  of  fuel  out  of  veins  4 
feet  or  less  in  thickness.  Such  mines  do  not  justify  the  expense  or  trouble 
of  installing  equipment,  and  they  are  usually  worked  with  the  simplest 
tools.  An  auger  and  a  tamping  bar  are  used  to  place  charges  of  blasting 
powder;  in  some  places  a  single  small  home-made  rail-car  or  wheel- 
barrow rolls  out  the  coal.  The  miner  must  accustom  himself  to  working 
in  a  cramped  and,  at  first,  uncomfortable  position.  He  must  also  learn  to 
recognize  certain  danger  signs,  for  cave-ins  are  not  unknown. 

The  larger  mines  are  sometimes  of  the  strip  type.  Several  farmers  bring 
horses  or  tractors,  plows,  and  fresno  scrapers,  and  remove  the  overburden. 
This  may  take  days  or  weeks.  They  then  blast  the  exposed  coal  into  pieces 
small  enough  to  be  loaded  on  wagons  and  trucks,  and  haul  it  to  some  shel- 
tered storage  place,  such  as  a  cellar;  coal  of  this  type  disintegrates  rapidly 
when  exposed  to  sunlight  and  air. 

The  river  flats  are  natural  hay  meadows;  many  tons  of  speargrasS 
(western  needlegrass)  have  been  cut  in  good  years.  Under  irrigation  the 
same  land  produces  two  or  three  crops  of  alfalfa  a  year.  In  1936  Mormon 
crickets  descended  on  forage  crops  here  and  forced  livestock  outfits  to  ship 
cattle  elsewhere  for  winter  feeding,  or  to  import  feed  from  western  Mon- 
tana. A  discovery  that  sheep  liked  the  insects  for  food  was  reported; 
large  areas  that  showed  signs  of  becoming  breeding  places  were  ranged 
over  with  good  results. 

At  17  m.  is  the  junction  with  a  dirt  road. 

Left  on  this  road,  across  railroad  tracks,  to  the  O'BRIEN  RANCH,  0.2  m.  The 
older  buildings  (open  on  application)  were  a  stage  station  on  the  Fort  Union  Trail. 
The  oldest  cabin,  built  in  1878  as  a  trading  post  by  "French  Joe"  Seymour,  is  in- 
tact; the  road  ran  directly  in  front  of  it.  Opposite  is  a  roomy  log  house,  built  by 
Jim  O'Brien  in  1882.  It  looks  much  as  it  did  when  dusty  stage  horses  stopped  at 
its  door  and  sorely  shaken  travelers  climbed  out  and  gratefully  sat  down  to  a  hearty 
meal  of  meat  and  beans.  The  dining  room  with  raftered  ceiling  and  blue- washed  walls 
extends  across  the  front.  The  whitewashed  "bridal  chamber"  opens  from  the  dining 
room;  here  the  infrequent  lady  travelers  were  lodged  for  the  night.  Narrow  stairs 


314  TOURS 

lead  from  the  dining  room  to  a  large  bunk  room.  The  big  kitchen,  in  which  still 
sits  the  mammoth  cast-iron  army  stove  brought  from  Fort  Buford  upon  the  aban- 
donment of  the  post  in  1890,  forms  a  T.  The  log  store  (L)  was  built  a  few  years 
later  than  the  house. 

Badlands  are  (L)  across  the  Yellowstone  at  27.8  m. 

SAVAGE,  31.6  m.  (1,977  a^->  353  P°P-)>  *s  a  shipping  point  used  by 
back-country  grain  farmers  and  river-bottom  beet  growers.  The  rock  for- 
mations (R)  resemble  petrified  trees. 

The  highway  enters  the  breaks  of  the  Yellowstone.  Brilliantly  tinted 
sandstone  formations  at  this  point  give  the  valley  a  wild  and  rugged 
beauty. 

INTAKE,  46.4  m.  (2,031  alt.,  45  pop.),  came  into  existence  when  the 
irrigation  dam  (L)  was  built  across  the  Yellowstone. 

STIPEK,  55.4  m.  (2,063  alt.,  30  pop.),  is  a  shipping  and  distribution 
point  that  comes  alive  briefly  on  Saturday,  when  ranchers  and  their  fam- 
ilies come  in  to  shop  and  gossip. 

At  63.5  m.  is  the  junction  with  State  18  and  US  10  (see  Tour  1),  just 
across  the  Yellowstone  from  GLENDIVE  (see  Tour  1,  Sec.  a).  Between 
this  point  and  a  junction  at  64.2  m.,  US  10  and  State  18  are  one  route. 

At  64.2  m.  R.  on  State  18  across  rolling  range. 

LINDSAY,  86.2  m.  (2,203  a^->  5°  P°P-)>  a  formers'  village,  is  only 
a  dot  on  the  prairie. 

The  highway  descends  from  a  hilltop  at  95.8  m.  to  a  deep  dry  cut;  on 
both  sides  the  buttes  are  much  eroded. 

Redwater  Creek,  111.1  m.,  is  a  tributary  of  the  Yellowstone.  Abundant 
red  shale  lines  its  banks. 

The  highway  turns  sharply  L.  into  CIRCLE,  112.2  m.  (2,450  alt.,  519 
pop.),  seat  of  McCone  County.  This  is  one  of  the  towns  that  retain  some 
of  the  flavor  of  the  old  cattle  country;  the  cowpunchers  on  its  streets  are 
not  ornaments  hired  to  impress  romantic  visitors.  "Circle"  was  the  brand 
name  of  one  of  Montana's  first  cow  outfits. 

Right  from  Circle  on  a  dirt  road  to  the  CIRCLE  HOME  RANCH,  1  m.,  with  which 
nearly  every  old  time  range  rider  in  Montana  was  familiar  at  one  time  or  another. 
Punchers  packed  off  to  warmer  climes  in  late  fall  nearly  always  returned  to  Circle 
in  the  spring;  a  man  who  could  ride  a  horse  and  do  his  share  of  corral  work  was 
always  sure  of  a  job  here.  Many  outfits  used  the  nearby  range  for  summer  grazing, 
for  water  was  always  plentiful  in  creeks  and  prairie  lakes,  and  the  grass  was  un- 
surpassed for  the  fast  finishing  of  steers. 

BROCKWAY,  123.8  m.  (2,593  alt,  130  pop.),  the  railhead  for  a 
vast  inland  stock  and  grain  country,  is  identified  by  its  white  two-story 
frame  boarding  school.  Long  distances  and  inadequate  roads  make  day 
schools  impracticable  in  this  area. 

PARIS  (R),  143.5  m.,  is  an  abandoned  ranch  that  formerly  held  a  post 
office.  Around  it  the  sunburnt  range  is  dotted  with  red  buttes  and  scarred 
with  ravines. 

Some  of  the  infrequent  ranch  buildings  along  the  road  are  of  stone,  a 
material  far  cheaper  than  lumber  in  this  area.  A  few  sod  houses  are  still 
in  use.  Because  drought  has  driven  many  families  away,  there  are  almost 
as  many  abandoned  houses  as  inhabited  ones. 


i 

WINDBREAK 


The  highway  crosses  LITTLE  DRY  CREEK  at  161.7  m.  Extensive 
fossil  beds  (R)  have  yielded  skeletons  and  fragments  of  skeletons  of  pre- 
historic animals  (see  NATURAL  SETTING).  The  beds  are  reached  only 
afoot  or  with  horses. 

VAN  NORMAN  (R),  162.6  m.,  is  a  ranch  post  office  in  a  sheep- 
grazing  country.  Dry  Creek  affords  water  holes,  and  gnarled  cottonwoods 
give  scanty  shade  on  a  sagebrush  plain  interrupted  by  buttes.  Here  and 
there  the  wagons  and  small  "tarp"  tents  of  herders  dot  the  long  reaches. 
In  spring  and  fall  large  herds  of  sheep,  cattle,  and,  sometimes,  horses  are 
trailed  to  Brockway. 

At  180.6  m.  is  the  junction  with  State  22  (see  Tour  10),  which  unites 
with  State  18  between  this  point  and  a  junction  at  186.6  m.  (see  Tour  10, 
Sec.  b). 

Before  the  country  west  of  Jordan  became  a  cattle-ranching  and  dry-land 
farming  region,  it  was  a  range  where  Blackfeet,  Gros  Ventre,  Assiniboine, 
and  Crow  hunted  buffalo,  especially  in  late  summer.  The  Musselshell 
was  known  as  the  Dried  Meat  River  because  in  its  vicinity  preparations 
for  winter  were  made — meat  was  cured,  and  chokecherries  were  picked, 
dried,  ground,  and  mixed  with  meat  to  make  pemmican  (see  BEFORE 
THE  WHITE  MAN). 

Weather  conditions  in  this  region  change  rapidly.  Rain  frequently  falls 
over  very  limited  areas,  and  it  is  not  unusual  for  one  ranch  to  be  well 
watered  while  another  a  few  miles  away  is  dry.  Yarn  spinners  tell  of  a 
rancher  who  once  attempted  to  outrun  a  storm  with  his  team  of  fast 
horses.  He  heard  the  rain  behind  him  but  did  not  get  wet;  believing  he 


316  TOURS 

had  escaped,  he  turned  to  look  back,  and  found,  to  his  amazement,  that 
the  rear  half  of  the  wagon  box  was  full  of  water. 

SMOKY  BUTTE  (see  Tour  10)  rises  above  the  prairie  (R).  South- 
westward  the  countryside  is  gently  rolling,  carpeted  here  and  there  with 
grey-green  sagebrush  and  low  cactus.  The  plain  is  green  under  spring  skies 
and  dotted  in  the  early  hours  with  wild  white  morning-glories.  With  ad- 
vancing summer  the  grass  turns  brown,  and  sage  and  cactus  blur  with  dust. 

An  ABANDONED  SHACK  (R),  202.1  m.,  made  of  sun-baked  bricks,  its 
interior  smoothly  plastered  with  mud,  is  representative  of  the  houses  often 
built  by  early  settlers.  They  cost  little  to  construct  and  were  serviceable, 
warm  in  winter  and  cool  in  summer. 

EDWARDS,  211  m.  (2,206  alt.),  is  the  site  of  one  of  the  ranches  of 
the  old  79  outfit  (see  Tour  11). 

SAND  SPRINGS,  219.2  m.  (2,025  alt,  27  pop.),  is  a  range-land  post 
office. 

Between  233.3  m.  and  234.6  m.  the  road  winds  among  rugged  hills 
heavily  covered  with  scrub  pine,  fir,  and  juniper  on  their  western  slopes. 
These  hills  are  the  divide  between  the  Musselshell  and  Big  Dry  drainage 
areas. 

MOSBY,  240.6  m.  (2,280  alt.,  6  pop.),  is  a  post  office  and  store  on 
the  east  bank  of  the  Musselshell. 

Right  from  Mosby  on  a  dirt  road  to  the  SITE  OF  FORT  MUSSELSHELL,  35  m.,  at 
the  mouth  of  the  Musselshell  River.  In  the  i86o's  and  1870*5  this  was  an  important 
post  in  the  trade  with  the  Gros  Ventre.  The  traders,  a  few  wolfers,  and  the  wood- 
choppers  who  sold  fuel  to  Missouri  River  steamboats,  were  the  only  white  men  in 
this  part  of  the  country.  When  the  Indians  were  at  peace,  trade  was  profitable;  the 
Gros  Ventre  gladly  exchanged  a  buffalo  robe  for  10  cups  of  flour  or  6  cups  of  sugar. 
The  Assiniboine  and  Sioux,  however,  harassed  the  post  incessantly,  and  at  length 
forced  its  abandonment. 

The  highway  crosses  the  Musselshell  River.  Somewhere  in  the  breaks 
along  this  stream  is  a  gold  mine  from  which  Indians  brought  dust  and 
nuggets  to  Fort  Musselshell.  All  but  one  of  the  Indian  discoverers  were 
killed  in  a  skirmish  with  whites ;  the  survivor  said  only  that  the  mine  was 
"two  sleeps"  from  the  post.  Prospectors  have  repeatedly,  but  in  vain,  ex- 
plored the  country. 

A  tourist  camp  is  on  the  riverbank  at  241.3  m. 

At  247.3  m.  is  the  junction  with  a  dirt  road. 

Right  on  this  road  to  CAT  CREEK  OIL  FIELD,  4  m.,  whose  174  wells  produce  oil 
of  high  quality  (50°  A.  P.  I.).  In  1936  each  of  150  wells  was  pumping  about  1,000 
barrels  a  day.  The  field  is  a  "stripper" — has  wells  that  must  be  pumped — there  are 
no  gushers.  Large  pumping  plants  take  out  the  crude  oil,  which  is  piped  to  Win- 
nett,  20  miles  away,  for  shipment. 

When  news  of  the  Cat  Creek  discovery  was  flashed  over  the  West,  a  mad  stam- 
pede, resembling  an  old-time  gold  rush,  occurred.  Oil  prospectors,  however,  reached 
their  destination  more  swiftly  and  with  less  hardship  than  the  pilgrims  who  came 
with  pick  and  pan  50  years  earlier.  Every  type  of  car  was  pressed  into  service;  ex- 
pensive limousines  stirred  the  dust  of  old  cattle  trails  beside  wheezing  models  that 
wabbled  along  on  warped  wheels.  One  of  the  richest  operators  in  Montana  arrived 
in  a  flivver  so  dilapidated  the  cushion  seat  was  gone;  he  had  hurriedly  left  a  less 
promising  field  and  traveled  to  Glasgow  by  train,  where  he  had  had  difficulty  in 
obtaining  a  car.  When  a  discouraged  dry-land  farmer  happened  to  drive  by,  the 


TOUR    10  317 

oilman  hailed  him  and  inquired  if  he  could  spare  his  car  for  a  few  days.  "Yep,  I 
can  spare  her  forever,"  said  the  farmer.  "The  old  girl  and  me  is  about  to  part  after 
some  mighty  tough  experiences."  The  oilman  peeled  two  ten-spots  from  a  roll,  and 
in  another  minute  was  on  his  way  to  Cat  Creek  in  a  cloud  of  exhaust  smoke. 

At  269.2  m.  is  the  junction  with  a  dirt  road. 

Left  on  this  road  is  WINNETT,  0.7  m.  (2,960  alt.,  408  pop.),  terminus  of  a 
C.  M.  St.  P.  &  P.  R.R.  branch  from  Lewistown.  A  large  refinery,  and  three  storage 
tanks  holding  100,000  gallons  each,  announce  its  chief  reason  for  existence.  Win- 
nett  is  smudged  with  oil ;  the  fumes  of  the  product  permeate  the  atmosphere.  Some 
of  the  stores  sell  oil  rigs,  drills,  and  similar  equipment. 

Winnett  is  also  the  distributing  center  of  a  large  area  where  wheat  is  grown. 
This  country  has  suffered  much  from  droughts  but  many  farmers  who  stayed  through 
the  drought  of  1917-1920  witnessed  the  miracle  of  seeing  their  parched  lands  yield 
"black  gold"  in  fabulous  amounts. 

The  Judith  Mountains  are  straight  ahead  at  270.4  m. 

YEGEN,  276.1  m.  (2,087  alt-)>  *s  a  railroad  station  named  for  the 
Yegen  brothers,  Swiss  immigrants  who  began  life  in  Montana  as  sheep- 
herders,  later  operated  a  store  here,  and  finally  became  prominent  sheep- 
men and  bankers  of  central  Montana. 

At  287.4  m.  is  the  junction  with  US  87  (see  Tour  3),  0.9  mile  north 
of  the  center  of  Grass  Range  (see  Tour  3,  Sec.  a). 


Tour  10 


(Moose  Jaw,  Sask.) — Opheim — Glasgow — Jordan — Miles  City — Broadus 
— (Belle  Fourche,  S.  D.)  ;  State  22. 
Canadian  Border  to  Wyoming  Line,  385.1  m. 

Frequent  bus  service  between  Glasgow,  Wheeler,  and  Fort  Peck. 
Hotels  and  tourist  camps  in  larger  towns;  few  accommodations  between  them. 
With  exception  of  1 5-mile  oil-surfaced  stretch  between  Glasgow  and  Wheeler,  road- 
bed is  unsurfaced  or  wholly  unimproved  between  Canadian  Border  and  Jordan; 
between  Jordan  and  Broadus  it  is  oil-surfaced;  between  Broadus  and  the  Wyoming 
Line,  graveled.  Unsurfaced  section  dusty  or  muddy  by  turns. 

Section  a.  CANADIAN  BORDER  to  GLASGOW,  68  m.,  State  22. 

State  22  crosses  a  section  that  is  perhaps  nearer  to  the  frontier  than  any 
other  part  of  Montana,  for  the  people  who  began  to  farm  it  did  not  arrive 
until  the  early  years  of  the  World  War;  and  it  had  no  modern  means  of 
transportation  until  1926.  Cattlemen  had  long  frequented  the  country  be- 
cause the  wide  grasslands  dotted  with  small  lakes  were  ideal  for  the  rapid 
fattening  of  steers.  For  several  years  before  the  1930'$,  with  their  depres- 


3i8  TOURS 

sion  and  drought,  this  region  produced  almost  fabulous  crops.  Farmers, 
striving  to  conquer  the  rich  land,  worked  feverishly  from  dawn  to  dusk 
during  the  brief  seasons  of  seeding  and  harvest.  Sometimes  they  became 
wealthy  from  the  profits  of  a  single  bumper  year.  But  they  used  their 
profits  to  acquire  more  expensive  equipment  and  larger  areas  for  cultiva- 
tion. Then  suddenly  they  were  paupers,  and  the  land  was  dusty  and  barren 
under  a  sky  dark  with  clouds  but  not  with  rain.  It  was  one  of  the 
swiftest  and  most  tragic  economic  transitions  in  the  history  of  the  State. 

Many  of  the  settlers  stayed,  counting  on  future  seasons  when  rain  would 
surely  fall  and  grainfields  again  stretch  deep  green  or  pale  gold  to  the 
horizon.  Many  others  pulled  stakes,  to  search  bewilderedly  for  some  new 
bonanza  in  a  region  where  nature  is  less  capricious.  The  once  comfortable 
houses  they  abandoned  stand  gauntly  on  the  dun  prairie  with  glassless 
windows.  Range  cattle  and  horses  have  broken  down  the  doors  of  some 
of  them  to  find  shade  in  summer  and  shelter  from  storms  in  winter. 

State  22,  a  continuation  of  Sask.  2,  crosses  the  Canadian  Border,  0  m., 
i  mile  west  of  West  Poplar  River,  Sask.,  a  Canadian  customs  station,  and 
115  miles  southwest  of  Moose  Jaw. 

OPHEIM,  10.8  m.  (3,263  alt,  510  pop.),  a  U.  S.  port  of  entry,  is  in 
one  of  the  most  fertile  parts  of  the  wheat-growing  region  that  extends 
eastward  through  Daniels  and  Sheridan  Counties  and  northward  into 
Saskatchewan.  The  wheat  marketed  here,  even  in  unfavorable  seasons,  al- 
most invariably  commands  a  high  price  because  of  its  high  protein  con- 
tent. Opheim  had  no  railroad  until  1926,  when  the  Great  Northern 
extended  its  Bainville-Scobey  branch  to  the  town.  This  was  one  of  the 
last  pieces  of  railroad  building  in  Montana. 

In  the  days  of  homesteading,  Opheim  was  a  hive  of  industry.  Stores, 
banks,  lumberyards,  hotels,  and  bars  did  a  very  profitable  business.  Day 
and  night  the  streets  were  crowded  and  noisy.  In  the  surrounding  coun- 
try, the  wild  grasses  grew  stirrup-high,  and  prairie  fires  were  annual 
events;  but  in  a  few  short  years  most  of  the  sod  was  turned  under,  the 
grass  destroyed.  With  the  profits  from  their  first  crops  the  farmers  built 
large  houses  and  barns;  then  modern  schoolhouses  were  erected  on  land 
from  which  the  hoofprints  of  buffalo  had  scarcely  been  effaced.  When 
drought  struck,  some  farmers  sold  out  while  the  people  at  large  still  be- 
lieved in  their  luck,  and  the  land  brought  fair  prices.  Those  who  remained 
saw  the  countryside  become  almost  an  open  range  once  more;  but  instead 
of  the  old,  rich  native  grasses  this  range  bore  thick  mats  of  the  ugly,  pro- 
lific Russian  thistle. 

These  tough,  gray-green  weeds  spring  up  profusely  wherever  the  soil 
has  been  tilled,  and  in  dry  seasons  absorb  most  of  the  scanty  moisture 
stored  up  from  the  winter's  snowfall.  When  mature,  the  plants  break  off 
and  roll  over  the  prairie,  to  lodge  in  great  masses  against  fences,  around 
buildings,  and  in  windbreaks. 

Many  farmers  have  learned  to  use  the  thistles  as  emergency  fodder,  cut- 
ting and  stacking  them  while  they  are  heavy  and  green.  The  weeds  cure 
in  the  stack,  and  if  well  salted,  they  have  a  taste  that  does  not  seem  objec- 
tionable to  most  livestock.  If  unmixed  and  fed  in  large  quantities,  how- 


TOUR    10  319 

ever,  this  fodder  is  dangerous,  inducing  a  violent  and  exhausting  colic, 
particularly  in  horses.  The  feed  is  never  a  satisfactory  substitute  for  hay, 
but  serves  to  keep  stock  alive  during  the  long,  lean  winters  when  the 
range  is  buried  under  a  heavy  crust  of  snow  and  even  the  hardy  bronc 
stands  shivering  with  tail  to  the  wind. 

BAYLOR,  27  m.  (3,251  alt.,  15  pop.),  a  crossroads  store  and  post 
office,  was  once  a  busy  trading  center  for  wheat  farmers. 

State  22  runs  southward  over  great  stretches  of  rolling  benchland,  and 
crosses  deep  coulees. 

At  66  m.  is  the  junction  (L)  with  US  2  (see  Tour  2),  with  which  State 
22  runs  into  Glasgow. 

GLASGOW,  68  m.  (2,095  a^-,  2,216  pop.)  (see  Tour  2,  Sec.  a),  is  at 
the  western  junction  with  US  2  (see  Tour  2). 

Section  b.  GLASGOW  to  MILES  CITY,  1754  m.,  State  22. 

This  section  of  State  22  traverses  a  rolling  plain  that,  in  part,  is  not 
quite  so  parched  as  the  region  north  of  the  Milk  River.  Evening  thunder- 
showers  are  relatively  frequent.  Much  of  this  country  between  the  State's 
two  largest  streams  remains  cattle  country. 

In  GLASGOW,  0  m.,  State  22  follows  Main  St.  which  becomes  an  oil- 
surfaced  road  that  crosses  the  Milk  River,  3.2  m.  There  is  continuous 
heavy  traffic  on  this  stretch,  which  was  built  to  serve  transportation  needs 
during  construction  at  Fort  Peck  Dam  (see  Tour  10 A). 

WHEELER,  15.1  m.  (2,125  a^-»  4,ooo  est.  pop.),  a  modern  frontier 
town,  is  made  up  of  shacks  hurriedly  built  of  tar  paper,  packing  cases, 
shiplap,  and  canvas.  Along  the  main  street  of  the  camp,  neon  signs  an- 
nounce the  products  of  a  more  urbane  world. 

At  Wheeler  is  the  junction  with  an  unnumbered  oiled  road  (see  Tour 
10A). 

Between  Wheeler  and  Jordan,  a  7  5 -mile  stretch,  there  are  few  habita- 
tions or  supply  points.  The  dun  color  of  the  vast  plains  is  varied  only  by 
intermittent  growths  of  sage. 

LISMAS  FERRY,  20.4  m.,  is  the  crossing  of  the  Missouri  River  ($1  a 
car;  service  at  any  time;  if  ferry  is  on  opposite  side,  blow  horn  to  bring 
it  across). 

The  highway  traverses  salt  sage  flats,  then  a  region  of  hills  and  gullies, 
the  Missouri  River  Badlands.  Here  the  vegetation  is  more  varied.  Willows 
fringe  many  zigzag  stream  courses  between  the  sparsely  timbered  hills. 

HAXBY,  29.2  m.  (2,018  alt.,  5  pop.),  a  general  store  and  post  office, 
serves  scattered  ranches. 

South  of  the  hamlet  the  country  is  wild  and  rugged.  Great  boulders  of 
amazing  shapes  and  sizes  are  bright-colored  under  sunlight,  shadowy  and 
weird  by  twilight.  The  formations  are  largely  brick-red  scoria.  There  are 
large  areas  of  gumbo  and  silty  volcanic  ash  which,  when  wet,  become  very 
sticky.  The  barren  Missouri  breaks  are  a  maze  of  eroded  peaks,  ridges, 
basins,  and  coulees.  Wild  animals  are  numerous.  Coyotes  and  bobcats  en- 
the  lives  of  calves  and  sheen,  wHrh  nn";e  on  the  rHges  dotte-i 


320  TOURS 

with  scrub  pine,  spruce,  and  cedar.  An  occasional  mountain  lion  stalks 
the  deer  along  the  river  bottoms. 

DAVIDSON,  58.4  m.  (2,610  alt.),  is  a  post  office  and  general  store. 

PINEY  BUTTES  (3,000  to  3,500  alt.)  parallel  (R)  the  route  between 
Davidson  and  Jordan.  They  are  part  of  a  broad  land  peninsula  that  juts 
into  the  Fort  Peck  Reservoir  area,  which  includes  the  Missouri  bottoms 
(R)  and  the  flats  along  Big  Dry  Creek  (L).  "Big  Dry"  is  from  an  Indian 
name  that  meant  the  creek  was  dry  a  "big"  part  of  the  time,  and  had  no 
reference  to  its  size  as  a  stream. 

All  land  along  the  Missouri,  between  Fort  Peck  and  the  mouth  of  the 
Musselshell,  was  condemned  and  bought  by  the  Government  after  plans 
for  the  building  of  the  dam  and  the  creation  of  the  reservoir  were  ap- 
proved. 

At  84.1  m.  is  a  junction  (L)  with  State  18  (see  Tour  9)-  Between  this 
point  and  90.1  m.,  State  22  and  State  18  are  one  route. 

JORDAN,  89.7  m.  (2,800  alt.,  500  pop.),  seat  of  Garfield  County,  is 
one  of  the  State's  real  cow  towns.  In  the  winter  of  1930  a  New  York 
radio  station  called  it  "the  lonesomest  town  in  the  world,"  and  certainly  a 
New  Yorker  would  find  its  isolation  extreme.  Until  State  22  was  carried 
through  to  Miles  City  and  telephone  service  was  established  in  1935,  its 
contacts  with  the  world  were  few  and  sometimes  broken  for  long  periods. 
For  several  years  the  editor  of  the  weekly  Jordan  Tribune  had  to  depend 
on  the  world  news  he  could  pick  up  with  his  own  short-wave  radio.  The 
material  thus  obtained  appeared  in  a  special  column  headed  "A  Hundred 
Miles  from  Miles."  Miles  City,  86  miles  away,  is  the  nearest  railroad 
town. 

In  1901,  when  it  was  founded  by  Arthur  Jordan,  the  town  was  even 
more  remote.  For  years  long  hair  and  beards  were  fashionable  among  the 
citizens  simply  because  the  settlement  had  no  barber.  The  roads  were 
merely  paired  ruts  in  the  gumbo  soil  almost  impassable  in  rainy  weather. 
A  story  is  often  told  of  a  Jordan  farmer  who  started  to  market  with  a 
four-horse  load  of  grain.  Long  delayed  by  rain  and  mud  he  arrived  at 
Miles  City  with  only  two  bushels  of  oats,  and  had  to  buy  more  at  the 
elevator  to  feed  his  animals  on  the  return  trip. 

In  spring  and  fall  this  is  a  busy  town.  Sheep  ranchers  outfit  their  herd- 
ers here  for  the  summer's  ranging  and  farmers  come  in  long  distances  to 
buy  six  months'  supply  of  food  and  clothing.  The  town  now  has  a  golf 
course,  a  swimming  pool,  movies  on  three  nights  a  week,  a  commercial 
club,  a  hospital,  and  a  high  school. 

At  90.1  m.  is  the  junction  (R)  with  State  18  (see  Tour  9). 

South  of  this  point  is  a  grazing  ground  long  used  by  antelopes.  Their  pres- 
ence was  a  source  of  joy  to  the  early  cowboys,  who,  despite  the  law,  did 
not  hesitate  occasionally  to  vary  their  monotonous  diet  of  sowbelly  and 
flapjacks  with  luscious  roasts  of  antelope  meat.  Since  game-law  enforce- 
ment has  become  stricter,  the  animals  are  rarely  killed.  They  are  timid  by 
nature  and  seldom  let  an  automobile  come  near  them,  though  they  are 
sometimes  seen  grazing  on  distant  hills. 


SHEEP  WAGON 


SMOKY  BUTTE  (R),  91  m.,  rises  majestically  from  the  open  plain. 
A  thick  blue  haze  usually  seems  to  hang  about  its  gaunt  basalt  bulk. 

COHAGEN,  114.5  m.  (2,930  alt.,  200  pop.),  is  a  school  and  a  gen- 
eral store  surrounded  by  scattered  homes.  In  1919  it  won  brief  local  im- 
portance as  Jordan's  rival  in  a  race  for  the  county  government. 

Southeast  of  Cohagen  the  rolling  prairie  is  carpeted  with  buffalo  grass. 
Owls  are  seen  meditating  on  fence  posts  along  the  road. 

ROCK  SPRINGS,  139.5  m.  (2,870  alt.,  6  pop.),  by  Rock  Springs 
Creek,  is  a  prairie  post  office,  general  store,  and  gas  station. 

Left  from  Rock  Springs  on  an  unimproved  dirt  road  to  a  junction  with  another 
road,  10  m.;  R.  to  CROW  ROCK,  18  m.,  a  peculiarly  shaped  mound  that  has  en- 
gaged the  attention  of  geologists  interested  in  oil.  At  its  top  are  natural  ramparts, 
behind  which  human  bones  have  been  uncovered.  Legend  tells  of  a  band  of  100 
Crow  who  came  here  from  their  tribal  lands  south  of  the  Yellowstone  to  hunt  buf- 
falo, and  were  attacked  by  a  hunting  party  of  Sioux,  who  forced  them  to  retreat  to 
the  rock.  Fighting  without  water,  they  were  reduced  to  drinking  the  blood  of  their 
slain  companions  before  the  Sioux  at  length  overpowered  them,  and  scalped  them 
to  the  last  man. 

ANGELA,  146.2  m.  (2,490  alt.,  5  pop.),  is  a  crossroads  post  office, 
store,  and  gas  station  in  gently  rolling  country  harshly  carpeted  with  cac- 
tus and  low  sagebrush. 


322  TOURS 

State  22  crosses  the  Yellowstone  River  into  MILES  CITY,  175.4  m. 
(2,357  alt.,  7,175  pop.)  (see  Tour  1,  Sec.  a),  which  is  at  the  junction 
with  US  10  (see  Tour  1). 

Section  c.  MILES  CITY  to  WYOMING  LINE,  141.7  m.,  State  22. 

This  section  of  State  22  passes  through  a  land  of  grass  and  cattle, 
cowhands  and  Indians,  a  range  from  which  the  best  Montana  beef  is  shipped 
to  eastern  markets.  Nutritious  grasses,  with  an  ample  supply  of  water, 
make  the  entire  district  ideal  for  livestock  raising.  Farms — and  hence 
fences — are  few;  it  is  the  sort  of  region  that  cowboys  dream  about.  Little 
grain  is  grown,  and  that  little  is  used  for  winter  feed.  Only  along  the 
creeks,  where  irrigation  is  possible,  has  there  been  any  continued  effort  to 
grow  crops  year  after  year. 

Pioneers  of  this  region  tell  of  their  concern  when  dry-land  farming 
first  began  in  Montana.  They  heard  about  other  ranges  that  were  being 
fenced  in,  and  expected  that  their  own  would  suffer  the  same  fate.  Some 
cowboys  watched  the  newcomers  "busting  the  sod"  with  their  gang  plows, 
and  distastefully  concluded  that  the  only  thing  left  for  them  was  quit- 
ting the  old  life  of  the  bunkhouse  and  the  roundup  to  become  farmers 
themselves.  A  popular  bit  of  doggerel  current  here  is:  "I've  hung  up  the 
saddle  and  turned  out  ol'  Buck;  I'm  feelin'  right  solemn  and  blue.  I'm  a 
bowlegged  puncher  whose  shore  outa  luck,  and  I  reckon  my  punchin'  is 
through.  It  don't  matter  which  way  I  heads  in  the  morn,  I'm  shore  to 
fetch  up  at  a  fence;  and  I'm  tired  o'  hearin'  'em  talk  about  corn,  and 
wheat  that's  gone  up  seven  cents.  Oh,  I  shore  am  atastin'  of  life's  bitter 
dregs,  and  I'm  gettin'  right  des'prate  you'll  see,  for  a  country  that's  dealin' 
in  butter  and  eggs,  gets  the  goat  of  a  hombre  like  me.  So  my  mind  is  made 
up  and  my  purpose  is  grim,  and  I  blush  at  the  thought  of  my  shame,  for 
it  shore  seems  a  pity  that  Montana  Slim  has  to  play  such  a  card  in  the 
game.  But  my  program  is  set  and  I  can't  back  out  now  though  I  squirm 
in  my  grief  and  my  sorrow,  for  I  just  bought  a  rake  and  a  second-hand 
plow,  and  I  starts  in  at  farmin'  tomorrow." 

State  22  follows  Main  St.  in  MILES  CITY,  0  m.,  to  Haynes  Ave. ;  R.  on 
Haynes  Ave. ;  then  southeast  along  the  valleys  of  Tongue  River  and 
Pumpkin  Creek.  The  red  buttes  in  this  country  of  coulees  and  canyons 
are  composed  of  earthy  hematite  and  scoria,  a  cindered  lava  much  used  in 
road  construction. 

BEEBE,  30.2  m.  (2,349  alt.,  7  pop.),  is  a  ranch  post  office  in  a  sparsely 
settled  region. 

VOLBORG,  46.8  m.  (2,307  alt.,  5  pop.),  is  a  country  store  and  post 
office. 

COALWOOD,  56.5  m.  (2,270  alt.,  8  pop.),  is  on  the  flank  of  the 
large  canyon  of  Home  Creek,  surrounded  by  towering  red  buttes.  It  is  a 
combination  store  and  post  office;  a  gasoline  pump  has  replaced  the  old 
feed  store  and  smithy.  The  region  around  it  was  once  a  Cheyenne  hunt- 
ing ground.  Tepee  rings,  arrowheads,  and  stone  knives  have  been  found 
on  the  sites  of  camps  along  the  creek;  an  Indian  skeleton,  in  almost  per- 


TOUR    10  323 

feet  condition,  was  dug  from  a  grave.  Near  it  were  weapons  and  shreds 
of  a  robe.  The  body  had  been  buried  in  a  sitting  position. 

South  of  Coalwood  State  22  winds  upward  around  pointed  buttes  and 
over  ridges  topped  with  scrub  cedar,  jack  pine,  and  spruce,  and  at  70.7  m. 
crosses  Mizpah  Creek,  a  tributary  of  Powder  River.  The  number  of 
small  ranches  increases  as  the  road  runs  southward;  here  and  there  are 
the  sod-roofed  log  houses  of  farmers  who  wrest  a  scanty  living  from  the 
rocky  soil. 

BROADUS,  80.2  m.  (3,030  alt.,  240  pop.),  seat  of  Powder  River 
County,  is  another  of  the  "biggest  little  towns  in  the  west";  its  high 
school  is  the  only  one  in  a  county  of  3,275  square  miles  inhabited  by 
3,909  people.  There  is  no  railroad  in  the  county,  but  good  highways 
compensate  for  the  lack. 

Broadus  is  the  trading  center  of  a  large  part  of  southeastern  Montana. 

Right  from  Broadus  on  State  8,  a  partly  improved  dirt  road,  to  CAMPS  PASS, 
22  m.  (3,100  alt.,  51  pop.),  a  settlement  on  a  plateau  between  the  Tongue  and 
Powder  Rivers. 

State  8  enters  the  CUSTER  NATIONAL  FOREST  through  a  canyon  50  feet  wide 
and  500  feet  high.  HOME  CREEK  BUTTE,  30  m.,  is  a  sandstone  wedge  with  a 
sheer  cliff  overhanging  the  valley. 

ASHLAND,  48  m.  (3,200  alt.,  82  pop.),  on  Tongue  River,  is  the  division  head- 
quarters of  the  Custer  National  Forest,  and  the  trade  center  for  a  group  of  cattle 
ranches  that  provide  entertainment  and  recreation  for  vacationers. 

LAME  DEER,  69  m.  (3,700  alt.,  89  pop.)  (see  side  tour  from  Tour  1,  Sec.  a), 
is  at  the  junction  with  State  45  (see  Tour  1).  Between  Lame  Deer  and  a  junction 
at  73  m.  State  8  and  State  45  are  one  route. 

After  the  extermination  of  the  buffalo  (about  1885),  the  grasses  of  this  region 
and  its  sheltered  position  in  winter  attracted  cattlemen.  An  attempt  of  sheepmen  to 
gain  control  of  the  section  was  defeated  on  January  3,  1901,  when  n  masked  men 
raided  a  sheep  camp  and  killed  2,000  sheep  in  a  single  night. 

CROW  AGENCY,  123  m.  (3,041  alt.,  202  pop.)  (see  Tour  3,  Sec.  b),  is  at  the 
junction  with  US  87  (see  Tour  3). 

At  80.9  m.  State  22  crosses  Powder  River.  Some  historians  believe  the 
Verendryes  (see  HISTORY)  reached  this  river  in  1743,  while  seeking  a 
route  to  the  Pacific.  In  1805  Frangois  Larocque  journeyed  almost  the  en- 
tire length  of  the  stream  as  an  agent  of  the  North  West  Company.  Trap- 
pers operated  here  briefly;  Indians  were  the  only  inhabitants  until  stock 
growers  came  in  1880. 

BO  YES,  103.1  m.,  is  a  general  store  and  post  office. 

At  108.8  m.  is  the  junction  with  an  unnumbered  dirt  road  (see  side 
tour  from  Tour  17). 

HAMMOND,  109.7  m.,  is  a  cluster  of  sod-roofed  log  cabins  and  a  gen- 
eral store. 

The  highway  at  138.1  m.  crosses  the  Little  Missouri  River,  a  tributary 
of  the  Missouri. 

ALZADA,  138.6  m.  (3,622  alt.,  50  pop.),  is  the  most  southeasterly 
settlement  in  Montana.  Here  saddle  horses  tied  to  hitching  posts  outnum- 
ber parked  cars.  Men  in  ten-gallon  hats,  faded  shirts,  and  denim  trousers, 
whose  occupation  is  just  plain  cowpunching  without  any  frills,  loiter  in 
front  of  the  store. 

Alzada  was  originally  called  Stonesville,  for  Lou  Stone,  who  kept  a 


324  TOURS 

saloon  here  in  1877-78,  at  the  time  Gen.  Nelson  A.  Miles  was  building 
the  telegraph  line  from  Fort  Keogh  (Miles  City)  to  Fort  Mead,  S.  D. 
The  Stonesville  telegraph  station  was  a  rock-covered  dugout  at  the  top  of  a 
hill.  The  presence  of  older  Stonesvilles  in  Montana  led  to  confusion,  so 
the  town  was  renamed  for  Mrs.  Alzada  Sheldon,  wife  of  a  pioneer  rancher. 
At  141.7  m.  is  the  Wyoming  Line,  39  miles  northwest  of  Belle  Fourche, 
S.  D.  The  route  cuts  diagonally  for  24  miles  across  Wyoming,  a  stretch 
without  a  single  town,  and  into  South  Dakota  (see  Tours  3  and  13  m 
SOUTH  DAKOTA  GUIDE). 


Tour  loA 


Wheeler— Fort  Peck;  Fort  Peck  Rd.  4.2  m. 

Frequent  bus  service. 

Hotel  and  information  bureau  at  Fort  Peck. 

Oil-surfaced  roadbed;  heavily  congested. 

This  unnumbered  oiled  road  branches  east  from  State  22  (see  Tour  10) 
at  WHEELER,  0  m. 

FORT  PECK,  4.2  m.  (2,100  alt.,  6,000  est.  pop.,  1938),  a  planned 
city,  seems  strangely  misplaced  on  the  vast  bare  prairie.  Built  by  the  Gov- 
ernment as  a  permanent  town  near  Fort  Peck  Dam,  today  (1939)  it  has 
rows  of  barracks  to  house  construction  workers  and  a  boulevard  of  stores 
and  shops.  South  and  west  of  the  town  is  a  maze  of  roads.  The  dam- 
building  activities  fill  the  valley. 

At  the  main  entrance  to  the  city  is  an  INFORMATION  BUREAU,  supply- 
ing maps  and  answering  questions.  East  of  the  river,  at  an  observation 
point  overlooking  the  gigantic  spillway  and  part  of  the  dam  site,  is  a 
small  pavilion  with  maps  and  a  large  model  of  the  completed  spillway. 

The  construction  of  FORT  PECK  DAM,  a  PWA  project,  is  under  the 
supervision  of  U.  S.  Army  Engineers.  This  great  earth-fill  barrier  across 
the  Missouri  River  is  one  of  the  largest  structures  of  its  kind  in  the  world. 
Its  maximum  height  is  242  feet,  and  its  main  length  9,000.  A  lower  sec- 
tion on  the  west  bank  is  11,500  feet  long.  The  dam  stretches  across  the 
Missouri  from  bluff  to  bluff  a  distance  of  3.68  miles.  A  highway  100  feet 
wide  crosses  its  top.  One  hundred  million  cubic  yards  of  earth,  4  million 
cubic  yards  of  gravel,  and  1,600,000  cubic  yards  of  large  rocks  have  been 
used  in  construction.  At  the  beginning  of  1938  it  had  cost  $81,160,555, 
and  it  was  believed  that  almost  $11,000,000  more  would  be  required  for 
its  completion  by  the  end  of  1939. 


TOUR    IDA  325 

It  takes  several  normal  years  for  the  Missouri  River  to  bring  here  such 
a  quantity  of  water  (20  million  acre-feet)  as  will  be  required  to  fill  the 
space  behind  the  giant  wall.  The  length  of  the  lake  thus  to  be  created  is 
estimated  at  175  miles,  its  shore  line  at  1,600  miles,  its  maximum  depth  at 
240  feet. 

On  October  23,  1933,  a  small  crew  began  clearing  brush  and  cutting 
trees.  By  July  1934  more  than  7,000  men  were  at  work,  and  the  town  of 
Fort  Peck  was  being  built  to  house  administrative  personnel,  engineers, 
concessionaires,  and  the  many  laborers.  In  addition  to  residences  and  bar- 
racks, schools,  a  hospital,  a  recreation  hall,  a  laboratory,  a  town  hall,  a 
theater,  and  various  shops  have  been  constructed. 

The  huge  filtration  plant  (L)  was  erected  to  provide  the  little  city 
with  pure  water;  three  electric  pumps  force  river  water  into  the  plant. 
A  288-mile  power  line  from  Great  Falls,  capable  of  carrying  154,000 
volts,  has  been  built  to  furnish  electricity  for  construction  purposes.  At  a 
boatyard  i  mile  below  the  dam,  pontoons,  barges,  and  four  great  dredges 
have  been  constructed.  The  dredges  have  been  biting  deep  into  the  bottom 
of  the  river  for  material  to  be  pumped  through  pipe  lines  resting  partly 
on  pontoons  to  the  earth  fill. 

The  2 -mile  wall  of  steel  plating  across  the  dam  center  was  driven  to  a 
maximum  depth  of  163  feet  to  prevent  excessive  seepage  below  the  dam. 
Each  of  four  diversion  tunnels,  cut  through  the  shale  beds  east  of  the 
river,  has  an  inside  diameter  of  26  feet;  their  combined  length  is  25,294 
feet.  Each  tunnel  has  a  vertical  shaft  equipped  with  machinery  to  reg- 
ulate the  flow  of  water. 

A  large  spillway  from  the  reservoir  provides  an  outlet  for  water  that 
the  diversion  tunnels  can  not  handle.  It  is  745  feet  long  and  has  16  con- 
crete and  steel  gates  capable  of  discharging  250,000  cubic  feet  of  water  a 
second. 

Great  trestles  span  the  site,  carrying  the  railroad  cars  with  material  for 
the  upstream  and  downstream  gravel  toes.  The  earth  from  the  dredges  is 
pumped  in  between  these  toes.  The  trestle  on  the  downstream  toe  is  part 
of  a  permanent  road  crossing  to  the  east  bank,  where  the  tunnels  are. 

Construction  of  the  dam  will  increase  the  navigability  of  the  Missouri 
River,  and  aid  development  of  irrigation,  electric  power,  and  flood  control. 

Navigation  of  the  upper  Missouri  became  important  toward  the  close 
of  the  Civil  War,  when  the  gold  camps  in  Alder,  Last  Chance,  and  Grass- 
hopper Gulches  were  established  (see  HISTORY).  There  were  difficulties 
because  of  low  water  in  late  summer  and  fall,  and  trouble  with  Indians. 
In  1867  Comdr.  E.  H.  Durfee  and  Col.  Campbell  K.  Peck  established  the 
Indian  agency  and  trading  post  of  Fort  Peck,  a  few  miles  from  the  pres- 
ent damsite,  and  undertook  to  pacify  the  Indians  with  food  and  gifts. 
Among  the  supplies  they  issued  were  loo-pound  sacks  of  flour  emblazoned 
on  each  side  with  great  red  circles  composed  of  the  words  "Durfee  and 
Peck."  The  Indians  adopted  the  sacks  for  war  dress,  merely  cutting  holes 
for  the  arms  and  neck.  The  Hunkpapa,  a  Sioux  tribe,  especially  valued  the 

Kight  red  circles  as  "good  medicine." 
Fort  Peck  enjoyed  a  monopoly  of  the  fur  trade  with  the  Assiniboine  and 


326  TOURS 

Sioux,  and  became  more  important  than  Fort  Union  had  been.  Colonel 
Peck  went  to  Washington  in  the  first  attempt  to  get  Federal  aid  for  the 
development  of  Missouri  navigation.  He  died  on  his  way  back  in  1869. 
His  post  was  abandoned  in  1879,  and  was  later  swept  away  by  the  river. 
Underlying  the  glacial  and  stream  deposits  of  the  Fort  Peck  area  are 
20  to  40  feet  of  volcanic  ash,  in  which  fossils  from  the  Age  of  Reptiles 
are  found.  There  is  a  theory  that  the  reptiles  were  exterminated  when 
thousands  of  volcanoes  erupted.  A  FOSSIL  COLLECTION  (open  during 
shows)  in  the  foyer  of  the  Fort  Peck  theater  contains  more  than  1,000 
pieces  gathered  by  project  engineers.  Remains  of  herbivorous  and  carniv- 
orous dinosaurs,  armored  fishes,  and  swimming  reptiles  are  among  them. 
There  is  also  a  hindfoot  of  the  Trachodon,  a  large  duck-billed  dinosaur, 
and  a  Triceratops  horn  core  2  feet  long  and  8  inches  across,  probably  from 
a  horn  at  least  4  feet  long.  Fossilized  flora  include  a  segment  of  palm 
leaf,  wood  of  coniferous  trees,  and  a  dozen  petrified  figs,  indicating  the 
subtropical  nature  of  this  region  at  one  period. 


Tour 


ii 


Forsyth — Roundup — Harlowton — White     Sulphur     Springs — Townsend ; 

State  6. 

Forsyth  to  Townsend,  290.2  m. 

Route  served  by  Intermountain  Transportation  Co.  busses;  paralleled  at  intervals  by 

the  main  line  of  the  Chicago,  Milwaukee,  St.  Paul  &  Pacific  R.  R. 

Hotels  and  tourist  camps  in  larger  towns;  many  service  stations. 

Roadbed  graded  and  drained  between  Forsyth  and  Melstone;  rough  and,  in  rainy 

weather,  difficult  between  Melstone  and  Roundup;  graded  and,  except  for  a  lo-mile 

oil-surfaced  stretch  south  of  White  Sulphur  Springs,  graveled  between  Roundup 

and  Townsend. 

State  6  traverses  the  central  Montana  range  country,  skirts  the  Bull  and 
Big  Snowy  Mountains,  slips  between  the  Little  Belt  and  Castle  Ranges, 
and  crosses  the  Big  Belts  into  the  upper  Missouri  Valley.  The  rolling  plain 
and  the  foothills  produce  excellent  hard  wheat  and  afford  pasturage  for 
thousands  of  cattle  and  sheep.  Mining  for  lead,  silver,  and  gold  is  an  im- 
portant industry  in  the  mountains.  Antelopes  graze  north  of  the  Mussel- 
shell  River,  coyotes  slink  over  the  hills  and  along  the  sides  of  coulees,  and 
wolves  are  sometimes  seen.  A  few  wild  horses  still  exist  on  the  prairie. 
Several  kinds  of  upland  birds  are  hunted  here  in  season. 

Towns  along  the  route  are  small  and  often  far  between. 


= 


TOUR    II  327 

State  6  branches  northwest  from  US  10  (see  Tour  1)  at  FORSYTH, 
0  m.  (see  Tour  1,  Sec.  a),  crosses  the  Yellowstone  River  at  0.8  m.,  and 
follows  the  railroad  track  and  the  river  (L). 

VANANDA,  23.1  m.  (2,705  alt.,  60  pop.),  a  village  of  general  stores, 
a  grain  elevator,  and  a  railroad  station,  serves  the  surrounding  sheep  and 
cattle  outfits. 

West  of  Vananda  the  highway  passes  over  rolling  country  dotted  with 
limps  of  low  sage  and  greasewood.  Purple  crocus,  blue  larkspur,  and 
jllow  mustard  in  turn  lift  their  bright  heads  among  the  dry-land  grasses, 
hich  are  fresh  and  green  in  spring,  dusty  and  dun  in  late  summer.  Large 
nds  of  sheep  or  herds  of  cattle  crowd  and  push  and  bawl  around  occa- 

1  water  holes. 

The  highway  rises  to  the  top  of  a  ridge,  39  m.,  that  permits  a  view  of 
wide  sweep  of  prairie. 

INGOMAR,  49.9  m.   (3,040  alt.,   315  pop.),  a  trade  center  of  the 
eep-raising  area,  has  one  of  the  largest  shearing  plants  in  the  State.  It 
>erates  in  May  and  June.  (For  a  description  of  shearing,  see  Tour  1, 
ec.  b.) 

GALBRAITH,  56.6  m.  (3,111  alt.),  is  a  railroad  siding  with  stock- 
.ding  pens. 

SUMATRA,  61.2  m.  (3,186  alt.,  300  pop.),  is  on  an  old  trail  that  once 
nected  Fort  Musselshell,  at  the  junction  of  the  Missouri  and  Mussel- 
ell  Rivers,  with  Fort  Custer  in  the  Big  Horn  country. 
BASCOM,  72.1  m.  (2,937  a^-»  I5  P°P-)>  nas  f°ur  buildings — a  gen- 
eral store  and  post  office,  a  railway  station,  a  one-room  school,  and  the 
storekeeper's  home. 

State  6  crosses  the  Musselshell  River,  75.1  m.,  named  by  Lewis  and 
rk  on  May  20,  1805.  Between  farms  and  coal  mines  in  this  district  are 
:ock  ranches.  In  autumn  and  winter,  when  ranch  work  is  light,  neighbor- 
hunting  parties  break  the  monotony  of  life  for  the  inhabitants. 
Indians  believed  the  Musselshell  Valley  to  be  haunted  by  evil  spirits, 
d  seldom  used  it  even  as  a  passage  to  the  buffalo  grounds — a  blessing  to 
rly  settlers,  who  were  thus  spared  the  occasional  Indian  scares  that 
afflicted  other  pioneer  communities. 

MELSTONE,  78.2  m.  (2,897  a^-»  2I7  P°P-)>  was  named  for  Melville 
E.  Stone,  general  manager  of  the  Associated  Press  (1893-1921),  who  once 
lived  near  here.  It  is  a  livestock-shipping  point. 

State  6  passes  southwestward  between  towering  rocky  bluffs  topped 
with  scrub  pine  and  cedar.  Large  cottonwoods  border  the  river  and  give 
shade  to  livestock. 

MUSSELSHELL,  92.7  m.  (2,997  alt->  I5I  P°P-)>  was  named  for  the 
old  stockmen's  landmark  known  as  Musselshell  Crossing,  where  the  herds 
of  Texas  longhorns  driven  north  in  the  i88o's  were  bedded  down  for 
the  last  time  before  being  "fanned  out"  in  smaller  herds  to  their  ultimate 
Montana  owners. 

The  crossing  was  established  in  1877  on  the  north  bank  of  the  Mussel- 
shell  River,  opposite  the  present  village.  The  trail  between  Fort  Custer 
and  Fort  Maginnis  passed  through  it.  Three  years  later  a  store,  which 


328  TOURS 

contained  the  post  office,  was  opened  here,  and  settlement  of  the  valley 
began. 

For  30  years  the  rule  of  the  stockman  was  disputed  only  by  rustlers, 
many  of  whom  ended  their  lawless  careers  at  the  end  of  20  feet  of  hemp. 
The  cattle  king's  day  ended  here  as  it  ended  all  over  the  State.  In  1908 
the  railroad  arrived  and  soon  sodbusters  were  flocking  in  to  break  the 
great  free  range  into  relatively  small  cultivated  tracts.  Coal,  the  great 
mineral  resource  of  the  valley,  was  exploited.  Villages  sprang  up  amid  the 
sage.  The  old  West  retreated  before  advancing  barriers  of  barbwire,  and 
grain  farming  superseded  the  livestock  industry  in  importance. 

Between  Musselshell  and  Roundup,  State  6  closely  follows  the  Mussel- 
shell  River,  which  winds  intricately.  When  the  C.  M.  St.  P.  &  P.  R.  R. 
was  built  through  the  valley  it  was  necessary  to  bridge  the  river  117  times 
in  115  miles. 

State  6  enters  the  foothills  of  the  BULL  MOUNTAINS  at  93.8  m.  The 
rough  higher  ridges  (L),  which  are  old  and  eroded  into  fantastic  pin- 
nacles and  deep  gorges,  contain  many  caves  of  various  sizes.  Rattlesnakes 
are  numerous,  but  not  particularly  dangerous  except  in  August,  when  they 
sometimes  strike  without  warning  (see  FAUNA,  and  GENERAL  IN- 
FORMATION). 

DELPHIA,  100.1  m.  (3,053  alt,  101  pop.),  is  the  standard  combina- 
tion of  general  store  and  post  office  that  is  common  on  the  plains. 

GAGE,  109-2  m.  (3,128  alt.,  31  pop.),  is  one  of  the  few  remaining 
"cracker  box  communities"  in  Montana.  Here,  at  the  general  store  known 
as  John  Brown's,  ranchers  from  the  valley  and  homesteading  bachelors 
from  the  hills  buy  groceries  and  "set  awhile"  to  gossip  and  discuss  poli- 
tics. Old  but  comfortable  chairs  and  upended  apple  boxes  drawn  about 
the  stove  in  winter  and  the  doorway  in  summer,  testify  that  this  is  the 
community  center. 

ROUNDUP,  117.1  m.  (3,184  alt,  2,577  pop-)  (^e  Tour  3,  Sec.  a),  is 
at  the  junction  with  US  87  (see  Tour  3).  Between  Roundup  and  the  junc- 
tion at  118.7  m.  State  6  is  united  with  US  87. 

At  140  m.  on  State  6  is  the  junction  with  a  dirt  road. 

Left  on  this  road  is  LAVINA,  1  m.  (3,443  alt.,  144  pop.),  a  prairie  village  that 
began  as  a  trading  post  and  a  stage  station  on  the  route  between  Billings  and 
Lewistown. 

RYEGATE,  157  m.  (3,641  alt.,  292  pop.),  is  the  seat  of  hopefully 
named  Golden  Valley  County.  A  fine  field  of  rye  that  attracted  the  atten- 
tion of  railway  officials  suggested  the  town's  name.  Since  drought  struck 
this  rolling  farm  country,  much  of  it  is  returning  to  range.  The  most  fer- 
tile acres  are  to  the  south ;  dairying  and  turkey  raising  compete  with  live- 
stock raising  and  grain  growing. 

Ryegate  was  built  at  the  base  of  rimrocks  3  miles  long  that  were  once 
part  of  the  shore  of  a  large  lake.  Marine  fossils  are  abundant  here.  Pre- 
historic inscriptions  are  still  seen  on  the  rocks ;  one  crudely  drawn  picture, 
a  mile  west  of  town,  shows  six  men  and  three  antelopes.  North  of  the 
rimrocks  (R)  the  benchlands  rise  gently  to  the  Big  Snowy  Mountains,  25 
miles  away. 


TOUR   II  329 

Left  from  Ryegate  on  a  graded  dirt  road  is  SEVENTYNINE,  16  m.,  a  commu- 
nity composed  largely  of  people  who  speak  both  Russian  and  English.  Most  of  the 
first  settlers  were  from  Odessa.  They  observe  many  of  the  customs  of  South  Russia, 
id  on  feast  days  dance  the  trepak  to  the  strains  of  the  accordion  and  the  balalaika. 
The  Russians  and  other  farmers  of  this  vicinity  settled  here  in  1912  when  the 
Ranch,  one  of  the  largest  old-time  spreads  in  Montana  was  broken  up.  The  ranch 
named  for  1879,  the  year  John  T.  Murphy,  president  of  the  Montana  Cattle 
ipany,  started  it  on  Sweetgrass  Creek.  In  1881  the  outfit  moved  to  Big  Coulee  a 
miles  south  of  Seventynine.  It  built  up  its  herds  by  trailing  cattle  from  Texas 
at  its  busiest  ran  50,000  head  of  cattle  and  about  40,000  sheep.  The  home 
ich  was  at  Big  Coulee,  but  there  were  three  other  large  ranches,  and  the  stock 
iged  from  the  Yellowstone  to  the  mouth  of  the  Musselshell.  The  greatest  days  of 
79  were,  of  course,  those  of  the  open  range,  but  it  did  well  enough  later  by 
purchasing  railroad  land  and  fencing  it,  fencing  at  the  same  time  the  Government 
land  on  alternate  sections.  To  obey  the  letter  of  the  law  and  still  fatten  their  cows 
on  Federal  property,  the  men  of  the  79  ran  fences  right  up  to  but  not  quite  around 
Government  corners.  The  Government  ended  that  practice  in  1908,  and  in  1912 
company  allowed  its  holding  to  be  broken  up. 

BARBER,  163.5  m.  (3,727  alt.,  90  pop.),  is  a  crossroads  hamlet  com- 
of  a  general  store,  a  schoolhouse,  and  a  railroad  station. 

DEADMAN'S  BASIN  (R),  170.7  m.,  is  a  natural  basin  2  miles  square, 
nth  a  storage  capacity  of  80,000  acre-feet  of  water,  and  an  average  depth 
"  58  feet.  It  is  now  filled  for  irrigation  purposes  by  a  1 2-mile  canal  from 
ic  Musselshell  River,  which  usually  runs  full  only  in  April  and  May.  A 
,ooo-foot  tunnel  at  the  northern  end  of  the  basin  controls  the  supply  of 
rater  for  the  irrigation  of  21,000  acres  of  the  lower  benchlands  along  the 
tusselshell.  Work  on  the  project  began  in  1934  under  the  FERA,  and 
is  been  continued  by  the  WPA. 

The  name  of  the  basin  is  of  legendary  origin.  Indians  are  said  to  have 
id  the  bodies  of  two  men  here,  one  on  each  side  of  the  basin. 

SHAWMUT,  170.9  m.  (3,857  alt,  100  pop.),  is  a  country  store  and 

st  office  on  a  sparse  sheep  range  covered  largely  with  yucca,  sage,  and 
reasewood. 

At  178  m.  is  the  junction  with  a  dirt  road. 

Left  on  this  road,  crossing  railroad  tracks  and  passing  through  the  yard  of  the 
^innecook  Ranch  to  a  FOSSIL  AREA,  7  m.,  locally  known  as  Devil's  Pocket.  It  was 

discovered  in  1902.  The  specimens  found  here  are  similar  to  those  found  in  the 

Crazy  Mountains  area  (see  below),  but  less  spectacular. 

The  CLIFF  (R),  183.2  m.,  is  a  piskun  (buffalo  leap)  where  many 
buffaloes  were  killed.  Below  it  a  highway  cut  exposes  large  numbers  of 
buffalo  bones. 

HARLOWTON,  187.3  m.  (4,167  alt,  1,473  P°P-)»  seat  ojf  Wheat- 
land  County,  is  hidden  by  river  bluffs  until  the  road  makes  a  turn  and  a 
descent  about  a  mile  from  town.  At  the  top  of  the  hill  is  (L)  the  GRAVES 
HOTEL  built  in  1909  of  stone  quarried  from  the  nearby  rim  rocks.  The 
town's  presence  is  first  revealed  by  the  concrete  cylinders  (R)  of  a  flour 
mill.  The  road  turns  R.  into  the  main  street  at  the  base  of  the  hill.  Local 
stone  has  been  used  in  a  number  of  buildings  here.  The  town  overlooks 
the  Musselshell  River  and  is  protected  to  some  extent  from  the  almost 
continual  northerly  winds  by  the  river  bluffs.  Many  houses  on  the  west 
side  are  perched  on  the  very  edge  of  the  river-bank. 


330  TOURS 

Harlowton  was  named  for  Richard  Harlow,  who  built  the  "Jawbone 
Line"  (see  TRANSPORTATION).  It  is  a  division  point  on  the  C.  M. 
St.  P.  &  P.  R.  R.,  whose  electrified  section  begins  here,  and  whose  shops 
and  yards  provide  much  local  employment.  The  flour  mill,  outstanding 
for  this  region,  has  22  storage  tanks  with  a  capacity  of  25,000  bushels 
each,  and  the  daily  output  is  950  barrels  of  flour  and  large  quantities  of 
poultry  and  stock  feeds.  The  town  is  the  trading  center  for  a  steadily  pro- 
ductive sheep  and  cattle  region. 

The  RENE  LA  BRIE  ARROWHEAD  COLLECTION  (open  on  application; 
inquire  at  the  Times  Bldg.,  Mam  St.)  contains  more  than  1,000  arrowheads 
gathered  over  a  period  of  15  years.  It  is  not  completely  catalogued,  but 
includes  most  of  the  styles  of  points  known  to  archeologists — the  slender, 
fluted  Folsom,  the  "Folsomlike,"  the  Yuma,  and  many  others.  The  range 
of  size  and  types  is  as  interesting  as  the  variety  of  flints  and  other  mate- 
rials. Most  of  the  points  were  found  on  Indian  campgrounds,  but  many 
were  obtained  by  laboriously  screening  tons  of  dirt  from  piskuns.  Many 
of  the  Folsom  and  Yuma  points  were  found  buried  near  bones  of  mam- 
moths, ground  sloths,  camels,  and  prehistoric  horses.  La  Brie  also  has  axes 
obtained  by  Indians  from  early  fur  traders,  stones  used  for  pounding 
pemmican,  stones  used  in  ceremonial  games,  war  clubs,  skinning  knives, 
fleshers,  pipe  reamers,  and  medicine  bowls. 

The  W.  F.  ALMQUIST  FIREARMS  COLLECTION  (open  on  application; 
inquire  at  the  Times  Bldg.,  Main  St.)  is  another  valuable  uncatalogued 
collection  built  up  over  a  period  of  years.  Some  of  the  pieces,  such  as  the 
Kentucky  muzzle- loading  rifles,  have  great  beauty  of  workmanship.  Others, 
such  as  the  dragoon  pistols  and  pepper-box  revolvers,  have  more  purely 
antiquarian  interest.  Most  of  the  pieces  have  historical  associations;  many 
played  a  part  in  the  making  of  Montana — the  original  derringer,  the  early 
Sharps,  the  Spencer,  first  repeating  rifle,  the  first  Colt  revolver,  and  the 
Winchester.  A  number  of  the  guns  are  in  bad  condition. 

At  188  m.  is  the  junction  with  State  19. 

Left  on  State  19  to  the  boundary,  14  m.,  of  a  FOSSIL  AREA.  For  about  26  miles 
fossil  beds  extend  along  both  sides  of  the  highway,  mostly  L.  The  pockets  are  widely 
scattered.  The  Fort  Union  geological  formation  in  this  area  contains  some  of  the 
best  examples  of  Cretaceous  and  Tertiary  remains  in  North  America.  Bones  of  the 
earliest  known  primates  were  found  here — animals  ancestral  to  existing  lemurs, 
monkeys,  apes,  and  man.  They  were  very  small — about  the  size  of  squirrels — but 
are  credited  with  the  destruction  of  the  dinosaurs,  whose  eggs  they  ate.  More  than 
2,000  specimens  of  Paleocene  mammals  have  been  taken  from  the  field;  most  of 
them  are  in  the  American  Museum  of  Natural  History  in  New  York.  Outstanding 
among  the  mammal  finds  was  Ptilodus  montanus,  discovered  in  1908  by  Albert 
Silberling  of  Harlowton;  it  is  one  of  the  oldest  known  multituberculate  mammalian 
skulls,  being  surpassed  only  by  specimens  found  in  Mongolia  by  Walter  Granger 
and  Roy  Chapman  Andrews.  Other  fossils  found  here  include  turtles,  crocodiles, 
lizards,  birds,  plants,  and  several  genera  of  dinosaurs,  including  the  smallest  one 
known — a  birdlike  creature  only  14  inches  long. 

A  little  searching  will  unearth  gizzard  stones  polished  to  a  high  gloss  millions  of 
years  ago  by  the  digestive  processes  of  dinosaurs. 

MELVILLE,  30  m.  (5,000  alt.,  25  pop.),  a  supply  point  for  sheep  camps  in  the 
Crazy  Mountains,  is  also  headquarters  of  the  KREMER  STOCK  RANCH,  which  breeds 
the  bucking  horses  and  other  stock  used  in  rodeos  of  the  West  and  also  the  annual 


TOUR    II  331 

Madison  Square  Garden  show  in  New  York.  Hundreds  of  horses  are  trained  on  the 
ranch  each  year. 

State  19  follows  a  somewhat  irregular  route  southward  through  grazing  country, 
with  impressive  views  of  the  mountains  (R). 

BIG  TIMBER,  52  m.  (4,072  alt.,  1,224  pop.)  (see  Tour  1,  Sec.  b),  is  at  the 
junction  with  US  10  (see  Tour  1). 

State  6  goes  west  up  the  Musselshell  Valley.  The  Castle  Mountains  are 
straight  ahead,  almost  indistinguishable  from  the  Little  Belts  (R). 

The  sharp  and  rugged  CRAZY  MOUNTAINS  (L),  glittering  in  the 
clear  air,  are  an  isolated,  geologically  young  range;  they  form  an  almost 
incredibly  jagged  upthrust  of  rock  more  than  11,000  feet  high.  Before 
white  men  ever  saw  them,  Indians  knew  them  as  the  Mad  Mountains,  and 
feared  and  avoided  them.  Their  terrifying  steepness,  their  awe-inspiring 
structure,  and  the  demoniac  winds  that  blow  continually  out  of  their 
strange  canyons  impressed  white  men  as  much  as  it  had  their  coppery 
brethren,  though  with  less  superstitious  awe.  The  epithet  "Mad"  became 
the  more  familiar  "Crazy  "  The  weird  range  is  rarely  visited. 

DAISY  NOTCH,  slightly  R.,  is  a  huge  nick  in  the  soft  rock  of  a  spur  of 
Bluff  Mountain  in  the  Little  Belts.  At  a  distance  it  resembles  a  gunsight. 
The  spur  rises  between  Morrissey  Coulee  and  Daisy  Dean  Canyon. 

At  199.6  m.  is  the  junction  with  a  dirt  road. 

Left  on  this  road  is  TWO  DOT,  1  m.  (4,434  alt.,  179  pop.),  named  for  an  early 
cattle  brand.  It  has  won  local  fame  as  the  scene  of  wild  and  violent  dances  that 
have  more  than  once  ended  in  free-for-all  fights  and  grave  injuries.  A  power  sub- 
station here  controls  voltage  for  the  electrified  C.  M.  St.  P.  &  P.  R.  R. 

As  the  road  goes  south,  R.  is  isolated  COFFIN  BUTTE,  sometimes  called  Gordon 
Butte,  in  honor  of  a  pioneer  rancher.  It  rises  steeply  on  the  north  side,  but  emerges 
into  high  grassland  on  the  south  and  west.  Now  and  then  on  summer  nights,  the 
sheepmen's  lanterns  glimmering  on  the  slopes  are  reported  as  small  forest  fires  by 
persons  unfamiliar  with  the  place. 

The  WALLIS  HUIDEKOPER  RANCH,  35,000  acres  of  hill  and  plain,  is  at  11  m. 
Strangers  descending  to  it  often  mistake  the  collection  of  white-painted  red-roofed 
buildings  for  a  small  village.  The  ranch  at  one  time  maintained  a  herd  of  buffalo 
from  which  came  the  largest  buffalo  head  in  the  world,  now  in  the  Field  Museum 
in  Chicago.  In  the  Huidekoper  home  are  a  number  of  oils  by  Charles  Russell.  One 
of  them  is  The  Last  of  Five  Thousand,  which  brought  Russell  recognition  (see 
THE  ARTS). 

At  214.6  m.  on  State  6  is  the  junction  with  a  dirt  road. 

Left  on  this  road  is  MARTINSDALE,  2.4  m.  (4,822  alt.,  188  pop.),  a  sheep- 
men's town.  West  is  the  Smith  ranch  of  86,000  acres  and  east  is  the  Bair  ranch  of 
80,000  acres,  two  of  the  largest  sheep  outfits  in  the  State.  In  1910  Bair  shipped  east 
44  carloads  of  wool,  worth  $500,000,  the  largest  single  shipment  of  wool  that  ever 
left  Montana. 

In  the  shearing  season,  blackjack  and  poker  games  often  draw  the  itinerant  work- 
ers from  the  shearing  pens,  and  many  shearers  are  as  neatly  "clipped"  as  the  sheep. 

Martinsdale  is  the  home  of  Grace  Stone  Coates,  novelist  and  poet  (see  THE 
ARTS). 

At  216  m.  on  State  6  is  the  junction  with  a  dirt  road. 

Right  on  this  road  to  FINDON,  10  m.,  a  country  post  office;  L.  from  Findon  on 
a  dim  and  difficult  trail  to  the  Narrows  of  DAISY  DEAN  CANYON,  12  m.  On 
the  rock  walls  above  the  narrows  are  Indian  picture  writings  partly  obscured  by  the 
smoke  of  campers'  fires. 

At  219.9  m.  State  6  turns  northwest  to  run  along  the  North  Fork  of  the 


332  TOURS 

Musselshell  through  a  pass  between  the  Little  Belts  (R)  and  the  Castle 
Mountains  (L).  At  intervals  it  follows  an  old  Indian  trail  that  ran  be- 
tween Judith  Gap  and  White  Sulphur  Springs  along  the  southern  slopes 
of  the  Little  Belts.  The  low  Castle  Mountains  are  timbered  with  lodge- 
pole  and  yellow  pine  and,  on  the  western  slopes,  with  scrub  cedar. 

SUMPTER  INN,  225.2  m.,  is  a  tourist  camp  in  a  rugged,  wooded 
canyon. 

The  deserted  shacks  and  mine  shafts  of  COPPEROPOLIS,  236.1  m.,  a 
busy  mining  town  in  the  1890*5,  crown  the  divide  between  the  valleys  of 
the  upper  Musselshell  and  Smith  Rivers.  The  Delpine  Reservoir  (R),  a 
storage  lake  for  irrigation  waters,  backs  up  through  a  long  narrow  valley. 

The  road  here,  surfaced  with  green,  red,  and  yellow  shales,  swings 
south  and  descends  through  the  Smith  Valley. 

At  244.7  m.  is  the  junction  (R)  with  US  89  (see  Tour  4).  Between 
this  point  and  the  junction  at  256.5  m.  US  89  and  State  6  are  one  route 
(see  Tour  4,  Sec.  b). 

At  256.5  m.  is  the  junction  (L)  with  US  89  (see  Tour  4). 

State  6  runs  west  through  the  foothills  of  the  Big  Belt  Mountains  and 
at  269.1  m.  crosses  the  divide  between  the  Smith  and  Missouri  Valleys.  It 
runs  through  narrow  DEEP  CREEK  CANYON,  where  varicolored  strata 
and  curious  rock  formations  tower  2,000  feet  above  the  stream  bed  in 
some  places.  The  descent  toward  the  Missouri  is  long  and  winding. 

DEEP  CREEK  RANGER  STATION  (L),  277.6  m.,  is  in  the  Helena  Na- 
tional Forest,  at  the  western  end  of  Deep  Creek  Canyon. 

At  279.2  m.  the  main  range  of  the  Rockies  is  seen  straight  ahead. 

TOWNSEND,  290.2  m.  (3,833  alt.,  740  pop.)  (see  Tour  1A),  is  at  the 
junction  with  US  10  N  (see  Tour  1A). 


Tour  12 


Ravalli — Plains — Thompson  Falls — (Sandpoint,  Idaho)  ;  State  3. 
Ravalli  to  Idaho  Line,  116.4  m. 

Northern  Pacific  Ry.   parallels   entire  route.  Missoula-Hot   Springs   busses   travel 

State  3  between  Ravalli  and  Perma. 

Better  accommodations  in  towns;  tourist  camps  along  road. 

Oil-surfaced  roadbed;  open  throughout  year. 

State  3  is  part  of  an  alternate  route  to  US  10  between  Missoula  and 
Spokane;  though  40  miles  longer  than  US  10,  it  is  relatively  free  of  traffic 


NATIONAL  BISON  RANGE 


334  TOURS 

every  seven  million  bison  is  an  albino.  The  animals  graze  in  scattered 
groups  and  often  appear  near  the  highway.  Elk,  deer,  mountain  goats, 
and  other  native  animals  share  the  range  with  them. 
At  6.3  m.  is  the  junction  with  a  dirt  road. 

Right  on  this  road  to  FLATHEAD  INDIAN  RESERVATION  AGENCY,  1.2  m.  (se<> 
Tour  7,  Sec.  b) ;  and  MOIESE,  4.6  m.,  headquarters  of  the  National  Bison  Range 
(conducted  tours  on  Sat.  afternoons  and  Sun.).  Moiese  was  named  for  a  Salishan 
subchief. 

DIXON,  7  m.  (2,531  alt.,  132  pop.),  is  a  grain  and  cattle  shipping 
center  at  the  confluence  of  the  Jocko  and  Flathead  Rivers  (R). 

PERMA,  21  m.  (2,512  alt.,  30  pop.),  is  scarcely  noticeable  at  a  short 
distance.  To  the  north  and  south  stretches  the  open  Camas  Prairie  of  the 
Flathead  Reservation.  Salish  and  Kootenai  come  here  annually  in  late 
spring  to  dig  the  bulbs  of  the  camas,  a  member  of  the  lily  family  that  has 
an  onionlike  flavor.  It  was  formerly  one  of  the  staples  of  their  diet. 

Right  from  Perma  on  an  improved  road  to  HOT  SPRINGS,  22  m.  (2,540  alt., 
447  pop.).  (Riding,  swimming,  fishing,  and  hunting  in  summer.)  The  springs  are 
owned  and  maintained  by  the  Government;  the  baths  (adm.  25$  and  50$)  are  under 
the  supervision  of  experienced  attendants.  The  principal  mineral  ingredients  in  the 
hot  water  are  silica,  calcium,  sodium,  potassium,  chlorine,  carbonates,  bicarbonates, 
and  sulphates. 

Between  Perma  and  Paradise  State  3  winds  over  a  thickly  wooded  hill 
above  a  rocky  gorge  of  the  Flathead  River.  At  25  m.  the  Mission  Moun- 
tains (R)  are  seen;  a  large  glacier  gleams  on  the  face  of  McDONALD 
PEAK  (9,800  alt.),  the  highest.  The  range  was  named  for  St.  Ignatius 
Mission,  established  in  1854  by  Jesuit  missionaries  (see  Tour  7,  Sec.  b). 
McDonald  Peak  was  named  for  Angus  McDonald,  the  early  North  West 
trader  operating  in  the  Flathead  and  Clark  Fork  Valleys. 

State  3  crosses  the  western  boundary  of  the  Flathead  Indian  Reserva- 
tion at  30.6  m.  (see  Tour  7,  Sec.  b). 

At  31.6  m.  is  the  junction  with  the  graveled  St.  Regis  Cut-off. 

Left  on  this  road  to  QUINN'S  HOT  SPRINGS,  2  m.,  where  are  hot  mineral-water 
baths.  (Facilities  for  riding,  swimming,  hunting,  and  fishing.) 

ST.  PATRICK'S  NOB  (6,866  alt.),  directly  across  the  Clark  Fork  from  the  hot 
springs,  has  a  FOREST  SERVICE  LOOKOUT  on  its  summit. 

The  Flathead  River  joins  the  Clark  Fork,  which  the  highway  now 
closely  parallels. 

PARADISE  (R),  34.2  m.  (2,499  a^-'  259  P°P-)»  huddles  on  a  grassy 
flat  at  the  base  of  a  bare  mountain.  Railroad  yards  are  L. ;  Paradise  is  a 
division  point  on  the  Northern  Pacific  Ry.,  which  here  changes  from 
mountain  standard  time  to  Pacific  standard  time.  The  town's  name  is  a 
polite  modification  of  Pair  o'  Dice,  the  name  of  a  roadhouse  on  the  trail. 

From  the  mouth  of  the  Flathead  River  the  old  Kootenai  Trail  followed 
the  north  bank  of  the  Clark  Fork  to  Idaho.  Between  1810  and  1883,  when 
the  Northern  Pacific  was  built,  it  was  the  main  artery  of  travel  through 
the  lower  Clark  Fork  Valley.  Its  identity  was  then  lost,  and  most  of  the 
trail  was  obliterated. 

Between  Paradise  and  the  Idaho  Line  are  (R)  the  Cabinet  Mountains 


MCDONALD  PEAK,  MISSION  RANGE 


and  (L)  the  Coeur  d'Alenes.  Early  French-Canadian  trappers,  noting  box- 
like  recesses  in  the  gorge  of  the  Clark  Fork  near  the  present  State  Line, 
applied  to  them  the  French  word  for  cabinet  or  room,  and  this  rock- 
walled  gorge  has  since  been  known  as  the  Cabinet  Gorge.  The  name  Coeur 
d'Alene  seems  to  have  had  its  origin  in  an  epithet  applied  by  Salish  In- 
dians to  sharp-trading  French  Canadians,  who  translated  it  as  "heart  of  an 
awl,"  and  applied  it  to  the  Indians  themselves.  The  shrewd  practices  re- 
ferred to  probably  were  not  confined  to  the  French.  Another  explanation 
is  that  early  trappers  said  the  Coeur  d'Alene  region  was  as  hard  to  get  into 
as  "the  heart  of  a  shoemaker's  awl." 

PLAINS,  39.8  m.  (2,582  alt,  522  pop.),  straddles  the  highway,  its 
business  houses  R.,  the  railroad  L.  Beyond  the  stores  are  trim,  neatly 
painted,  frame  dwellings,  churches,  and  a  school.  Plains  is  the  largest  and 
oldest  white  community  west  of  Missoula  in  the  Clark  Fork  Valley,  which 
at  this  point  is  about  15  miles  wide.  Because  of  the  large  herds  of  wild 
horses  that  once  ranged  the  valley,  the  flats  and  town  were  originally 
called  Wild  Horse  Plains.  The  Kootenai  Trail  ran  near  the  site. 

State  3  crosses  the  boundary  ,of  the  CABINET  NATIONAL  FOREST 
at  46.2  m.,  and  Thompson  River  at  60.4  m.  near  the  confluence  with  the 
Clark  Fork.  Large  stands  of  western  yellow  pine  border  the  stream. 

The  DAVID  THOMPSON  MONUMENT,  64.7  m.,  erected  by  citizens  of 
Thompson  Falls  to  the  memory  of  the  explorer  of  the  Columbia  River 
watershed,  stands  close  to  the  SITE  OF  SALISH  HOUSE,  built  by  Thompson 


336  TOURS 

in  1809.  It  is  believed  to  have  been  the  first  roofed  habitation  of  white 
men  in  the  territory  that  later  became  Montana  (see  HISTORY).  David 
Thompson,  a  surveyor,  was  the  first  white  man  to  follow  the  Columbia 
from  its  source  to  its  mouth.  Mapping  this  territory  with  sextant  and 
compass,  he  traveled  50,000  miles  on  foot,  on  horseback,  and  by  canoe. 
He  built  Salish  House  in  a  place  from  which  he  could  readily  see  Indian 
war  parties  crossing  Bad  Rock  (Es-em-mowela,  or  Roche  Mauvais)  on  the 
Kootenai  Trail. 

Because  of  his  seemingly  magical  instruments,  Indians  regarded  him 
with  superstitious  awe,  and  called  him  Koo-koo-sint  (man  who  looks  at 
the  stars).  They  believed  that  his  telescope  enabled  him  to  see  all  things, 
so  that  an  Indian  woman  could  not  even  mend  a  pair  of  moccasins  with- 
out his  knowledge. 

Above  the  highway  and  the  river  is  (R)  Koo-koo-sint  Ridge,  over- 
looking the  site  of  Salish  House. 

THOMPSON  FALLS,  65.7  m.  (2,463  alt,  464  pop.),  seat  of  Sanders 
County,  was  named  for  David  Thompson.  At  first  glance  this  seems  to  be 
merely  a  one-street  town,  a  short  line  of  buildings  containing  a  service 
station,  a  hotel,  and  a  few  stores.  Closer  inspection  reveals  homes  and 
more  stores  in  a  forest  of  yellow  pine  and  brush.  The  streets  have  an  at- 
mosphere of  privacy  and  peace  enhanced  by  the  view  of  wooded  summits 
to  the  south  and  by  the  calmness  of  the  Clark  Fork,  which  at  this  point 
is  a  lake. 

With  the  completion  of  the  Northern  Pacific  Ry.  in  1883,  Thompson 
Falls  and  Belknap,  7  miles  west,  became  rivals.  The  railroad  company 
favored  Belknap,  and  refused  to  stop  trains  here.  The  citizens  of  Thomp- 
son Falls  thereupon  placed  huge  logs  on  the  railroad  tracks,  and,  while 
crews  were  removing  the  obstructions,  boarded  the  trains  and  persuaded 
emigrants  to  settle  here.  In  1883,  10,000  people  on  their  way  to  the 
Idaho  gold  fields  wintered  in  the  place.  Twenty  saloons  were  operated,  in 
tents  and  wooden  shacks,  and  vigilantes  worked  overtime  to  maintain 
order.  They  once  mailed  notices  to  25  desperadoes,  ordering  them  to  leave 
town;  24  left  at  once  but  the  twenty-fifth  went  away  only  after  feeling  a 
noose  about  his  neck.  A  few  log  cabins  near  the  riverbank,  with  bullet- 
riddled  slab  doors  and  window  jambs,  provide  proof  of  the  dangers  of 
the  period. 

The  town  boasts  of  one  of  the  natural  marvels  that  are  typical  of  so 
much  of  the  northern  mountain  region.  Crevices  in  the  ground  emit  cur- 
rents of  air  that  range  down  to  33°  F.  This  air  has  been  piped  and  used 
for  refrigeration  since  the  first  wells  were  dug  50  years  ago. 

The  Clark  Fork  has  been  dammed  at  the  natural  falls  (L)  to  produce 
50,000  horsepower.  The  lake  impounded  for  2  miles  behind  the  dam  is 
the  site  of  an  annual  regatta  (3rd  week  of  July).  Trout  fishing  is  good  in 
the  lake,  in  the  river  below  the  falls,  and  in  Prospect  Creek,  a  tributary 
that  enters  L. 

Left  from  Thompson  Falls  on  unimproved  State  4  (Prospect  Creek  Road)  to 
OBSERVATION  POINT,  1  m.,  which  affords  a  view  of  the  Clark  Fork,  the  dam,  the 
falls,  and  the  power-house.  Driftwood  high  on  the  sides  of  the  Clark  Fork  gorge 


TOUR    12  337 

indicates  the  fury  with  which  water  rushes  through  at  the  time  of  the  spring  rise, 
an  event  that  attracts  spectators  from  near  and  far.  To  the  north  extends  the  piled 
grandeur  of  the  Cabinet  Mountains. 

The  road  runs  southwest  through  the  Cabinet  National  Forest  and  over  the  Coeur 
d'Alene  Divide  at  Glidden  Pass,  18  m.  Approaching  the  summit,  the  road  is  nar- 
row, with  a  few  places  where  it  is  impossible  for  two  vehicles  to  pass.  This  was 
the  early  trail  from  Thompson  Falls  to  the  placer  gold  discoveries  at  Murray,  Idaho. 

BELKNAP,  72.3  m.  (2,460  ait.,  113  pop.),  has  a  post  office  and  little 
else. 

At  76.4  m.  on  State  3  is  the  junction  with  the  Beaver  Creek  Road. 

Left  on  this  dirt  road  to  the  JACK  WAITE  MINE,  17  m.,  a  large  lead,  silver,  and 
zinc  producer  on  Beaver  Creek. 

WHITE  PINE,  78.7  m.  (2,380  alt,  175  pop.),  is  the  shipping  point 
for  the  Jack  Waite  Mine. 

At  81.6  m.  is  the  junction  with  an  improved  road. 

Left  on  this  road  is  TROUT  CREEK,  0.1  m.  (2,374  alt.,  35  pop.),  a  coaling 
point  for  the  Northern  Pacific  Ry. 

State  3  passes  through  cool  green  stretches  of  cedar  and  tamarack,  which 
flourish  in  the  richer  and  moister  soils  near  the  river. 

The  road  crosses  SWAMP  CREEK,  95.2  m.,  and  ROCK  CREEK, 
99.6  m.  Trout  fishing  is  good  in  both  streams.  A  small  section  of  the  old 
Kootenai  Trail  is  visible  (R)  near  the  junction  of  Rock  Creek  and  the 
Clark  Fork. 

At  101.8  m.  is  the  junction  with  a  dirt  road. 

Left  on  this  road,  crossing  the  Clark  Fork,  to  NOXON,  1  m.  (2,187  alt.,  151 
pop.),  which  seems  to  be  only  a  clearing  in  a  densely  forested  area  of  indefinite 
extent.  Around  it,  however,  is  one  of  the  richest  trapping  areas  in  Montana,  and  a 
region  of  fabulous  harvests  of  wild  huckleberries.  Agnes  K.  Getty,  who  once  taught 
school  there,  described  Noxon  (Boxcar)  in  her  novel  Blue  Gold  (1934). 

At  105.4  m.  on  State  3  is  the  junction  with  the  Bull  Lake  Highway 
(see  Tour  2,  Sec.  c). 

At  113  m.  is  the  junction  with  the  Blue  Creek  Road. 

Right  on  this  improved  dirt  road  to  the  SCOTCHMAN  MINE,  4.5  m.,  a  producer  of 
gold  and  silver.  The  road  runs  through  a  belt  of  cedar  and  white  pine  in  the  Cabi- 
net National  Forest. 

At  116.4  m.  State  3  crosses  the  Idaho  Line  and  becomes  State  3  in 
Idaho  (see  Tour  11,  IDAHO  GUIDE),  34.4  miles  east  of  Sandpoint, 
Idaho. 


338  TOURS 


Tour  13 


Laurel— Rockvale— Warren— (Lovell,  Wyo.);  US  310. 
Laurel  to  Wyoming  Line,  55.9  m. 

Route  paralleled  by  Northern  Pacific  Ry.  between  Laurel  and  Bridger;  by  Chicago, 
Burlington  &  Quincy  R.  R.  between  Bridger  and  the  Wyoming  Line. 
Hotels  and  tourist  camps  in  larger  towns;  cabin  camps  along  route. 
Oil-surfaced  roadbed;  open  throughout  year. 

US  310  follows  the  old  trail  that  ran  between  central  Montana  and 
the  fur  traders'  rendezvous  on  Green  River,  Wyoming.  Explorers,  pros- 
pectors, and  trappers  used  this  route  continually,  and  Chief  Joseph  fol- 
lowed it  in  his  retreat  to  Canada  (see  HISTORY).  Most  of  the  route  ran 
through  the  valley  of  Clark  Fork  of  the  Yellowstone,  a  region  distin- 
guished for  wild  beauty,  with  the  impressive  Beartooth  Mountains  to  the 
west  and  the  Pryor  Mountains  on  the  east.  From  the  prosperous  farms  that 
cover  the  wide  valley  come  livestock,  sugar  beets,  grains,  and  hay. 

US  310  branches  south  from  US  10  (see  Tour  1)  at  LAUREL,  0  m. 
(3,311  alt,  2,558  pop.)  (see  Tour-1,  sec.  b)  and  at  0.4  m.  crosses  the 
Yellowstone  River.  RIVERSIDE  PARK  (L)  is  a  picnic  ground  by  the  river. 

SILESIA,  9-3  m.  (3,404  alt.,  40  pop.),  a  loading  point  for  produce 
from  adjacent  irrigated  lands,  was  named,  not  for  the  German  province, 
but  for  nearby  springs  of  siliceous  water. 

ROCKVALE,  12.1  m.  (3,483  alt.,  25  pop.),  consists  of  a  red  gasoline 
pump  and  a  frame  store  and  post  office.  A  highway  department  port  of 
entry  (see  GENERAL  INFORMATION)  occupies  a  modernized  log 
cabin  beside  the  road. 

At  Rockvale  is  the  junction  with  State  32  (see  Tour  13 A). 

At  16.4  m.  on  US  310  is  the  junction  with  a  graveled  road. 

Left  on  this  road  is  EDGAR,  0.3  m.  (3,473  alt.,  in  pop.),  a  village  in  the  lower 
valley  of  Clark  Fork.  It  is  named  for  Henry  Edgar,  one  of  the  discoverers  of  Alder 
Gulch  (see  Tour  16). 

FROMBERG,  22.2  m.  (3,538  alt.,  550  pop.),  shaded  by  cottonwoods, 
resembles  the  agricultural  villages  of  the  Midwest.  Its  trim  streets,  faced 
with  white  and  gray  stores,  houses,  and  churches,  have  an  air  of  peaceful 
activity.  Few  of  the  buildings  are  new,  but  all  are  well  kept. 

Fromberg  is  the  trade  center  of  a  section,  productive  when  watered, 
that  is  locally  known  as  Poverty  Flats  because  its  settlers  nearly  starved 
to  death  while  waiting  for  a  promised  irrigation  project.  In  summer  the 
air  is  full  of  the  liquid  song  of  red-winged  blackbirds,  which  gather  to 
feed  on  the  wildrice  growing  in  roadside  irrigation  ditches. 

The  Pryor  Mountains  (L),  named  for  Sergeant  Pryor  of  the  Lewis  and 


TOUR  13  339 

Clark  expedition,  are  an  outlying  part  of  the  Big  Horn  Range  (see 
Tour  3). 

BRIDGER,  29.1  m.  (3,664  alt.,  567  pop.),  is  a  sheep  and  cattle  town 
set  against  rimrocks  (R).  Oil  and  gas  from  the  nearby  Dry  Creek  and 
Elk  Basin  fields  have  materially  siowed  down  production  in  its  once  im- 
portant coal  mines.  Bridger  might  well  be  the  faded  original  of  some 
frontier  town  described  in  fiction.  The  town  was  named  for  the  greatest 
frontiersman  in  western  history ;  the  proof  of  his  skill  lies  in  the  fact  that 
though  he  was  in  the  fur  trade  in  1810,  he  lived  to  be  a  very  old  man. 

James  Bridger  (i795(?)-i88i)  began  his  frontier  education  at  Fort 
Osage  in  1810  and  later  worked  with  the  Rocky  Mountain  Fur  Company. 
He  is  sometimes  called  the  discoverer  of  Great  Salt  Lake  (1824),  and  was 
one  of  the  first  white  men  to  explore  the  Yellowstone  Park  region  exten- 
sively. Fort  Bridger,  the  trading  post  he  built  in  1842  on  the  Black  Fork 
of  Green  River,  was  of  considerable  importance  on  the  Oregon-California 
Trail.  He  scouted  many  trails,  including  the  one  that  bears  his  name  (see 
Tour  1,  Sec.  b).  His  advice  as  scout  for  the  U.  S.  Army  was  law  to  pru- 
dent officers. 

Bridger,  alive,  was  a  legend;  dead,  he  inspired  countless  others.  Ned 
Buntline  (Edward  Z.  C.  Judson),  the  popular  pulp  fictionist  of  Bridger's 
day,  was  responsible  for  the  tradition  that  the  scout  was  a  great  liar.  In 
describing  things  that  were  new  to  the  popular  mind — in  some  instances 
new  even  to  science — Bridger  sometimes  gave  fantastic  explanations.  Like 
other  frontiersmen  he  was  not  above  exaggerating,  particularly  when  talk- 
ing to  gullible  tenderfeet.  He  stated,  for  example,  that  a  certain  river  was 
hot  on  the  bottom  because  it  ran  so  fast  over  its  rocky  bed.  His  yarns  of  a 
glass  mountain  that  magnified  an  elk  feeding  30  miles  away,  and  of  a 
"peetrified  bird  sitting  in  a  peetrified  tree  singing  a  peetrified  song," 
were  his  means  of  expressing  his  scorn  for  the  newcomers  who  annoyed 
him  by  their  blundering. 

In  the  1840'$  Jim's  stories  of  the  Yellowstone  Park  region  were  national 
legend.  Long  before  this  a  St.  Louis  editor  set  up  his  first  and  most  sin- 
cere account  in  type,  but  he  destroyed  it  when  someone  told  him  he  would 
be  laughed  out  of  the  country  if  he  printed  it. 

In  his  later  years  Army  officers  vied  with  each  other  to  obtain  his  serv- 
ices as  a  scout.  Popular  belief  then  held  that  he  could  map  any  part  of  the 
Rocky  Mountains  with  charcoal  on  a  piece  of  buffalo  skin;  Jim  himself 
boasted  that  he  could  smell  his  way  where  he  could  not  see  it.  His  daily 
schedule  was  eccentric;  he  slept  when  he  was  tired,  which  was  often  in 
the  middle  of  the  afternoon,  and  ate  when  he  was  hungry,  which  was 
sometimes  after  midnight.  Having  eaten  at  some  ungodly  hour,  he  was 
likely  to  beat  a  tom-tom  and  sing  Indian  chants  the  rest  of  the  night.  To 
keep  him  awake  till  a  decent  hour  and  avoid  these  serenades,  Capt.  J.  L. 
Humfreville  started  to  read  Hiawatha  aloud  to  him.  Jim  was  fascinated  at 
first,  but  could  not  bear  Longfellow's  idealized  Indians.  Having  heard  of 
Shakespeare,  Bridger  sat  for  days  by  the  Oregon  Trail  until  he  found  an 
emigrant  with  a  set  of  Shakespeare  and  then  hired  a  boy  at  $40  a  month 
to  read  to  him.  To  the  earlier  plays  he  listened  attentively,  and  memorized 


34°  TOURS 

many  scenes  that  he  quoted  later  with  his  own  emphasis;  but  when  the 
boy  reached  Richard  the  Third,  Jim  threw  the  book  in  the  fire.  "No  man," 
he  shouted,  "could  be  that  mean." 

Later  in  life  Bridger  retired  to  a  farm  near  Kansas  City,  Mo.  There  he 
died,  blind  and  poor. 

The  highway  crosses  the  Clark  Fork  of  the  Yellowstone,  31.7  m.  The 
river  curves  away  R.,  the  highway  swings  L.  across  an  unfenced  plateau, 
where  short  grasses  provide  excellent  pasturage  for  sheep.  Canvas-covered 
wagons  stand  here  and  there.  Near  each  of  them  a  herder  and  his  dogs 
tend  the  sheep.  Sometimes  the  dogs  alone  hold  the  sheep,  while  thin  blue 
smoke  drifts  away  from  the  wagon  in  testimony  that  the  herder  is  prepar- 
ing his  beans  and  sauerkraut. 

Herding  is  a  weary  task,  not  only  because  the  herder  sees  few  human 
beings  during  the  summer,  but  also  because  of  the  stupidity  of  his  charges, 
their  monotonous  bleating,  the  discomforts  of  bad  weather,  and  the  cheer- 
lessness  of  his  own  prospects.  Some  herders  occupy  themselves  with  wood 
carving  or  basket  weaving,  or  with  gathering  arrowheads  or  curious  rocks. 
Others  work  stolidly,  and,  with  almost  infinite  patience,  save  their  small 
wages  in  the  hope  of  some  day  buying  herds  of  their  own. 

At  49.8  m.  the  Big  Horn  Mountains  are  straight  ahead.  Lt.  William 
Clark  named  them  in  1806,  after  killing  two  bighorn  sheep  in  them. 

WARREN,  51.3  m.  (3,718  alt.,  15  pop.),  is  a  stock- loading  point 
whose  littleness  and  isolation  are  emphasized  by  the  black  ribbons  of  rail- 
road track  that  stretch  into  the  dim  distance  to  east  and  west. 

At  55.9  m.  US  310  crosses  the  Wyoming  Line,  27  miles  northwest  of 
Lovell,  Wyo.  (see  Tour  10  m  WYOMING  GUIDE). 


Tour  13  A 


Rockvale — Red    Lodge — Cooke — Silver    Gate — (Yellowstone    National 

Park)  ;  State  32. 

Rockvale  to  Yellowstone  National  Park,  105.4  m. 

Northern  Pacific  Ry.  parallels  route  between  Rockvale  and  Red  Lodge. 
Hotels  in  Red  Lodge  and  Cooke.  Dude  ranches,  mountain  lodges,  tourist  cabins,  and 
free  public  campgrounds  along  highway.   Entrance   fee   to   Yellowstone   National 
Park,  $3.00  for  car. 

Oil-surfaced  roadbed;  open  only  between  late  spring  and  early  autumn.  Climb  to 
Beartooth  Plateau  is  made  over  51/2  percent  grade;  turnouts  provided  for  safe  ob- 
servation of  canyons  and  peaks. 

Temperatures  drop  nightly  almost  to  freezing,  making  it  imperative  that  campers 
carry  adequate  bedding. 


£m£' 


MAE  WEST  CURVE  ON  STATE  32 


State  32,  one  of  five  roads  entering  Yellowstone  National  Park,  in  part 
follows  one  of  the  oldest  Indian  trails  in  the  State.  It  ascends  and  descends 
very  steep  grades,  offering  striking  vistas  of  forests,  and  bare  granite 
summits.  It  supplants  old  pack  trails  into  a  great  recreational  area,  and 
provides  an  easy  and  rapid  route  for  fire-fighting  crews  into  a  region  of 
valuable  timber.  Near  Red  Lodge  the  highway  ascends  the  gorge  of  Rock 
Creek  Canyon  until  apparently  insurmountable  heights  appear  on  all 
sides.  The  highest  peaks  in  the  State  here  rise  abruptly  from  the  Great 
Plains,  many  snow-capped  throughout  the  year,  others  bearing  glaciers  in 
granite  cirques  (steep- walled  mountain  recesses  eroded  by  glaciation).  A 
vast  region  in  these  mountains  has  been  set  aside  by  the  Federal  Govern- 
ment as  a  permanent  primitive  area. 

The  Red  Lodge-Cooke  highway  was  cut  through  the  Beartooth  Moun- 
tains by  the  Federal  Government  at  a  cost  of  $2,500,000.  The  project 
was  approved  in  January  1931.  A  construction  camp  moved  in  from 
Gardiner  to  the  western  end  of  the  plotted  route,  taking  its  heavy  ma- 
chinery down  an  old  "tote  road."  From  Red  Lodge  another  army  of 
workers  moved  slowly  up  the  mountain  sides.  High  shelves  were  carved 
in  canyon  walls  to  carry  the  road.  The  two  crews  met  on  the  summit  of 
Beartooth  Plateau. 

State  32  branches  west  from  US  310  at  ROCKVALE,  0  m.  (3,483  alt., 
25  pop.)  (see  Tour  13). 

The  Beartooth  Mountains  are  straight  ahead  at  0.1  m. 


342  TOURS 

At  2.2  m.  is  the  junction  with  a  graded  road. 

Left  on  this  road  to  MONT  AQUA  HOT  SPRINGS  (warm  plunge,  adm.  35$;  tub 
baths,  automobile  campgrounds,  modern  tourist  cabins,  dining  room),  0.5  m.,  on 
Rock  Creek,  a  tributary  of  Clark  Fork  of  the  Yellowstone.  From  a  4,ioo-foot  well 
water  emerges  at  a  temperature  of  112°  F.  It  contains  255  grains  of  minerals  to  the 
gallon  and  is  nationally  marketed. 

JOLIET,  5.8  m.  (3,728  alt.,  359  pop.),  is  a  shipping  point  for  produce 
of  the  irrigated  valley. 

BOYD,  11.1  m.  (3,898  alt.,  33  pop.),  lies  on  a  gentle  slope  amid 
sweeping  acres  of  grain  irrigated  by  water  from  the  melting  snows  of  the 
Beartooths.  Livestock,  sugar  beets,  corn,  wheat,  hay,  vegetables,  and  honey 
are  the  principal  products.  Most  of  the  farmers  are  Finns;  every  home 
has  a  log-house  steam  bath,  similar  to  those  used  in  Finland.  Steam  is 
created  by  throwing  water  on  heated  rocks. 

ROBERTS,  19.6  m.  (4,585  alt.,  200  pop.),  a  shipping  point  for  Rock 
Creek  Valley  produce,  clusters  about  its  elevators  and  railway  station  in 
the  fashion  of  villages  everywhere  in  agricultural  districts. 

FOX,  26  m.  (5,048  alt.,  25  pop.),  is  a  railroad  siding  used  as  a  load- 
ing point  for  livestock. 

RED  LODGE,  32.4  m.  (5,548  alt.,  3,026  pop.),  a  progressive  mining 
town,  is  the  seat  of  Carbon  County.  Legend  recounts  that  it  was  originally 
called  Bad  Lodge  because  of  meat  that  spoiled,  thereby  ruining  a  Crow 
festival. 

SILVER  RUN  PEAK  (12,610  alt.),  second  highest  mountain  in  Mon- 
tana (R),  seems,  in  the  clear  air,  much  nearer  than  it  really  is. 

Red  Lodge  is  headquarters  for  expeditions  of  the  American  Museum 
of  Natural  History  and  other  scientific  groups  studying  paleontology  ( see 
NATURAL  SETTING).  A  human  tooth  found  several  years  ago  in  coal 
of  the  Fort  Union  formation  near  Red  Lodge,  together  with  petrified 
bones  of  prehistoric  mammals,  gave  some  evidence  that  human  life  may 
have  existed  here  earlier  than  was  previously  believed. 

A  collection  of  3,000  Indian  relics  is  on  display  at  the  BEARTOOTH 
CURIO  SHOP  (open  by  appointment),  N.  Broadway.  Specimens  of  frozen 
grasshoppers  from  Grasshopper  Glacier  are  exhibited  in  the  office  of  the 
Carbon  County  News. 

The  RED  LODGE  MUNICIPAL  TOURIST  PARK,  33.2  m.,  by  the  highway 
at  the  southern  edge  of  town,  a  project  of  the  CWA  and  FERA,  was 
built  entirely  of  local  stone  and  timber  with  the  labor  of  Finns,  Swedes, 
and  Norwegians.  The  architecture  is  Scandinavian.  A  rock  wall  of  the 
ancient  Roman  style,  built  by  Italians,  completely  encloses  it.  A  stone 
fountain  and  pool  containing  native  trout  is  in  the  center  of  a  landscaped 
plaza.  There  is  also  a  wading  pool  for  children.  Each  of  the  54  rustic 
cabins  has  one,  two,  or  three  rooms,  a  bath,  and  a  private  garage,  and  is 
equipped  with  electric  light,  gas,  and  hot  and  cold  water.  There  is  a 
recreation  ground  and  laundry. 

THE  SEE  '£M  ALIVE  Zoo  (open  May  15-Sept.  15,  9-sundown;  adm. 
adults  100,  children  50),  33.5  m.,  has  47  species  of  game  animals,  birds, 
and  fish  native  to  Montana,  in  surroundings  simulating  the  natural.  The 
zoo  owner  operates  a  silver-fox  farm. 


: 


TOUR  I3A  343 

ROCK  CREEK  CANYON,  36.9  m.,  has  a  narrow  entrance,  buttressed 
(R)  by  jagged  outcroppings  of  granite  known  as  POINT  OF  ROCKS,  and  is 
in  the  Limestone  Palisades.  Rock  Creek  (L)  flows  swift  and  clear  over 
boulders. 

The  GREENOUGH  RANCH  (L),  38  m.,  is  the  home  of  "Pack  Saddle" 
Ben  Greenough,  who  for  years  has  conducted  pack  trains  over  treacherous 
mountain  trails.  His  son  and  daughter  form  a  rodeo  team.  In  1935  "Turk" 
was  named  king  of  bronc  riders  and  in  the  same  year  Alice  rode  to  victory 
in  the  world  championship  Boston  rodeo.  She  has  also  won  acclaim  for 
distinguished  riding  in  Spain,  Italy,  and  Australia. 

In  the  background  is  MOUNT  MAURICE  (L),  with  the  Beartooth 
Geological  Research  Camp  at  its  northern  base. 

The  highway  ascends  steeply  between  sheer  cliffs  and  unusual  rock 
formations  in  the  rugged  foothills  of  the  Beartooths,  and  at  38.1  m., 
crosses  the  boundary  of  the  CUSTER  NATIONAL  FOREST. 

SHERIDAN  CAMPGROUNDS,  38.2  m.,  well  equipped  and  modern,  is 
maintained  by  the  U.  S.  Forest  Service.  WAPITI  MOUNTAIN  is  R. 

CAMP  RATIN  (L),  41.1  m.,  in  a  pine-belted  clearing,  is  reached  by  ? 
rustic  bridge  crossing  Rock  Creek.  SHERIDAN  PEAK  rises  L. ;  and  R.  is 
Silver  Run  Plateau  (10,925  alt). 

At  43.5  m.  on  State  32  is  the  junction  with  a  dirt  road. 

Right  on  this  road  0.3  m.  to  RICHEL  LODGE  (cabins  and  saddle  horses  rented). 
At  45.3  m.  on  State  32  is  the  junction  with  an  improved  dirt  road. 

Right  on  this  road  to  PARKSIDE  CAMP  (tables,  outdoor  stoves,  running  water, 
sanitary  conveniences),  0.5  m.,  maintained  by  the  U.  S.  Forest  Service  on  the  bank 
of  Wyoming  Creek. 

At  47.5  m.  on  State  32  is  the  junction  with  a  dirt  road. 

Left  on  this  road  to  TIN  CAN  CAMP,  0.7  m.,  another  Forest  Service  campground. 

PRIMAL  SWITCHBACK,  48.2  m.  (7,895  alt.),  is  the  lowest  of  four  great 
switchbacks  that  in  16  miles  carry  the  highway  to  an  altitude  of  10,995 
feet.  The  hairpin  marks  the  spot  where  the  herculean  task  of  carving  the 
highway  from  the  rocky  Beartooth  Mountains  really  began.  At  BIG  FILL 
TURN,  48.6  m.,  a  gigantic  earth  fill  carries  the  road  across  the  mouth  of  a 
steep  gulch.  In  the  steep  ascent  here,  vegetation  zones  are  well  illustrated. 
At  the  lowest  switchback,  the  road  enters  a  belt  of  Engelmann  spruce, 
above  the  Douglas  fir  and  lodgepole  pine  belt  of  the  valley.  The  spruce 
gives  way  to  subalpine  fir,  which,  as  it  nears  the  limits  of  its  altitudinal 
range,  is  found  in  dense  bushlrke  groups.  The  occasional  mountain 
meadows  are  starred  with  bright  blossoms. 

At  50.5  m.  is  a  turn-out  from  which  is  viewed  the  Wyoming  Creek 
Valley  and  the  vertical  cliffs  rising  to  snow-capped  peaks  above  it. 

DEAD  WOOD  SWITCHBACK,  51.5  m.  (8,625  ait-)>  nas  WYOMING  ROCK 
TURN,  53.4  m.,  as  its  chief  curve. 

At  54.5  m.  the  highway  winds  around  sinuous  MAE  WEST  CURVE 
(9,285  alt).  From  KNOX  POINT,  54.9  m.  (9,465  alt.),  is  a  good  view  of 
the  curve  immediately  below,  and  of  the  far-flung  reaches  of  green  valley, 
timbered  slopes,  and  parklike  meadows.  Sturdy  CROME  MOUNTAIN 


344  TOURS 

is  R.  with  MOUNT  REARGUARD  (12,350  alt.)  back  of  it,  farther 
west.  In  the  northwest  SILVER  RUN  PEAK  rises  above  HELLROAR- 
ING  PLATEAU. 

The  highway  crosses  timber  line,  55  m.,  leaving  the  alpine  fir  belt, 
and  passes  into  the  arctic-alpine  meadows  found  in  the  northern  Rockies 
at  this  altitude.  Snow  is  still  packed  on  the  summit  in  July,  and  in  shady 
places  along  the  highway  throughout  the  summer.  The  flowers  spring  up 
at  the  edge  of  the  retreating  snow.  The  alpine  poppy,  carpet  pink,  white 
dryad,  phacelia,  fireweed,  Rocky  Mountain  laurel,  heather,  delicate  alpine 
columbine,  and  various  daisies  and  asters  mingle  with  the  rich  cover  of 
grass  and  sedge.  Stems  are  short  and  the  period  of  blooming  is  brief;  in 
August  goldenrod  and  late  aster  nod  among  the  drying  fruits  of  the 
brilliant  early  flora. 

The  wind  that  sweeps  unendingly  over  the  plateau  is  chilling  even  on 
the  hottest  days.  Only  below  timber  line  on  the  southern  edge  of  the  high 
bench  is  there  shelter  from  it. 

The  highway  crosses  the  Wyoming  Line,  55.2  m.  (10,234  alt.),  which 
is  also  the  boundary  between  the  Custer  and  Shoshone  National  Forests. 
Between  this  point  and  93.2  m.  the  route  dips  into  Wyoming. 

TWIN  LAKES,  55.9  m.  (10,697  alt.),  lie  (R)  far  below  the  road  in  a 
craggy  cirque,  on  whose  walls  snow  remains  the  entire  year.  A  turn-out 
on  the  highway  permits  a  wide  view  from  parked  cars.  The  aloofness 
and  ageless  grandeur  of  this  plateau  made  it  one  of  the  eternal  things  to 
the  Indians,  and  their  imaginations  invested  it  with  a  soul. 

BENNETT  CREEK  DIVIDE,  61.2  m.  (10,931  alt.),  is  the  watershed 
between  flanking  ranges  of  the  Beartooths.  RUBY  PEAK  is  R.,  NIG 
PEAK,  L.;  GARDINER  LAKE  (10,500  alt.)  is  (L)  at  62.5  m.  and 
MIRROR  LAKE  (10,738  alt.)  is  (R)  at  63.6  m. 

Short  switchbacks  lead  to  the  SUMMIT,  64.9  m.  (10,995  alt.),  of 
Beartooth  Plateau  (9,500  average  alt.).  The  highway  here  is  close  to  the 
trail  followed  by  Chief  Joseph  and  his  Nez  Perce  followers  after  the 
burning  of  Cooke,  on  their  retreat  from  Idaho  to  Canada  (see  HISTORY). 
Far  in  the  northwest  is  GRANITE  PEAK  (12,850  alt.),  Montana's 
highest,  a  stone  pyramid  thrusting  into  clouds.  The  panorama  unfolded 
from  the  road's  summit  is  vast  and  impressive.  A  sea  of  sunny  plateaus, 
shadowy  gulches,  and  mountains — some  timbered,  some  snow-capped — 
stretch  away  as  far  as  the  eye  can  see.  The  great  reaches  of  primitive  lake- 
speckled  wilderness  below  are  accessible  only  on  foot,  and  trails  are  few. 

Hawks  swoop  toward  dark  canyons,  sunlight  glinting  on  their  wings. 
Near  the  road  at  the  summit  whistling  marmots  sun  themselves  on  the 
rock  slides. 

PILOT  PEAK  (11,740  alt.),  first  climbed  in  1930,  is  visible  (L)  at 
65.7  m.  Near  it  INDEX  PEAK  (11,977  ait)  rises  like  a  spire- 

FROZEN  MAN'S  CURVE,  66.2  m.  (10,450  alt.),  a  double  S,  looks 
down  (R)  1 86  feet  on  tiny  FROZEN  LAKE,  whose  surface  is  often  ice- 
covered  even  in  summer.  State  32  crosses  a  narrow  neck  of  LONG  LAKE 
(9,640  alt.)  at  70  m. 

At  70.1  m.  is  the  junction  with  a  dirt  road. 


SWITCHBACKS  ON  STATE  32 


i 


Left  on  this  road  to  LONG  LAKE  CAMP,  0.5  m.,  a  modern  Forest  Service  picnic 
and  camp  site. 

LITTLE  BEAR  LAKE,  71.1  m.  (9,549  alt.),  is  R. 
At  72  m.  is  the  junction  with  a  narrow  dirt  road. 

Right  on  this  road  to  ISLAND  LAKE  and  ISLAND  LAKE  CAMPGROUND,  0.5  m. 

BEAR  CREEK  links  several  mountain  lakes;  the  road  crosses  it  at 
72.6  m.,  near  the  outlet  of  Island  Lake.  Here,  at  timber  line,  the  road 
drops  down  again  from  alpine  meadows  into  the  alpine  fir  belt  and  then 
into  the  more  varied  flora  of  lower  mountain  meadows. 

BEARTOOTH  LAKE  (9,000  alt.),  75.1  m.  the  most  popular  lake  in 
the  Beartooth  Mountains,  provides  excellent  trout  fishing.  On  its  pine- 
clad  shores  are  a  store,  a  gas  station,  tourist  cabins,  and  boating  and  ramp- 
ing facilities.  Above  the  lake  rises  BEARTOOTH  BUTTE,  its  front  bright 
with  ocher  tints;  a  great  variety  of  fossils  has  been  found  in  its  exposed 
rock.  The  BEAR'S  TOOTH  (10,420  alt.),  a  landmark  known  to  the  earliest 
Indians,  projects  from  its  face  and  gives  the  range  its  name. 

BEARTOOTH  FALLS  (L),  75.6  m.,  are  visible.  In  June,  when  snows  from 
the  high  mountain  ranges  are  melting,  the  falls  are  a  foamy  trough  in  the 
dark  green  of  the  pine-rimmed  gorge. 


346  TOURS 

INSPIRATION  POINT  (8,745  alt.),  77  m.,  has  a  parking  area  offering  a 
magnificent  view  of  the  densely  timbered  Clark  Fork  Valley  (L),  and 
the  high  peaks  of  Yellowstone  National  Park;  to  the  north  lies  a  region 
spattered  with  lakes.  The  abundant  flora  all  about  has  the  high  colors 
common  on  mountain  benchlands  in  spring;  death  camas,  wild  onion, 
bitterroot,  larkspur,  lupine,  buttercup,  wild  pansy,  Indian  paintbrush,  and 
penstemon  thrust  up  vivid  heads  among  the  less  conspicuous  grasses  and 
their  relatives,  dappling  the  green  background  with  yellow,  red,  and  vary- 
ing shades  of  blue  and  purple.  Engelmann  spruce  gives  way  to  the  familiar 
Douglas  fir  and  lodgepole  pine ;  along  the  streambanks  are  quaking  aspen, 
willow,  alder,  and  the  bright-colored  flowers  of  moister,  more  sheltered 
habitats.  Mingling  with  the  fragrance  of  alpine  flowers  is  the  pungence 
of  sun-warmed  balsam  and  of  pitch.  Deer  and  elk  browse  in  the  meadows ; 
a  bear  occasionally  appears  in  a  green  space  to  busy  himself  with  an  ant- 
inhabited  log. 

State  32  crosses  LAKE  CREEK,  83  m.,  between  two  cascades  that  drop 
40  feet  from  the  brink  of  the  dark  forest,  to  tumble  over  rocky  ledges 
below. 

Forest  Service  camp  sites  are  (L)  at  87.6  m.  The  highway  crosses  Clark 
Fork  of  the  Yellowstone,  88.2  m.,  and  follows  it  for  about  6  miles. 

State  32  crosses  the  Wyoming  Line  at  93.2  m.  and  re-enters  Montana. 

At  97  m.  is  the  junction  with  a  dirt  road. 

Left  on  this  road  0.5  m.  to  SODA  BUTTE  CAMP  (tables,  benches,  outdoor  stoves, 
running  water). 

COOKE,  97.9  m.  (7,535  alt,  102  pop.),  busy  with  bright  gas  pumps 
and  the  needs  of  hungry  tourists,  began  life  as  a  prospect  hole  in  the  early 
1 870*5.  Behind  the  modern  refreshment  stands  are  weathered  cabins  with 
moss-covered  roofs,  twisted  and  sagging  with  age,  and  around  the  town 
are  mountains  pitted  with  old  diggings  and  laced  with  prospectors'  trails. 
Up  quiet  gulches  men  still  "take  a  pan"  and  watch  eagerly  as  the  circular 
swish  of  the  water  washes  away  the  lighter  gravel,  and  the  residue  of 
black  sand  and  gold  forms  a  thin  line  around  the  edge  of  the  pan. 

Before  railroads  were  built  into  the  northern  mountain  region,  Cooke 
was  the  receiving  point  for  goods  shipped  by  boat  up  the  Missouri  and 
Yellowstone  Rivers  and  then  forwarded  by  stage  and  pack  train  over  the 
winding  trail  through  Red  Lodge.  Here  Buffalo  Bill's  Indian  trade  goods 
were  transshipped  for  Cody,  Wyo.  The  boisterous  shouts  of  miners,  and 
the  deep  rumble  of  "rock  in  the  box,"  mingled  with  the  rattle  and  creak 
of  the  slow  ox  and  mule  freight  teams. 

In  1877  Chief  Joseph  and  his  Nez  Perce,  on  their  retreat  to  Canada 
(see  HISTORY),  swept  through  Cooke  and  burned  the  gold  mills.  New 
mills  were  built  and  work  was  resumed  for  a  time,  but  the  crude  methods 
and  equipment  of  the  day  were  unequal  to  handling  the  poorer  ores ;  the 
"flour"  (gold  so  fine  that  it  does  not  settle  in  the  sluice  box)  was  lost. 
When  the  best  of  the  pay  dirt  was  gone,  the  miners  who  had  stampeded 
here  to  dig  the  million  dollars'  worth  of  gold  with  which  Cooke  is  un- 
officially credited,  packed  their  picks,  pans,  and  square-bladed  shovels,  and 
wandered  away  to  richer  fields. 


.tfiM^ 


BEARTOOTH  FALLS 


348  TOURS 

For  50  years  before  the  opening  of  State  32,  Cooke  stood  isolated,  little 
more  than  a  legend  to  the  rest  of  the  world.  Saloons  and  mills  decayed. 
Chipmunks  played  on  the  trestles  and  raced  on  the  flumes.  Cabins,  taken 
over  by  pack  rats,  tumbled  down  and  grass  grew  in  the  paths. 

The  decaying  ALLEN  HOTEL,  erected  in  the  i88o's  of  rough-hewn 
logs,  is  typical  of  the  old  buildings.  It  contains  pieces  of  mahogany  furni- 
ture brought  here  in  a  covered  wagon,  and  hooked  rugs  more  than  100 
years  old. 

Several  trails  leading  from  the  town  into  the  mountains  are  suitable 
for  hiking  or  riding,  but  strangers  should  be  careful  not  to  stray  from 
the  well-defined  ones,  particularly  where  timber  is  heavy. 

Right  from  Cooke  on  a  mountain  trail  to  GRASSHOPPER  GLACIER,  14  m., 
cradled  between  ICEBERG  PEAK  and  MOUNT  WILSE.  All  but  the  last  half  mile 
can  be  made  on  horseback. 

The  almost  perpendicular  face  of  the  8o-foot  cliff  of  ice  is  marked  with  black 
lines  of  frozen  grasshoppers.  The  most  widely  accepted  explanation  is  that  swarms 
of  the  insects,  carried  by  wind  to  great  altitudes,  were  chilled  in  passing  over  the 
glacier,  and  fell.  Snows  covered  them.  Succeeding  hordes  met  the  same  fate,  and  the 
glacier  became  striped  with  black  bands  of  the  frozen  insects,  some  of  them  60  feet 
deep  from  the  present  surface.  The  process  is  still  going  on.  Warm  summer  thaws 
sometimes  free  great  numbers  whose  decomposition  creates  an  unforgettable  stench. 

This  glacier  loses  height  in  summer,  but  invariably  builds  up  again  in  winter, 
thus  providing  a  field  of  practical  study  of  glacial  formation  and  disintegration. 

To  the  northeast  is  GRANITE  PEAK  (12,850  alt.),  scaled  for  the  first  time  in 
1923  by  Fred  Inabit  and  U.  S.  Forest  Service  officials. 

SILVER  GATE,  99.8  m.  (7,470  alt.),  is  a  summer  hamlet  of  stores, 
amusement  centers,  tourist  cabins,  hotels,  and  gas  stations,  all  catering  to 
tourists.  Soda  Butte  Creek  (L)  flows  through  pleasant,  wooded  land. 
SILVER  MOUNTAIN  (R)  rises  above  the  village. 

At  101.9  m.  State  32  crosses  the  northeastern  boundary  of  YELLOW- 
STONE NATIONAL  PARK. 

SILVER  GATE,  102.3  m.  (7,350  alt.),  is  an  official  entrance  to  Yellow- 
stone National  Park. 

At  105.4  m.  State  32  crosses  the  Wyoming  Line,  28.9  miles  east  of 
Tower  Falls  Junction  (see  WYOMING  GUIDE). 


Tour  14 


(Manyberries,   Alberta)— Havre— Fort  Benton— Great  Falls;   State   29. 
Canadian  Border  to  Great  Falls,  157.3  m. 

Route  served  by  Intermountain  Transportation  Co.  busses  between  Havre  and  Great 
Falls;  same  section  paralleled  by  Great  Northern  Ry.  branch. 


TOUR  14  349 

Hotels  in  larger  towns ;  tourist  camps  at  long  and  irregular  intervals. 

Roadbed  graveled  or  graded  dirt  between  Canadian  Border  and  Havre;  oil-surfaced 

between  Havre  and  Great  Falls;  oil-surfaced  section  open  all  seasons. 

This  route  forms  a  great  inverted  check  mark  across  north-central  Mon- 
tana, with  the  short  stroke  extending  across  the  grazing  and  dry-land 
farming  country  of  the  Milk  River  Valley,  the  longer  one  across  the  broad 
fields  and  buffalo-grass  ranges  between  Havre  and  Great  Falls.  The  roll- 
ing plain  is  divided  into  benches  by  the  Missouri,  Marias,  and  Teton 
Rivers  and  their  tributaries.  The  isolated  Bearpaw  and  Highwood  Ranges 
raise  bold  barriers  to  a  far  eastward  view;  in  the  blue-banked  westward 
distance  foothills  of  the  Rockies  are  seen. 

Almost  anywhere  on  the  prairie  route  the  eerie  howl  of  coyotes  is  heard 
nightly.  White-tailed  jack  rabbits  leap  like  small  kangaroos  in  the  glare 
of  automobile  headlights.  By  day  an  occasional  rattlesnake  crawls  in  the 
dust  of  the  prairie  or  among  the  rocks  of  the  broken  country.  Canadian 
geese  break  migratory  flights  to  rest  on  the  streams  and  lakes  in  spring 
and  autumn.  Pheasant  and  grouse  nest  along  country  lanes,  and  feed  in 
the  farmers'  fields.  In  the  coulees  and  along  the  creeks,  bullberries,  huckle- 
berries, chokecherries,  serviceberries,  and  wild  raspberries  grow  profusely. 

State  29,  a  continuation  of  an  unnumbered  Canadian  road,  crosses  the 
Canadian  Border,  0  m.,  51  miles  southeast  of  Manyberries,  Alberta. 
North  of  Havre  State  29  is  known  as  the  Wild  Horse  Trail.  Over  this 
trail,  in  the  late  i88o's,  large  herds  of  longhorn  cattle  were  driven  to  the 
Canadian  Cypress  Hills  for  fattening,  and  back  to  the  railhead  in  Mon- 
tana for  shipment. 

SIMPSON,  2.1  m.  (2,630  alt.,  14  pop.),  a  post  office  and  general 
store,  is  cut  off  from  the  world  in  winter.  The  trim  buildings  of  an  occa- 
sional large  wheat  farm  contrast  sharply  with  the  many  deserted  houses 
and  ruined  barns  along  the  road  in  this  area.  Russian  thistles  and  yellow- 
flowered  wild  mustard  grow  rank  in  untilled  fields.  Great  patches  of 
ground  are  white  with  alkali  where  water  has  evaporated  from  ponds  and 
stream  beds. 

The  Bearpaw  Mountains  are  straight  ahead  at  30.8  m. 

The  LIGNITE  MINES,  38.6  m.  (R  and  L),  are  in  veins  near  the  surface; 
the  coal  is  removed  entirely  by  undermining,  without  blasting. 

HAVRE,  39.3  m.  (2,486  alt.,  6,372  pop.)  (see  Tour  2,  sec.  a),  is  at 
the  junction  with  US  2  (see  Tour  2). 

NORTHERN  MONTANA  COLLEGE,  40.3  m.  (see  Tour  2,  sec.  a),  is  R. 

State  29,  here  the  Old  Forts  Trail,  follows  the  first  overland  route  be- 
tween Fort  Benton  and  Fort  Assiniboine  (see  below). 

At  40.4  m.  is  the  junction  with  a  graveled  road. 

Left  on  this  road  to  BEAVER  CREEK  PARK  (State  Park  No.  i),  19  m.  (free,  im- 
proved camp  sites),  which  extends  across  12  miles  of  thickly  wooded  country  along 
Beaver  Creek. 

The  BEARPAW  MOUNTAINS  (L)  are  now  seen  for  15  miles. 
At  46.9  m.  is  the  junction  with  a  dirt  road. 

Left  on  this  road  to  FORT  ASSINIBOINE,  1  m.,  established  in  1879  to  prevent  the 


350  TOURS 

return  of  Sitting  Bull  and  his  Sioux  warriors  from  Canada,  and  to  overawe  the  rest- 
less Blackfeet.  Many  years  later  John  J.  Pershing  served  as  a  cavalry  officer  here.  In 
the  middle  1930*5  the  fort  was  used  as  a  transient  relief  camp.  Several  of  the  first 
buildings  remain.  Their  sturdy  construction  was  made  possible  by  the  fact  that  the 
sand  and  clay  of  Beaver  Creek  make  excellent  brick.  Men  who  understood  the  manu- 
facture of  brick  were  specially  enlisted  for  the  building  period. 

LAREDO,  53.7  m.  (2,423  alt,  225  pop.),  is  a  grain-shipping  point. 
South  of  it  the  road  passes  through  a  stock-growing  region.  At  about  mid- 
summer large  haying  crews  work  at  cutting  and  stacking  alfalfa  for  winter 
feed.  The  work,  so  far  as  possible,  is  mechanized;  great  two-  and  four- 
horse  sweeps  pick  up  the  bunched  or  windrowed  hay  and  deposit  it  on 
the  huge-toothed  wooden  forks  of  the  stacker,  which  raise  it  to  the  top  of 
the  stack.  There  one  man — sometimes  two — works  like  a  titan  to  tear  apart 
the  tangled  bunches  with  his  pitchfork  and  place  the  hay  where  it  is 
needed  to  build  a  symmetrical  stack. 

BOX  ELDER,  63.8  m.  (2,682  alt.,  127  pop.),  is  headquarters  of  a  live- 
stock firm  whose  buildings  surround  the  village. 

Left  from  Box  Elder  on  a  graded  road  to  ROCKY  BOY,  14  m.  (3,100  alt.,  40 
pop.),  agency  of  the  ROCKY  BOY  INDIAN  RESERVATION  (camp  permits  on  applica- 
tion to  superintendent).  Nearly  100  years  ago  a  large  band  of  Chippewa  (Ojibwa) 
from  near  Red  Lake,  Minn.,  moved  west.  The  Sioux,  who  greatly  outnumbered 
them,  drove  them  into  Canada,  where  they  joined  their  kinsmen  the  Cree,  or  Kin- 
nisto-no  (three  of  us).  They  hunted  buffalo  in  what  is  now  Montana,  frequently 
warring  with  the  Blackfeet,  especially  the  Pikuni.  In  the  spring  of  1885,  incited  to 
revolt,  they  fought  Canadian  troops,  and  lost.  Their  leader,  Louis  Riel,  a  quarter- 
breed  partly  educated  for  the  priesthood,  was  captured,  convicted  of  murder,  and 
hanged. 

The  rebellion  crushed,  many  of  the  Chippewa,  led  by  Stone  Child  whom  white 
men  dubbed  Rocky  Boy,  escaped  to  Montana,  and  brought  with  them  a  band  of  Cree 
led  by  Little  Bear,  who  asserted  he  had  been  born  in  Wisconsin  of  a  Chippewa 
mother.  Lacking  country  or  friends,  they  became  known  as  the  Rocky  Boy  renegades. 
Until  the  buffalo  disappeared  they  lived  well  enough.  Then  settlers  began  to  com- 
plain of  them.  "They're  Canadians.  Send  'em  home!"  they  cried. 

Escorted  across  the  border  by  soldiers,  the  Indians  headed  straight  back,  preceding 
their  escorts  home.  Old-timers  chuckled  and  let  them  alone.  But  now  they  had  to 
scratch  for  a  living. 

From  deer  and  elk  skins  they  made  moccasins,  shirts,  and  beaded  belts,  to  sell  to 
white  men,  until  stopped  by  game  laws.  Then  they  lived  by  gathering  thousands  of 
tons  of  buffalo  bones  scattered  over  the  plains  and  stacking  them  in  immense  piles 
at  the  railroad  stations.  When  the  bones  were  gone  they  gathered  the  horns,  and 
polished  them  for  souvenirs.  When  the  horns,  the  buffalo's  last  gift  to  them,  were 
gone,  they  faced  starvation.  They  built  flimsy  huts,  and  made  stoves  of  iron  wash- 
tubs  taken  from  city  dumps  to  save  their  scanty  fuel.  These  stoves  overheated,  and 
made  the  air  in  the  huts  so  foul  that  sickness  followed.  Harried  by  police  and  ruf- 
fians, the  Indian  women  searched  garbage  cans,  gathered  offal  from  slaughterhouses, 
and  even  used  the  flesh  of  the  occasional  horse  or  cow  found  dead  on  the  plains 
for  food. 

When  the  old  Fort  Assiniboine  Military  Reservation  was  abandoned,  friends  of 
the  Indians  persuaded  the  Indian  Bureau  to  set  aside  580,388  acres  as  a  home  for 
the  wandering  Chippewa  and  Cree.  In  1916,  451  Indians  were  placed  on  this  land, 
which  became  the  Rocky  Boy  Reservation.  Lying  in  the  Bearpaw  Mountains,  4,000 
to  5,000  feet  above  the  sea,  it  was  level  only  in  small  patches.  Here  the  hungry 
Indians  cut  logs,  built  a  huddle  of  small  cabins,  and  lived  for  10  years  on  the  scanty 
rations  issued  by  the  Bureau  of  Indian  Affairs,  whose  sole  concern  was  to  keep  them 
from  bothering  settlers. 

Then  a  new  policy  was  inaugurated.  The  Government  gave  the  Indians  work, 
and  provided  food,  clothing,  farming  machinery,  and  seed  to  the  value  of  $600  a 


TOUR    14  351 

man.  When  this  sum  had  been  repaid  with  work,  further  credit  enabled  the  men  to 
buy  cattle  and  build  homes.  A  farmer  was  hired  to  teach  improved  agricultural 
methods  to  the  tribesmen.  A  flour  mill  and  sawmill  were  built  to  handle  the  wheat 
they  grew  and  the  logs  cut  on  the  reservation.  Roads  were  built  by  Indian  labor; 
25  percent  of  each  worker's  wages  was  applied  on  his  private  debt. 

Drought  made  the  first  years  difficult;  not  all  the  Indians  took  kindly  to  the  new 
system.  Improvement  has  been  steady,  however;  there  is  scarcely  a  slacker  on  the 
reservation,  and  the  per  capita  debt  to  the  Government  is  less  than  $70. 

Surplus  flour  from  the  Rocky  Boy  mill  is  sold  to  other  reservations,  and  the  pro- 
ceeds applied  against  the  tribal  debt.  At  first  the  flour  was  sold  to  nearby  merchants, 
but  outside  millers  objected.  Lumber  from  the  tribal  sawmill  is,  however,  sold  to 
white  settlers  as  well  as  tribesmen.  Children  attend  attractive  schools  equipped  with 
kitchen,  bath,  laundry,  and  electric  lighting.  School  gardens  produce  thousands  of 
dollars'  worth  of  vegetables;  fresh  milk  is  sent  to  the  schools  by  the  agency. 

Of  the  750  Indians  on  the  reservation,  90  are  farmers.  In  1935  they  shipped 
220  steers  to  market.  Even  the  old  people  work  at  $i  a  day  rather  than  accept  issue 
rations.  In  1935  beadwork  worth  more  than  $2,000  was  sold  by  the  Indians. 

BIG  SANDY,  74.7  m.  (2,703  alt.,  633  pop.),  is  one  of  the  stoned 
cowtowns  of  the  old  West.  Charles  M.  Russell  and  other  well  known 
riders  spent  many  active  years  on  nearby  ranches.  The  places  they  fre- 
quented— the  blacksmith  shop,  Rusty  Brown's  saloon,  the  general  store — 
are  gone,  replaced  by  modern  plants  that  serve  a  changed  community.  But 
the  region  remains  a  meeting  ground  of  fact  and  fiction,  for  Big  Sandy  is 
Dry  Lake  of  the  Flying  U  novels  of  B.  M.  Bower  (see  THE  ARTS),  in 
which  the  town  is  described  as  it  was  at  the  turn  of  the  century.  Every 
ranch  on  the  bench  south  of  the  Bearpaw  Mountains  has  been  pointed  out 
as  the  "Flying  U" ;  the  honor  has  clung  with  particular  tenacity  to  the  old 
Eagle  Creek  outfit.  A  dozen  "original  Chips  of  the  Flying  U"  have  an- 
nounced themselves.  Mrs.  Bower  herself  told  of  one  of  her  characters 
who  came  to  life. 

"I  ...  saw  him  perfectly,  although  he  was  like  no  one  I  know  .  .  .  Then 
I  chanced  to  attend  a  dance  in  the  Big  Sandy  schoolhouse  .  .  .  Perched  on 
a  corner  of  the  rostrum,  swinging  one  foot  and  chewing  gum  while  he 
gazed  around  with  his  baby  blue  eyes,  sat  Cal  Emmett,  natural  as  life  .  .  . 
I  blurted  to  the  woman  alongside  me,  'There's  Cal  Emmett!'  and  felt  like 
a  fool  afterwards  ..." 

VERONA,  80.7  m.  (2,721  alt,  41  pop.),  is  a  busy  hamlet  in  early  fall 
when  grain  is  brought  to  the  elevators  and  livestock  is  trailed  to  town  for 
shipment. 

The  Sweetgrass  Hills  and  the  HUDSON  BAY  DIVIDE  are  R.  at 
:  98.6  m. 

LOMA,  102.6  m.  (2,513  alt.,  74  pop.),  is  just  west  of  the  confluence 
of  the  Marias  and  Missouri  Rivers.  The  Indians  called  the  Marias  "the 
River  that  scolds  all  others"  but  Capt.  Meriwether  Lewis  renamed  it  in 
honor  of  his  cousin  Maria  Wood.  The  Lewis  and  Clark  party  camped  at 
the  mouth  of  the  stream  on  June  3,  1805. 

In  1831  Fort  Piegan,  a  trading  post,  was  established  here  by  James 
Kipp  for  the  American  Fur  Company.  A  year  later  the  post  was  aban- 
doned and  hostile  Indians  burned  it. 

FORT  BENTON,  111.7  m.  (2,600  alt,  1,109  P°P-)>  seat  of  Chouteau 
County,  is  one  of  the  oldest  communities  in  Montana  (see  HISTORY). 


FORT  BENTON,  1869 


Built  at  the  head  of  navigation  on  the  Missouri  River,  it  was  one  of  the 
most  important  of  the  early  posts.  Supplies  for  the  gold  camps  of  western 
Montana  were  transshipped  here.  Food,  clothing,  powder  and  ball,  whis- 
key, and  tobacco  received  at  Fort  Benton  and  sent  on  by  ox  team  and  pack 
train  to  camp  traders  in  Montana,  Idaho,  and  Canada,  helped  to  found 
many  great  fortunes.  The  post  was  the  point  of  debarkation  for  thousands 
of  tenderfeet  anxious  to  reach  the  gold  fields.  One  of  Fort  Benton's  older 
hotels  has  preserved  the  high  ceilings,  plush  furniture,  and  glittering 
glass  chandeliers  that  were  the  last  word  of  fashion  in  the  iSyo's  and 
i88o's. 

Fronting  the  river  on  Main  St.  are  the  TOURIST  PARK  and  OLD  FORT 
PARK.  A  monument  to  Lt.  John  Mullan  (see  HISTORY)  who  surveyed 
and  supervised  construction  of  a  military  road  between  Fort  Benton  and 
Walla  Walla,  Wash,  stands  near  the  entrance  to  the  Old  Fort  Park.  A 
memorial  seat  of  stone  perpetuates  the  name  of  Milton  Milnar,  a  pic- 
turesque character  of  range  days. 

The  RUINS  OF  THE  OLD  TRADING  POST  AND  BLOCKHOUSE  are  in  a 
5 -acre  tract  two  blocks  west  of  the  tourist  park.  One  building  and  parts  of 
two  others  remain.  The  fort,  250  feet  square  and  built  of  adobe,  had 
bastions  at  two  corners.  There  was  no  stockade.  An  outer  wall  32  feet 
thick  formed  the  back  of  the  buildings,  which  all  faced  the  center  of  the 
grounds.  A  larger  gate  and  a  small  one  faced  the  river.  In  1870  the 
American  Fur  Company  closed  its  business  and  leased  the  fort  to  the 
Government.  The  Seventh  Infantry  occupied  it  for  a  short  time. 

The  Highwood  Mountains  (L),  seen  at  121.6  m.,  are  thickly  timbered 


TOUR  14  353 

with  fir  and  lodgepole  pine;  they  are  in  the  Lewis  and  Clark  National 
Forest,  and  are  of  volcanic  origin. 

At  154.2  m.  is  the  junction  with  an  oil-surfaced  road. 

Left  on  this  road  to  BLACK  EAGLE  (Little  Chicago),  0.5  m.  (3,287  alt.,  1,000 
pop.),  an  industrial  suburb  of  Great  Falls  in  which  employees  of  the  copper  and 
zinc  refineries  live.  Many  of  these  workers  are  of  Balkan  birth  or  descent,  and  retain 
the  Balkan  customs  and  habits  and  use  Slavonic  dialects.  The  town  was  named  for 
Black  Eagle  Falls  on  the  Missouri  River  (see  GREAT  FALLS). 

The  road  follows  Smelter  Ave.  eastward. 

The  COPPER  AND  ZINC  REDUCTION  WORKS  (open  weekdays;  tours  10  and  2; 
2  to  3  hrs.  required),  1.2  m.,  are  (R)  on  a  terraced  hillside  overlooking  Great 
Falls,  outside  its  limits  but  highly  important  to  its  development  and  prosperity.  All 
buildings  are  of  the  modern  type,  of  brick,  steel,  and  cement,  well  lighted  and  ven- 
tilated; angularity  of  the  groupings  and  the  flat  roofs  is  somewhat  relieved  by 
curving  roadways  and  tramways.  When  lighted  at  night,  as  it  is  except  during  heavy 
bird  migrations  in  spring  and  fall  (birds  blinded  by  light  strike  the  stack  and  are 
injured),  the  5o6-foot  smokestack  is  visible  40  miles  away. 

No  smelting  has  been  done  here  since  1918;  operations  are  confined  to  electro- 
lytic refining  of  the  copper  and  zinc  smelted  at  Anaconda,  and  to  the  making  of 
copper  wire,  cable,  and  rods.  In  the  copper  refinery  the  6oo-pound  anodes  received 
from  the  smelter  (see  Tour  18)  are  placed  in  large  tanks,  decomposed  by  electric 
action,  and  recomposed  as  purified  cathode  copper. 

There  are  1,530  tanks  in  a  room  535  feet  long  and  nearly  half  as  wide.  Before 
the  electrolyzed  copper  can  be  used  in  manufacturing  it  is  melted  and  cast  into  bars 
by  the  furnace  refinery  nearby.  A  third  plant  receives  undissolved  anode  scraps  from 
the  tankroom,  and  melts  and  recasts  them  for  further  tank  treatment.  The  rolling 
mills,  the  first  of  their  kind  west  of  the  Mississippi,  contain  rod-making  and  wire- 
drawing machinery,  annealing  furnaces,  and  stranding  machines  for  making  cable. 

The  zinc  refinery  has  four  divisions,  one  for  each  of  the  processes  used  in  refin- 
ing: roasting,  leaching,  electrolyzing,  and  casting.  It  was  built  in  1916,  soon  after 
research  chemists  discovered  the  electrolytic  method  of  refining  that  transformed  zinc 
from  a  nuisance  to  a  valuable  product  (see  INDUSTRY  AND  COMMERCE). 

A  brick  factory  near  the  west  end  of  the  grounds  is  capable  of  turning  out  35,000 
building  bricks  a  day.  It  also  makes  fire  brick  and  tile. 

Electric  power  used  in  the  reduction  works  is  obtained  from  plants  along  the 
Missouri  River;  the  maximum  demand  is  85,000  horsepower.  An  electric  railway 
transports  materials  between  departments. 

As  the  road  goes  eastward  from  the  reduction  works,  it  descends  600  feet  to 
follow  the  river  between  walls  of  reddish  shale  and  sandstone.  At  about  2.3  m.  the 
water  toward  the  farther  side  is  clear  and  blue  where  the  Giant  Springs  (see 
GREAT  FALLS)  pour  their  flood  into  the  normally  muddy  Missouri. 

RAINBOW  FALLS  (R),  4.5  m.,  tamed  by  a  dam,  recover  a  little  of  their  wild 
beauty  only  at  high  water  in  May  and  early  June.  The  drop  is  48  feet.  "Here," 
wrote  Robert  Vaughn  in  Then  and  Now,  "the  entire  river,  1,200  feet  wide,  hurls 
itself  over  an  unbroken  rocky  rim  .  .  .  into  a  vast  .  .  .  amphitheater  where,  when  the 
sun  is  shining,  a  rainbow  spans  the  river  from  bank  to  bank."  The  Indian  name  for 
Rainbow  Falls  was  Napa's  Snarling. 

At  the  base  of  the  rocky  terraces  is  the  hydroelectric  plant  (50,000  horsepower). 
The  grounds  are  handsomely  landscaped. 

CROOKED  FALLS  (R),  4.8  m.,  are  well  named.  At  about  the  center  of  the  drop, 
a  notch  like  a  great  arrowhead  points  far  back  upstream.  The  road  winds  along  the 
rim  of  the  river  gorge,  which  grows  steadily  deeper.  At  8.8  m.  is  the  junction  with 
a  side  road ;  R.  here  0.9  m.  to  the  top  of  VOLTA  DAM,  which  is  65  feet  high. 

The  road  bends  (L)  away  from  the  river. 

At  11.7  m.  is  the  junction  with  a  side  road;  R.  here  1.4  m.,  down  a  steep  hill 
covered  with  green-spiked  yucca,  to  the  GREAT  (or  BIG)  FALLS  (R),  largest  of 
the  falls  on  the  Missouri,  which  are  also  deprived  of  their  impressiveness  except  at 
unusually  high  water.  The  drop  is  77.8  feet.  Said  Robert  Vaughn:  "The  river  .  .  . 
is  ...  confined  between  rocky  walls  .  .  .  200  to  500  feet  in  height  and  is  about  300 


354  TOURS 

yards  in  width  .  .  .  Nearly  half  the  stream  descends  vertically  with  such  .  .  .  force 
as  to  send  .  .  .  spray  ...  200  feet  or  more  in  the  air.  The  other  side  ...  is  precipi- 
tated over  successive  ledges  ...  A  vast  basin  of  surging  waters  succeeds  below,  its 
deep  green  color  .  .  .  betraying  prodigious  volume  and  depth." 

Great  lines  of  steel  towers  stalk  across  the  countryside  from  the  90,000  horse- 
power hydroelectric  plant  here.  Below  the  falls  a  footbridge  connects  the  bank  with 
LEWIS  AND  CLARK  PARK  on  a  rocky  island.  The  park  has  a  kitchen  with  free  use  of 
electric  plates  and  ranges.  William  Clark  was  the  first  to  map  the  area  above  and 
below  the  falls. 

At  13.7  m.  on  the  main  road  is  the  junction  with  a  side  road;  R.  here  3  m.  to 
MORONY  DAM,  the  latest  (1930)  of  the  dams  near  Great  Falls.  This  plant  generates 
70,000  horsepower. 

At  156.7  m.  is  the  junction  with  US  89  (see  Tour  4)  0.6  mile  west  of 
the  center  of  GREAT  FALLS  (see  GREAT  FALLS). 


Tour  15 


Junction  with  US  10  S — Ennis — Junction  with  US  191;  State  i,  98.7  m. 

Route  paralleled  by  Northern  Pacific  Ry.  branch  between  Junction  US  10  S  and 

Norris. 

Accommodations  limited. 

Oil-surfaced  roadbed;  closed  in  winter  south  of  Hutchins. 

State  i  traverses  almost  the  entire  length  of  the  Madison  Valley,  a  gen- 
erally wide,  rolling  park  land  between  mountain  walls.  Beginning  a  dozen 
miles  west  of  the  point  where  the  Madison  and  two  other  rivers  pour  their 
waters  together  to  form  the  mighty  Missouri  it  approaches  the  Madison 
at  McAllister,  crosses  it  near  Ennis,  and  follows  it  closely  between  Ennis 
and  Yellowstone  National  Park.  On  the  west  the  Tobacco  Root  Moun- 
tains, deeply  green  on  slope  and  summit,  shelter  the  valley;  to  the  east 
the  Madison  Range  lifts  its  amethyst  tops  into  the  sky.  The  slate-colored 
Gravelly  Range,  near  the  southern  end  of  the  route,  resembles  vast  banks 
of  flowing  sand. 

The  ascent  into  the  upper  valley  is  gradual.  Sometimes  the  road  crosses 
foothills  carpeted  with  sagebrush;  the  land  rolls  away  on  both  sides  like 
a  tumbling  gray-green  sea.  Sometimes  it  runs  smoothly  over  large  flats  on 
which  sheep  and  cattle  graze.  The  route  as  a  whole  traverses  one  of  the 
best  fishing  areas  in  the  Northwest. 

State  i  branches  south  from  US  10  S,  0  m.  (see  Tour  1,  Sec.  c),  12.9 
miles  west  of  Three  Forks.  At  0.7  m.  it  crosses  the  Jefferson  River,  the 
most  westerly  of  the  three  streams  that  unite  to  form  the  Missouri  (see 
Tour  1,  Sec.  b).  The  river  was  named  as  a  memorial  to  the  man  who, 


TOUR  15  355 

more  than  any  other,  was  responsible  for  the  acquisition  of  the  West  and 
who  promoted  the  Lewis  and  Clark  expedition. 

HARRISON,  8.4  m.  (4,903  alt.,  154  pop.),  is  a  ranch  town  with  a 
single  street  and  a  small  cluster  of  homes.  Visible  (R)  north-to-south  are 
Jefferson  Mountain  (10,640  alt.),  Hollow  Top  (10,513  alt.),  and  Potosi 
Peak  (10,096  alt.),  summits  of  the  Tobacco  Root  Range  (see  Tour  16). 

Right  from  Harrison  on  a  dirt  road  is  PONY,  6.5  m.  (5,443  alt.,  200  pop.),  trade 
center  of  an  old  mining  district  that  returned  to  activity  with  the  rise  in  metal  values 
in  the  1930*8.  The  district  has  a  number  of  placer  and  hard-rock  claims. 

The  road  southwestward  through  POTOSI  CANYON  in  the  Tobacco  Root  Moun- 
tains is  a  pine-scented  lane,  overhung  and  shaded  by  boughs.  The  summits  of  the 
mountains  are  often  obscured  by  clouds.  In  a  natural  park,  at  the  base  of  one,  lies 
POTOSI  HOT  SPRINGS,  13.5  m.,  with  campground  and  swimming  pool  (adm. 
35$).  Mule  deer,  bear,  bighorn  sheep,  and  elk  often  approach  the  springs.  Within 
three  miles  are  large  tungsten  deposits. 

SURE  SHOT  LAKE,  15.6  m.,  affords  good  trout  fishing.  In  this  lake  lives  the 
larval  salamander  known  as  axolotl. 

NORRIS,  18.7  m.  (4,848  alt.,  75  pop.),  sits  snugly  among  cottonwoods 
in  a  dip  between  two  hills.  It  is  the  center  of  a  mining  district  with  a 
history  of  large  production  from  both  placers  and  lodes.  Corundum  of 
gem  quality  is  found  in  the  placer  diggings. 

NORRIS  PLUNGE,  a  community  club  project,  is  supplied  with  hot  min- 
eral water  that  flows  out  of  the  side  of  NORRIS  HILL  (L). 

State  i  winds  over  Norris  Hill.  From  the  summit,  24.3  m.  (5,300  alt.), 
is  unfolded  a  panorama  of  the  Madison  Valley.  Ennis  Lake  lies  below 

(L)- 

MCALLISTER,  28.7  m.,  is  a  general  store  and  post  office.  Ward  Peak 
(10,267  alt.)  is  the  most  prominent  summit  (L)  of  the  Madison  Range 
in  this  vicinity. 

Left  from  McAllister  on  a  dirt  road  to  ENNIS  LAKE,  1  m.,  the  first  of  the  hy- 
droelectric projects  on  the  Madison;  it  is  merely  an  artificial  widening  of  the  stream, 
but  that  does  not  detract  from  the  excellence  of  its  rainbow  trout  fishing  (boats 
available).  Brief  sudden  squalls  have  taken  several  lives  here.  The  road  circles  the 
lake,  and  gives  access  to  many  parts  of  the  shore,  and  to  cabins  and  dude  ranches 
around  it. 

At  35.2  m.  is  a  junction  with  State  34  (see  Tour  16). 

ENNIS,  35.3  m.  (4,927  alt.,  400  pop.),  a  typical  western  village  of 
wide  streets  and  one-story  frame  buildings,  is  shaded  by  the  abrupt  bulk 
of  Fan  Mountain  (L)  and  in  summer  by  its  own  willows,  alders,  and 
poplars.  It  was  named  for  William  Ennis,  who  came  to  Bannack  (Grass- 
hopper Gulch)  in  1863,  and  later  homesteaded  on  this  site. 

Right  from  Ennis  on  a  dirt  road  to  THOMPSON  HOT  SPRINGS,  1  m.,  which  has  a 
warm  plunge  (adm. 


CAMERON,  46.4  m.  (4,820  alt,  19  pop.),  is  a  hamlet  in  the  range 
district  of  the  upper  Madison.  Rich  grass  grows  on  the  untimbered  lands 
round  it.  The  Sphinx  (10,860  alt.)  is  a  peak  (L)  that  vaguely  resembles 
ic  Great  Sphinx  of  Gizeh. 

South  of  Cameron  the  country  is  an  almost  unfenced  range.  The  wide 
>land  valley  has  no  towns  and  few  ranch  homes.  Mounted  men  tend 
;rds  of  cattle  and  flocks  of  sheep  along  the  highway. 


356  TOURS 

The  MADISON  PALISADES,  61.5  m.,  rich  sun-bright  yellow  and 
ruddy  brown,  tower  above  the  plunging  river. 

HUTCHINS,  69.8  m.  (4,637  alt.,  8  pop.),  is  a  ranch  resort. 

Right  from  Hutchins  on  a  dirt  road  crossing  the  Madison  River  to  a  side  road, 
5  m.;  R.  on  the  side  road  to  CLIFF  and  WADE  LAKES,  7  m.  (cabins  and  boats). 
From  Cliff  Lake  2  5 -pound  rainbow  trout  have  been  taken. 

The  main  dirt  road  goes  south  through  a  forest  of  stunted  pines  broken  by  moun- 
tain meadows  to  RAYNOLDS  PASS,  14  m.  (about  6,050  alt.).  In  June  1860  Jim 
Bridger  led  a  party  of  scientists  under  escort  of  Captain  Raynolds,  an  army  engineer, 
through  this  gap  in  the  Continental  Divide.  Captain  Raynolds  reported:  "This  pass 
is  so  level  that  it  is  difficult  to  locate  the  exact  point  at  which  the  waters  divide.  I 
named  it  Low  Pass  and  deem  it  ...  one  of  the  most  remarkable  .  .  .  features  of  ... 
the  Rocky  Mountains." 

At  Raynolds  Pass  the  road  joins  a  dirt  road  into  the  Henry's  Lake  region  of  Idaho 
(see  Tour  1,  IDAHO  GUIDE). 

At  77.8  m.  the  character  of  the  country  changes  abruptly  as  the  road 
swings  sharply  L.  and  enters  MADISON  CANYON.  The  highway  winds 
through  a  shadowy  evergreen  forest  where  the  river  flows  swiftly  between 
buttressed  banks;  angular  patches  of  sky  show  in  the  gaps  between 
toothed  and  plumed  summits. 

BEAVER  CREEK  CAMPGROUND,  82.2  m.,  is  an  improved  site  maintained 
by  the  Forest  Service. 

HEBGEN  DAM  (fishing  not  permitted  above  footbridge),  85.3  m.,  backs 
up  the  Madison  to  form  a  lake  about  21  miles  long  and  in  places  5  miles 
wide.  To  some  extent  it  controls  the  waters  of  the  upper  Missouri,  and 
assures  a  steady  flow  for  the  hydroelectric  plants  downstream. 

The  highway  follows  the  shore  line  of  HEBGEN  LAKE  (R).  The 
canyon  widens  to  a  broad  plateau  covered  with  parched  gray  sagebrush. 
Winds,  dust-dry  in  summer,  snow-laden  in  winter,  lash  this  upland.  The 
sky  line  of  the  Continental  Divide  (R)  curves  southward  and  eastward 
into  Wyoming. 

GRAYLING,  94.4  m.  (6,675  alt-»  5  P°P-)>  is  a  lonely  post  office  near 
one  of  the  extremities  of  the  lake. 

At  98.7  m.  is  the  junction  with  US  191  (see  Tour  5),  at  the  boundary 
of  Yellowstone  National  Park. 


Tour  16 


Junction  with  US  10  S — Twin  Bridges — Virginia  City — Ennis;  State  41 

and  State  34. 

Junction  US  10  S  to  Ennis,  69.8  m. 


TOUR  16  357 

Route  served  by  daily  busses;  paralleled  at  intervals  between  junction  with  US  10  S 

and  Laurin  by  Northern  Pacific  Ry.  branch. 

Hotels  in  towns,  tourist  camps  and  campgrounds  along  route. 

Oil-surfaced  roadbed  for  15.6  miles  south  of  junction  with  US  loS;  graded  dirt 

elsewhere. 

Before  this  road  was  straightened  and  numbered,  it  was  called  the  Vigi- 
lante Trail,  one  of  the  earliest  routes  of  travel  in  Montana  and  part  of  a 
stage  road  between  Last  Chance  Gulch  (Helena)  and  Alder  Gulch  (Vir- 
ginia City).  South  of  Twin  Bridges  it  was  part  of  the  route  between 
Virginia  City  and  Bannack  (Grasshopper  Gulch).  As  such  it  was  closely 
associated  with  the  activities  of  the  road  agents  and  of  the  men  who, 
under  the  symbol  "3-7-77,"  organized  to  clear  them  out  of  the  territory. 

White  men  first  penetrated  the  region  long  before  the  time  of  the 
vigilantes.  In  18.05  Lewis  and  Clark  camped  in  the  Beaverhead  valley  and 
named  the  rivers.  In  1810  Pierre  Menard  and  Andrew  Henry  set  traps 
along  the  waterways.  In  July  1840  Father  De  Smet  crossed  the  Conti- 
nental Divide  near  the  headwaters  of  the  Beaverhead,  followed, the  Beaver- 
head  to  the  Jefferson,  and  the  Jefferson  to  the  Missouri.  In  the  presence 
of  hundreds  of  Indians,  he  conducted  the  first  Christian  services  in  Mon- 
tana. 

Much  of  the  region  traversed  by  this  route  is  semiarid,  with  hills,  can- 
yons, clumps  of  alder,  greasewood,  and  sagebrush  against  a  sky  line  of 
mountains — a  land  whose  pitted  hillsides,  torn  gravel  bars,  and  diverted 
streams  are  like  the  scars  of  old  wounds. 

State  41  branches  south  from  US  10  S,  0  m.,  6  miles  west  of  Whitehall 
(see  Tour  1,  Sec.  c). 

SILVER  STAR,  12.2  m.  (4,538  alt.,  35  pop.),  a  station  on  a  branch 
of  the  Northern  Pacific  Ry.,  serves  a  small  but  fertile  irrigated  area  in  the 
Jefferson  Valley.  It  is  one  of  the  oldest  Montana  villages.  The  Jefferson 
River  (L)  is  here  a  winding  stream  of  rapids  with  deep  pools  in  which 
trout  lie. 

At  BARKELL  HOT  SPRINGS  (L),  12.9  m.,  are  a  warm  plunge  (adm. 
and  campgrounds. 

The  road  crosses  the  Jefferson  River  at  16.1  m.  The  prominent  peak 
in  the  Tobacco  Root  Mountains  (L)  is  Hollow  Top  (10,513  alt.).  The 
name  of  the  range  is  derived  from  a  variety  of  the  bitterroot  that  grows 
abundantly  there.  Shoshone  Indians  called  it  quee,  and  ate  the  roots; 
French  voyageurs  called  it  racine  de  tabac  (tobacco  root),  because,  when 
cooked,  it  smelled  like  tobacco.  The  few  white  men  who  attempted  to 
eat  it  became  nauseated. 

TWIN  BRIDGES,  23-9  m.  (4,868  alt.,  671  pop.),  is  near  the  conflu- 
ence of  the  tributaries  of  the  Jefferson  that  Lewis  and  Clark  in  1805 
named  Philosophy,  Wisdom,  and  Philanthropy,  for  President  Jefferson's 
"cardinal  virtues."  Philosophy  became  Willow  Creek;  Wisdom,  the  Big 
*ble  River.  Philanthropy  was  known  for  a  time  as  the  Passamari  (Sho- 

one,  evil  smelling),  or  the  Stinking  Water;  then  it  became  Ruby  River, 
earlier  name  referred,  not  to  the  crystalline  waters  of  the  river  itself, 
to  sulphur  springs  near  it. 


358  TOURS 

The  STATE  ORPHANS'  HOME  (open  2-4:30  weekdays  when  school  is 
not  in  session;  10:30-11:30  and  2-4  Sun.),  3  blocks  west  of  the  center  of 
town,  was  created  by  legislative  act  of  1893  to  care  for  Montana's  orphans, 
foundlings,  and  destitute  children.  The  four  modified  Colonial-type  brick 
cottages  normally  accommodate  200  children.  A  small  brick  hospital  of 
modern  functional  design  has  a  resident  staff  and  is  equipped  to  give 
medical  and  surgical  care.  A  dairy  herd  and  gardens  are  maintained. 
After  the  children  have  graduated  from  the  home's  elementary  school, 
they  attend  Twin  Bridges  High  School. 

Right  from  Twin  Bridges  on  State  41,  a  graded  dirt  road,  to  BEAVERHEAD  ROCK 
(L),  13  m.,  the  great  landmark,  named  by  the  Indians  for  its  form,  that  helped 
Sacajawea  (see  HISTORY)  identify  this  region  as  her  home.  It  is  300  feet  high 
and  almost  perpendicular;  the  Beaverhead  River  sweeps  around  its  base.  Seams  in 
the  rock  contain  crystals.  Warm  springs  bubble  up  nearby. 

Opposite  the  rock  and  beyond  the  river  is  ELAINE  (4,987  alt.),  a  country  post 
office. 

At  27  m.  on  State  41  is  the  junction  with  US  91  (see  Tour  6,  sec.  c). 

Left  from  State  41  at  Twin  Bridges  on  State  34,  a  graded  dirt  road. 

The  RUBY  MOUNTAINS  (R),  27.3  m.,  a  short  range,  were  named 
for  garnets  found  there,  at  first  believed  to  be  rubies. 

SHERIDAN,  34.2  m.  (5,079  alt.,  525  pop.),  named  for  Gen.  Philip 
H.  Sheridan,  Civil  War  cavalry  leader,  is  set  in  a  sheltered  bay  of  rich 
Ruby  Valley  farm  land.  It  is  headquarters  for  silver,  lead,  and  gold 
mining  operations  in  the  Tobacco  Root  Mountains;  mining  gossip  runs 
through  the  village  like  an  electric  current.  There  are  four  trout  streams 
within  walking  distance  of  town. 

ROBBERS'  ROOST  (customary  tip  250-500),  39-6  m.,  is  (L)  in  a  fenced 
grove  near  a  farmhouse.  The  rambling  two-story  log  structure  is  ap- 
proached through  a  turnstile;  immediately  within  the  gate  is  the  old 
hitching  rail  where  desperadoes'  horses  were  tied.  The  ground-level  porch, 
supported  by  logs,  extends  the  length  of  the  house  and  a  similar  veranda 
is  accessible  from  the  second  story.  In  a  large  room  (L)  on  the  first  floor 
is  the  bar  at  which  many  a  dusty  traveler  of  the  i86o's  quenched  his  thirst. 
The  other  furnishings  were  left  by  successive  tenants.  Pack  rats  inhabit 
the  building ;  the  doors  swing  on  broken  hinges,  and  the  interior  is  stained 
with  rain  that  has  beaten  in  through  open  windows. 

In  1863  Robbers'  Roost  was  a  stage  station  known  as  Pete  Daly's  Place. 
Most  of  the  ground  floor  was  a  barroom,  the  undivided  upper  floor  a 
dance  hall.  Here  Sheriff  Henry  Plummer  and  his  cutthroat  associates,  who 
called  themselves  "Innocents,"  planned  their  deeds  of  violence  (see  HIS- 
TORY). 

Nearing  Laurin,  the  road  crosses  a  region  where  fine  herds  of  livestock 
graze. 

LAURIN  (pronounced  Lawray),  43.1  m.  (5,058  alt,  45  pop.),  was 
originally  the  ranch  of  J.  B.  Laurin.  The  church  (L)  of  local  stone  was 
his  gift  to  the  town. 

i.  Right  from  Laurin  on  an  unimproved  road  that  crosses  the  Ruby  River  to 
HANGMAN'S  TREE,  0.3  m.  Here  Erastus  (Red)  Yager  and  G.  W.  Brown,  messenger 
and  secretary  of  Plummer's  gang,  were  hanged  on  January  4,  1864  (see  HISTORY). 


ROBBERS'  ROOST 


2.  Right  from  Laurin  on  a  dirt  road  is  ALDER,  2.2  m.  (5,128  alt.,  158  pop.), 
sitting  at  the  base  of  an  unnamed  mountain  (L)  and  protected  by  a  thick  growth 
of  cottonwood  and  alder  along  the  river  (R).  The  terminus  of  a  Northern  Pacific 
Ry.  branch  from  Whitehall,  it  is  a  shipping  point  for  livestock  and  farm  produce 
of  the  Ruby  Valley  and  for  ore  from  Virginia  City. 

The  highway  skirts  a  series  of  conical  mounds  of  gravel  and  boulders 
in  the  lower  end  of  Alder  Gulch.  These  mounds  are  the  tailings  left  by  a 
dredge  that  worked  n  miles  of  the  gulch  before  and  during  the  World 
War.  The  dredge,  installed  under  the  auspices  of  Harvard  University,  is 
locally  declared  to  have  enriched  that  institution  by  several  million 
dollars. 

RUBY,  47.6  m.  (5,202  alt,  30  pop.),  is  now  a  cluster  of  miners' 
cabins,  mud-chinked  and  sod-roofed,  with  a  frame  store  and  gas  station. 
In  the  i86o's  it  was  a  crowded  mining  camp. 

The  Vigilante  Trail  turns  R.  up  Alder  Gulch.  In  the  early  i86o's  the 
gulch  was  a  continuous  avenue  of  claims  and  miners'  cabins.  The  ground 
was  worked  by  sinking  a  shaft  and  drifting  (tunneling)  on  bedrock; 
then  the  rich  sand  and  gravel  were  hoisted  to  the  surface  and  washed  in 
a  rocker  or  Long  Tom.  In  the  tailings  that  border  the  creek  (R)  are 
beams  and  bits  of  wood,  the  debris  of  pioneer  operations. 

NEVADA,  54.5  m.  (5,267  alt.),  a  group  of  abandoned,  crumbling 
buildings,  was  part  of  Virginia  City  in  the  first  turbulent  years  of  the 
Alder  Gulch  rush.  Here  is  the  site  of  the  trial  and  hanging  of  George 
Ives,  the  first  of  Plummer's  gang  to  meet  punishment. 

A  GOLD  DREDGE  (visited  on  application  at  office  in  Montana  Power 
Bldg.,  Virginia  City)  operates  between  Nevada  and  Virginia  City. 


360  TOURS 

VIRGINIA  CITY,  55.7  m.  (5,760  alt,  242  pop.),  was  the  first  in- 
corporated town  in  Montana  (January  1864)  and  the  second  Territorial 
capital  (see  Tour  6,  Sec.  c).  Though  it  has  kept  a  mere  fraction  of  its 
boom-time  population,  it  is  one  of  the  few  gold  camps  that  have  long 
maintained  existence.  Prospectors  still  outfit  in  its  stores,  and  dredge 
workers  make  it  their  home. 

In  May  1863  six  miners  led  by  young  Bill  Fairweather  entered  the  hill 
country  along  the  Madison  River.  The  story  of  the  next  few  days  is  told 
in  the  Journal  of  Henry  Edgar,  a  member  of  the  party: 

"We  crossed  the  Madison  and  came  up  ...  Wigwam  Gulch.  We 
camped  beside  a  lake  at  the  foot  of  Bald  Mountain.  We  killed  an  elk 
there,  and  remained  during  the  afternoon  and  overnight  to  dry  and  smoke 
the  meat. 

"The  day  after,  we  came  down  the  lake  and  over  the  ridge.  That  was 
on  May  26,  1863,  about  4  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  .  .  .  Fairweather  and  I 
were  to  make  camp  and  stand  guard.  The  other  four  proceeded  up  the 
gulch  .  .  .  prospecting.  About  sundown  Bill  went  across  the  creek  to 
picket  the  horses. 

V  'There  is  a  piece  of  bedrock  projecting,'  said  Bill,  'and  we  had  better 
go  over  and  see  if  we  cannot  get  enough  money  to  buy  a  little  tobacco.' 
So  Bill  took  the  pick  and  shovel  and  I  took  a  pan  and  we  crossed  the 
creek.  He  dug  the  dirt  up  and  shoveled  it  into  the  pan.  I  went  down  the 
creek  to  wash  it.  While  I  was  washing  the  dirt,  he  scratched  around  in 
the  bedrock  with  his  butcher  knife  and  .  .  .  called:  'I've  found  a  scad!' 

"I  had  the  pan  about  half  washed  down,  and  I  replied:  'If  you  have 
one  I  have  a  thousand.'  And  so  I  had  .  .  . 

"We  washed  about  three  pans  before  dark  and  the  three  aggregated  $12 
and  some  cents  .  .  .  The  other  four  returned  tired  and  hostile  because  we 
hadn't  taken  care  of  the  horses  ...  I  showed  Sweeney  what  we  had  .  .  . 
'Salted,  by  God,'  exclaimed  Sweeney. 

'  'You  know  well  enough  if  you  pike  me  down  and  run  me  through  a 
sluice  you  couldn't  get  a  color,'  I  said  .  .  ." 

The  first  day  after  the  discovery  the  six  miners  panned  out  about  $180. 

"We  were  tired  and  hungry  and  all  out  of  provisions  .  .  .  Our  supper 
consisted  of  antelope  straight  .  .  .  We  spent  the  next  morning  measuring 
the  ground  and  staking  it  off  ... 

"'What  shall  we  call  the  Gulch?'  I  asked.  'You  name  it,'  Barney 
Hughes  said.  So  I  called  it  Alder  Gulch  on  account  of  the  heavy  clump 
of  alders  along  the  .  .  .  creek." 

After  a  few  days  the  party  went  to  Bannack  for  supplies.  They  agreed 
to  say  nothing  of  their  find,  but  the  secret  was  written  on  their  faces. 
Edgar  wrote: 

"Friends  on  every  side.  Bob  Dempsey  grabbed  our  horses  and  cared 
for  them.  Frank  Buff  got  us  to  his  cabin.  Salt  Lake  eggs,  ham,  potatoes, 
everything!  Such  a  supper!" 

When  the  prospectors  started  back  to  their  bonanza  on  June  2,  the 
trail  was  crowded.  At  Beaverhead  Rock  a  meeting  was  called,  and  a  set  of 
rules  was  drawn  up  to  govern  the  claims.  On  June  6  the  caravan  reached 


ROAD  AGENTS'  GRAVES,  BOOTHILL  CEMETERY,  VIRGINIA  CITY 


Alder  Gulch.  "This  is  the  creek,"  Edgar  shouted,  and  the  stampede  be- 
gan. Hustling,  swarming  life  filled  the  gulch  from  Bald  Mountain  to  the 
valley  of  the  Passamari. 

Southern  sympathizers  among  the  gold  seekers  called  the  new  town  in 
the  gulch  Varina,  in  honor  of  the  wife  of  Jefferson  Davis ;  but  when  Dr. 
G.  G.  Bissel,  a  northerner  and  a  miners'  judge,  was  asked  to  head  a  legal 
document  with  that  name,  he  said  "I'll  see  you  damned  first!"  and  wrote 
it  "Virginia."  Because  this  name  was  as  dear  to  the  South  as  the  other, 
nobody  objected.  There  was  at  first  no  safe  way  of  shipping  out  the 
millions  in  gold  that  the  Alder  Gulch  placers  yielded.  The  only  stage  route 
was  the  one  to  Bannack.  There  was  no  post  office  in  the  Territory ;  letters 
were  carried  from  Salt  Lake  City  across  475  miles  of  unsettled  country, 
first  at  $2.50  each,  later  at  $i.  Money  was  sent  to  the  nearest  express 
office  in  private  hands.  The  outlaws  attracted  by  such  conditions  (see 
HISTORY)  were  able  to  form,  under  Henry  Plummer's  leadership,  an 
amazing  organization,  complete  with  officers,  secretary,  and  spies,  that 
for  a  time  had  everything  its  own  way.  Coaches  were  plundered  and 
scores  of  men  were  murdered.  No  relief  by  legal  means  was  possible,  for 
no  one  within  400  miles  had  authority  to  administer  an  oath.  Henry 
Plummer,  the  bandit  leader,  was  miners'  sheriff.  The  robbery  and  murder 
of  the  inoffensive  Dutchman  Nicholas  Thiebalt  for  two  hundred  dollars 


362  TOURS 

in  gold  dust  brought  matters  to  a  crisis.  George  Ives,  the  killer,  was 
apprehended,  tried  by  a  miners'  court,  and  hanged  (see  HISTORY). 
Other  hangings  followed  in  rapid  succession ;  the  vigilantes,  first  organized 
in  Virginia  City,  spread  to  other  mining  camps,  and  remained  active  for 
several  years.  Their  history  was  at  first  an  honorable  one,  but  the  motives 
for  some  of  their  later  deeds  have  been  questioned.  Several  books  have 
been  written  about  them,  both  by  men  of  their  own  day  and  by  later 
investigators  (see  THE  ARTS). 

CONTENT  CORNER,  Wallace  and  Jackson  Sts.,  was  the  hub  of  activities 
at  the  height  of  the  gold  rush.  The  Territorial  officers'  building,  on  the 
southeast  corner,  is  used  as  a  grocery.  The  building  opposite,  once  occu- 
pied by  the  Montana  Post,  the  Territory's  first  newspaper,  is  now  a  hotel, 
barroom. 

The  SITE  OF  THE  VIGILANTE  HANGINGS,  Wallace  and  Van  Buren  Sts., 
is  covered  by  a  frame  office  building.  Here  the  road  agents  George  Lane, 
Boone  Helm,  Frank  Parrish,  Haze  Lyons,  and  Jack  Gallagher  were  strung 
up  on  January  14,  1864.  Across  the  street  is  the  SITE  OF  THE  FIVE-STORY 
HOTEL,  which  was  razed  in  1935.  This  building  was  the  subject  of  many 
jokes  in  the  early  days.  Every  stage  driver  on  the  way  to  Virginia  City 
sang  the  glories  and  comforts  of  the  five-story  hotel.  For  its  day,  it  was 
comfortable  enough,  but  the  five  stories  were  in  reality  five  successive 
levels  on  a  steep  hillside,  each  level  one  story  high. 

The  THOMPSON  MUSEUM  (open  daily  9-5  in  summer;  2-5  in  winter), 
east  end  of  Wallace  St.,  contains  many  relics  of  the  gold  stampede  days. 
Built  of  granite,  in  marked  contrast  with  the  whitewashed  one-story  cabins 
nearby,  it  was  given  to  the  town  by  William  Boyce  Thompson,  a  wealthy 
New  Yorker  who  was  born  and  reared  in  Virginia  City.  Its  records  and 
pioneer  mementos  are  carefully  cataloged.  Picks  and  pans,  packsaddles, 
muzzle-loading  rifles,  cap-and-ball  pistols,  Indian  arrows  and  hunting 
equipment — all  have  a  place  here,  carefully  guarded  but  always  available 
to  the  student.  Among  the  irreplaceable  items  are  bills  of  lading  from 
shippers  in  St.  Louis  for  goods  sent  up  the  Missouri  River  to  Fort  Benton 
and  then  by  ox  team  overland  to  Virginia  City.  Proof  of  the  hardships 
of  pioneer  life  is  contained  in  such  things  as  bills  for  flour  at  $150  a  sack. 
There  are  many  old  pictures. 

The  PLANT  OF  THE  VIRGINIA  CITY  MADISONIAN  (open  to  visitors), 
Wallace  St.,  has  turned  out  a  weekly  grist  of  local  history  since  the  days 
of  the  vigilantes.  Among  the  rafters  in  the  rear  room  hang  a  number  of 
yellowed  knapsacks  marked  "U.S.,"  looking  very  much  as  they  did  when 
they  were  discarded  one  day  in  1877  by  a  group  of  Virginia  City  men 
who  had  taken  to  the  field  to  save  their  homes  from  a  threatened  attack 
by  Chief  Joseph  (see  HISTORY).  Hastily  armed  and  equipped,  they  had 
rushed  to  the  front  only  to  find  the  Indians  gone.  Tired  and  disgruntled, 
they  returned  and  tossed  the  knapsacks  on  the  rafters,  where  they  have 
been  left  undisturbed. 

i.  Left  from  Virginia  City  on  Jackson  St.,  which  becomes  a  trail,  to  the  SITE  OF 
THE  ALDER  GULCH  DISCOVERY,  0.3  m.  A  bronze  monument  has  been  placed  here 
by  Montana  pioneers. 


TOUR    17  363 

2.  Right  from  Virginia  City  on  Wallace  St.  to  BUMMER  DAN'S  BAR,  0.8  m.,  on 
the  north  side  of  Alder  Gulch.  It  is  not  a  place  to  drink.  During  the  gold  rush  the 
camp  was  bothered  by  one  Dan,  who  constantly  begged  and  often  niched  food,  but 
would  not  work.  In  a  saloon  one  day  Dan  saw  a  patron  order  pie,  a  luxurious  item 
in  those  days.  When  the  pie  was  brought  in,  Dan  snatched  and  quickly  ate  it.  In- 
stead of  regarding  the  act  as  a  joke,  the  patron  called  a  camp  meeting;  it  was  the 
opinion  of  the  camp  that  Dan  should  go  to  work.  He  was  given  a  claim  high  on 
the  side  of  the  gulch,  was  loaned  a  pick  and  pan,  and  told  to  hop  to  it  or  get  out. 
Dan  went  to  work,  and  within  a  few  weeks  struck  it  rich.  After  panning  thousands 
of  dollars'  worth  of  gold,  he  decided  to  go  to  the  States,  but  was  robbed  on  the 
way,  and  returned  to  Virginia  City  to  bum  once  more. 

3.  Left  from  Virginia  City  on  a  dirt  road  to  BOOTHILL,  0.4  m.,  a  low  butte  on 
which  are  the  graves  of  road  agents  hanged  in  the  town.  Here,  too,  the  GRAVE  OF 
BILL  FAIRWEATHER  overlooks  the  site  of  the  discovery  that  gave  millions  in  gold 
to  the  world.  Fairweather  did  not  value  his  wealth;  it  was  his  pleasure  to  ride  up 
the  main  street  of  Virginia  City  and  scatter  "dust"  right  and  left  to  madly  scram- 
bling children  and  Chinese.  After  selling  his  claims  in  Alder  Gulch,  he  prospected 
on  the  Peace  River,  and  in  Alaska  from  1868  to  1872.  In  1875,  at  the  age  of  39,  he 
died  at  Robbers'  Roost  (see  above). 

East  of  Virginia  City  State  34  winds  over  a  barren  mountain.  From  the 
summit,  58.1  m.,  the  Madison  Range  is  seen  ahead,  a  distant  dark  barrier. 
The  road  descends  in  a  series  of  switchbacks  through  a  country  of  brown 
and  gray-green  buttes  scantily  forested  with  scrub  fir  and  jack  pine. 

ENNIS,  69.8  m.  (4,927  alt,  278  pop.)  (see  Tour  15),  is  at  the  junc- 
tion with  State  i  (see  Tour  15). 


Tour  17 


(Bowman,  N.  D.) — Baker — Miles  City;  US  12. 
North  Dakota  Line  to  Miles  City,  95.2  m. 

Route  paralleled  by  Chicago,  Milwaukee,  St.  Paul  &  Pacific  R.  R.  between  North 

Dakota  Line  and  Plevna. 

Hotels  in  larger  towns;  tourist  camps  at  Miles  City. 

Graveled  roadbed  between  North  Dakota  Line  and  Plevna;  oil-surfaced  between 

Plevna  and  Miles  City;  open  all  seasons. 

US  12  traverses  a  country  that  is  often  parched  in  summer,  bleak  and 
snow-bound  in  winter.  Relentless  sun  and  wind,  driving  hail,  and  swarm- 
ing insect  pests  contribute  to  the  desolation.  The  rolling  semi-arid  table- 
lands are  briefly  green  in  spring;  then,  except  in  rare  rainy  years,  brown. 
Irregular  masses  of  colored  rock,  predominantly  brick  red,  crop  out  among 
the  wind-  and  sun-cured  grasses  on  the  hills.  Jack  rabbits,  gophers,  coyotes, 
lizards,  and  rattlesnakes  thrive  on  the  scanty  rations  of  the  land;  little 


364  TOURS 

mounds  mark  the  villages  of  prairie  dogs.  Hawks  and  occasional  eagles 
swoop  and  soar  in  search  of  prey. 

Though  great  stretches  here  seem  almost  uninhabited,  many  dry-land 
farms  challenge  the  stinginess  of  nature  and  defy  the  extremes  of  weather 
to  which  the  region  is  subject. 

Lying  far  from  the  important  pioneer  trails,  this  country  saw  little  of 
the  white  man  until  the  cattle  kings  appeared.  Only  traders  and  trappers 
from  Fort  Union  to  the  north  and  from  Yellowstone  posts  to  the  west 
visited  the  area,  which  until  1880  remained  a  buffalo  range  and  an  Indian 
campground.  Then  great  herds  of  longhorn  cattle  from  Texas  spread  out 
fanwise  from  the  Powder  River  Trail.  The  winter  of  1886-87  depopu- 
lated the  ranges ;  it  took  years  to  build  up  the  herds  again.  Only  the  more 
persistent  cowmen  stayed  to  become  actual  settlers. 

Lignite  coal,  abundant  throughout  the  region,  is  mined  for  local  use. 

US  12  crosses  the  North  Dakota  Line,  0  m.,  32  miles  west  of  Bowman, 
N.  D. 

BAKER,  12.5  m.  (2,929  alt.,  1,212  pop.),  seat  of  Fallen  County,  be- 
gan as  a  camping  place  on  the  Custer  Trail  between  Wibaux  (see  Tour  1, 
sec.  a)  and  Camp  Crook,  S.  D.,  because  surface  springs  and  grass  were 
abundant  here.  The  settlement  that  grew  up  was  first  known  as  Lorraine; 
it  was  renamed  in  1908  to  honor  A.  G.  Baker,  superintendent  of  con- 
struction on  the  Milwaukee  Road.  Wagon  ruts  of  the  old  trail  are  still 
seen  near  town. 

A  typical  market  town  in  a  grazing  and  farming  region,  Baker  is  ex- 
ceptional only  in  being  almost  in  the  center  of  a  great  gas  field  (see 
INDUSTRY  AND  COMMERCE),  which  extends  southward  30  miles 
and  northward  almost  to  Glendive.  A  driller  seeking  water  here  in  1915 
found  gas;  the  well  became  ignited  and  remained  a  natural  torch  for  six 
years.  Three  distinct  gas  sands  have  since  been  found  in  the  Baker  struc- 
ture and  now  200  wells  are  producing  commercially. 

BAKER  LAKE,  on  the  southeastern  side  of  town,  is  an  artificial  body 
created  in  1908  when  a  small  creek  was  dammed  to  insure  a  water  supply 
for  locomotive  boilers.  The  mile-long  lake  has  become  increasingly  alka- 
line, and  artesian  wells  have  been  bored  to  bring  up  good  water ;  the  lake 
now  supplies  recreational  needs. 

On  the  COURTHOUSE  GROUNDS,  near  the  southwestern  edge  of  town, 
are  PETRIFIED  and  AGATIZED  TREES  brought  in  from  the  surrounding 
country.  Many  of  the  varicolored  specimens  came  from  Cannonball  Butte 
(see  below)  and  from  the  region  southwest  of  Baker.  A  specimen  of  giant 
sequoia  in  chalcedony  is  proof  that  this  was  once  semitropical  country. 

The  THOMAS  CROW  PLACE,  two  blocks  west  of  the  courthouse,  has 
a  cottage  surrounded  by  terraced  gardens  (open  on  application)  bordered 
with  thousands  of  pieces  of  petrified  and  agatized  wood  of  varied  forms 
and  colors,  and  with  bits  of  lava,  rose  quartz,  obsidian,  petrified  moss, 
marine  fossils,  and  the  tusks  of  prehistoric  mammals. 

i.  Right  from  Baker  on  a  graded  dirt  road  to  CANNONBALL  BUTTE,  30  m., 
on  the  southern  extremity  of  a  badlands  area.  Rounded,  projecting  sandstone  for- 
mations extend  from  a  butte  that  resembles  the  Rock  of  Gibraltar. 


MEDICINE  ROCKS 


2.  Left  from  Baker  on  State  7,  an  improved  road,  into  the  least  developed  part 
of  Montana's  plains.  Badlands  make  up  one-fourth  of  the  region;  side  roads  are 
twin  tracks  in  the  dust  when  the  weather  is  dry,  ribbons  of  greasy  mud  when  it  is 
wet.  Many  of  the  people  living  here  dwell  in  makeshift  shacks  or  in  dugouts  along 
shadeless  streambanks;  modern  comforts  are  almost  unknown.  The  available  water 
has  an  unpleasant  taste,  and  is  so  hard  that  it  can  be  used  for  washing  only  with 
difficulty. 

Most  of  the  country  is  a  rolling  plain  best  suited  to  livestock  production,  but 
some  crops  are  grown.  Hills  in  the  ordinary  sense  are  rare,  but  rocky  heights  rise 
abruptly  from  the  plain,  affording  a  series  of  views  of  amazing  sweep.  The  layers 
of  sandstone,  shale,  clay,  and  various  sedimentary  materials  enclose  a  wealth  of 
fossils.  It  is  a  strange  region,  isolated  and  rude,  but  fascinating. 

At  8.4  m.  is  the  junction  with  a  dirt  road;  L.  here  10  m.  to  the  101  RANCH, 
established  by  the  Standard  Cattle  Company  of  Texas  in  1888  when  new  range  was 
sought  in  the  Northwest.  Several  herds  of  longhorn  cattle,  each  containing  3,000 
or  4,000  head,  left  Texas  in  the  spring  and  arrived  in  the  North  in  October.  The 
101  was  the  steer  ranch;  the  stock  or  calf  ranch  was  in  Wyoming,  where  the  herds 
wintered  after  the  long  summer  on  the  trail.  Each  spring  30,000  two-year-olds  were 
driven  into  Montana  from  the  calf  ranch;  at  autumn  roundup  time  they  were  driven 
from  the  101  Ranch  to  Wibaux  (see  Tour  1,  Sec.  a)  for  shipment  to  Chicago  stock 
markets.  The  101  brand  is  still  used  but  the  ranch  is  much  reduced  in  size.  Of  the 
early  improvements  only  the  corrals  remain. 

On  State  7  at  the  approach  to  a  bridge,  28.1  m.,  is  the  junction  with  a  dirt  road; 
R.  here  3.4  m.  to  MEDICINE  ROCKS,  described  by  Theodore  Roosevelt  as  "fantasti- 
cally beautiful."  Some  of  these  strange  sandstone  buttes,  which  cover  about  one 
square  mile,  tower  as  sharp  peaks  or  ridges  80  feet  above  low,  sandy  hills.  Others 
have  flat  tops  25  to  200  feet  wide.  Eroded  by  wind  and  rain,  they  exhibit  a  confu- 
sion of  spirals,  columns,  archways,  caves,  escarpments,  and  pyramids.  In  strong  sun- 
light the  rocky  buttresses  appear  chalky  white  above  the  flowing  sands;  in  moon- 


366  TOURS 

light  they  have  the  splendor  of  molten  silver.  The  crannies  in  the  rocks  appear  gray 
against  the  white,  intensely  black  against  the  silver,  and  the  whole  has  an  effect  of 
eerie  unreality.  The  name  of  the  rocks  comes  down  from  a  time  when  Indian  medi- 
cine men  circled  among  them  in  weird  ritual  dances.  Until  white  men  came,  several 
of  the  buttes  bore  Indian  inscriptions.  Among  the  names  later  carved  on  the  sand- 
stone is  that  of  Theodore  Roosevelt,  whose  stock  ranch  at  Medora,  N.  D.,  was  only 
a  day's  ride  away. 

At  36.7  m.  on  State  7  is  a  junction  with  State  30;  L.  here  23  m.  to  MILL  IRON, 
a  small  streambank  settlement  that  grew  up  on  a  ranch  connected  with  the  Hash- 
knife  spread,  which  ranged  65,000  cattle  in  Montana. 

Between  36.7  m,  and  Ekalaka  State  7  and  State  30  run  southwest  together. 

EKALAKA,  40.3  m.  (3,031  alt.,  475  pop.),  dubbed  Puptown  because  of  the 
prairie  dogs  in  its  vicinity,  began  as  a  deadfall  (saloon)  for  cowboys.  Claude  Carter, 
its  founder,  a  buffalo  hunter  and  bartender,  was  on  his  way  to  another  building  site, 
when  his  broncos  balked  at  pulling  his  load  of  logs  through  a  mudhole  at  this  spot. 
Carter  stopped  the  plunging  animals.  "Hell,"  he  said,  "any  place  in  Montana  is  a 
good  place  to  build  a  saloon."  He  began  the  erection  of  the  Old  Stand  then  and 
there.  For  more  than  50  years  its  bar  catered  profitably  to  Carter  County  punchers. 

Ekalaka  was  named  for  an  Indian  girl,  Ijkalaka  (Sioux,  swift  one)  a  niece  of  Sit- 
ting Bull.  Women  were  the  camp  movers  when  the  Sioux  were  on  the  trail,  and 
Ijkalaka  the  quickest  breaker  of  camp,  was  honored  with  a  name  expressing  her 
ability.  In  1875  David  Harrison  Russell,  the  first  white  homesteader  here,  married 
Ijkalaka,  and  in  1881  he  brought  her  to  the  little  community  that  had  grown  up 
around  the  Old  Stand.  It  was  her  home  until  her  death  in  1901. 

After  50  years  of  cowtown  existence,  Ekalaka  emerged  as  a  fairly  modern  and  am- 
bitious village.  As  seat  of  Carter  County,  it  has  a  high  school  with  120  students, 
some  of  whom  travel  90  miles  to  reach  it.  Electricity  for  lighting  is  generated  by  a 
Diesel-powered  plant  installed  in  1935.  A  city  water  system  is  maintained,  though 
many  homes  still  use  wells.  Two  hotels,  two  garages,  three  stores,  a  theater,  and  a 
bank  provide  necessary  community  services.  Commodities  are  trucked  in  from  Baker. 

The  HIGH  SCHOOL  MUSEUM  (open)  exhibits  a  Triceratops  skull  6  feet  long,  with 
excellently  preserved  supra-orbital  horns  and  hood;  a  collection  of  plant  and  marine 
fossils ;  leg  and  toe  bones  of  Tyrannosaurus  rex ;  parts  of  Trachodon ;  teeth  and  tusks 
of  a  mastodon;  primate  vertebrae;  fragments  of  prehistoric  alligators  and  turtles; 
and  the  remains  of  an  unidentified  oreodont  mammal.  All  were  collected  in  Carter 
County. 

At  Ekalaka  is  the  junction  with  State  30 ;  R.  here  2  m.  to  the  junction  with  a  dirt 
road;  L.  25  m.  to  CHALK  BUTTES,  whose  sheer  white  cliffs  rise  20  to  30  feet 
above  piny  hilltops.  On  a  butte  known  as  STARVATION  ROCK,  according  to  legend, 
an  Indian  tribe  once  found  refuge  from  its  enemies,  and  guarded  the  single  ascent 
until  every  member  was  dead  of  hunger  and  thirst. 

PLEVNA,  26.7  m.  (2,757  alt->  258  P°P-)»  a  neat  village  of  wm'te  cot' 
tages  and  red  elevators  on  Sandstone  Creek,  was  settled  largely  by  Rus- 
sians after  the  building  of  the  Milwaukee  Road  in  1907.  It  was  named 
for  a  city  in  Bulgaria  that  was  captured  by  Russian  forces  in  1877.  The 
200  families  in  the  village  and  on  small  farms  nearby  retain  many  Rus- 
sian peasant  customs.  Women  wear  the  traditional  small  black  head 
shawl ;  at  meals  the  food  is  placed  in  a  single  large  dish  in  the  center  of 
the  table  and  all  at  the  table  eat  from  it.  The  Russian  feast  days  are  kept, 
and  folk  dances  enliven  community  gatherings. 

All  about  Plevna  are  fields  of  wheat,  flax,  oats,  barley,  rye,  potatoes, 
and  hay,  less  than  10  percent  of  which  is  grown  on  irrigated  land.  Every 
spring,  farmers'  tractors  and  teams  move  down  the  long  fields,  each  trac- 
tor and  team  drawing  a  disk  harrow,  a  drill,  or  some  other  of  the  imple- 
ments of  dry-land  tillage.  Each  machine  moves  in  a  cloud  of  choking 
gray  dust;  the  horses,  in  four-  and  eight-horse  teams,  snort  at  the  dust 


TOUR    17  367 

and  flies,  and  nod  rhythmically  as  they  throw  the  weight  of  lathered 
bodies  against  the  harness.  At  other  times  horses  and  men  toil  at  another 
task  familiar  on  Montana  farms — the  clearing  away  of  large  and  small 
boulders,  which  are  loaded  on  wagons  or  stone  boats  and  hauled  out  of 
the  way,  usually  to  a  coulee,  a  gravelly  knoll,  or  a  fence  corner.  The 
largest  ones  are  dragged  out  with  heavy  chains,  often  by  the  use  of  tractor 
power. 

As  summer  advances  into  the  critical  days  of  June  and  early  July,  when 
the  moisture  reserves  of  winter  have  been  exhausted  by  growing  crops, 
the  farmer  is  anxiously  aware  of  every  small  cloud,  every  change  in  the 
direction  of  the  lightest  breeze.  No  other  human  creature  is  so  whole- 
heartedly weather-conscious  as  the  man  who  must  force  a  living  from 
land  such  as  this.  If  it  hasn't  rained  by  the  Fourth  of  July,  the  green  fields 
and  pastures  turn  brown,  cattle  begin  to  lose  weight,  and  the  long- 
suffering  dry-lander  tightens  his  belt  once  again. 

If  rain  has  come,  harvest  begins  in  August.  Whirring  machines — bind- 
ers, headers,  combines — cut  wide  swaths  in  the  grain,  and  leave  harsh, 
dust-gray  stubble  to  catch  next  winter's  snow.  Threshing  machines  roar 
and  cough;  wind  stackers  moan  and  vomit  straw.  The  indefinable  yet  un- 
forgettable smells  of  chaff,  steam,  and  warming  metal  parts  mingle  in  the 
air  with  the  stronger  reek  of  oil  and  gasoline.  Teams  of  draft  horses  plod 
to  town,  drawing  wagons  equipped  with  flareboarded  grain  tanks,  and  are 
passed  on  the  way  by  modern  trucks  similarly  equipped. 

Before  1925  the  threshing  season  normally  began  after  all  grain  had 
been  cut,  and  often  continued  into  November.  Mountainous  yellow  straw- 
stacks  adorned  every  farmyard  and  field.  When  newfangled  machines 
combined  the  operations  of  reaping  and  threshing,  this  season,  once  the 
heyday  of  the  migratory  worker,  was  cut  to  a  few  days  in  most  com- 
munities. To  take  the  place  of  the  straw  that  had  formerly  been  used  for 
feed  but  was  now  left  in  the  fields,  where  it  was  burned  or  plowed  under, 
farmers  bought  hay  shipped  from  the  western  valleys. 

A  service  station  (L)  at  66.1  m.  offers  curios. 

US  12  crosses  Powder  River,  66.3  m.,  here  fringed  with  cottonwood, 
ash,  and  various  berrybushes.  A  popular  description  of  the  stream  asserts 
that  "she's  400  miles  long,  a  mile  wide,  an  inch  deep,  and  runs  uphill." 

In  this  area  the  cowpuncher  does  his  stuff  with  rope  and  rein,  then  goes 
to  town  to  blow  in  his  pay.  If  he  is  a  "top  hand,"  this  may  be  as  much 
as  $50  a  month  and  board;  if  he  is  an  ordinary  rider,  it  is  $30  or  $35. 
The  saloon  and  the  blackjack  table  usually  get  a  generous  share  of  it, 
though  occasionally  there  is  a  puncher  who  saves  his  money,  and  invests 
in  a  herd  of  his  own. 

The  road  now  enters  rough  country;  high  buttes  marked  with  outcrop- 
pings  of  red  shale  support  a  scanty  growth  of  jack  pine.  For  many  miles 
bare  hills  alternate  with  good  grazing  land;  in  places  the  soil  is  reddish. 

At  93.7  m.  is  the  junction  with  US  10  (see  Tour  1).  Between  this  junc- 
tion and  Miles  City  US  10  and  US  12  are  one  route. 

MILES  CITY,  95.2  m.  (2,357  alt,  7,175  pop.)  (see  Tour  1,  sec.  a), 
is  at  a  junction  with  US  10  (see  Tour  1)  and  State  22  (see  Tour  10). 


Tour  1 8 


Junction  with  US  10  S — Anaconda — Philipsburg — Drummond;  US  10  A. 
Junction  with  US  10  S  to  Drummond,  66.8  m. 

Route  served  by  busses;  roughly  paralleled  by  Butte,  Anaconda  &  Pacific  R.  R.  be- 
tween Butte  and  Anaconda,  and  by  a  Northern  Pacific  Ry.  branch  between  Philips- 
burg  and  Drummond. 

Accommodations  limited  except  at  Anaconda  and  Philipsburg. 

Concrete  roadbed  between  junction  with  US  10  S  and  Anaconda,  oil-surfaced  road- 
bed between  Anaconda  and  Drummond;  open  all  seasons. 

Between  the  junction  with  US  10  S  and  Anaconda  US  10  A  is  Mon- 
tana's first  paved  road  (1922).  This  section,  with  that  between  Anaconda 
and  Georgetown  Lake,  is  called  the  Lakes  Trail.  The  entire  route  runs 
through  a  rugged  region  of  mountains  and  barren  hills.  It  rises  slowly  to 
Georgetown  Lake,  along  a  valley  that  is  sometimes  a  canyon  between 
pine-dark  mountains ;  then  it  scales  Flint  Creek  Hill  and  slides  windingly 
down  into  Flint  Creek  Valley,  a  region  rich  in  fishing  streams  and  big 
game. 

US  10  A  branches  west  from  US  10  S,  0  m.  (see  Tour  1,  Sec.  c),  14.8 
miles  west  of  Butte. 

At  0.5  m.  is  the  junction  with  a  graveled  road. 

Left  on  this  road  to  GREGSON  HOT  SPRINGS,  1.5  m.  (see  Tour  1,  Sec.  c). 
At  7.1  m.  on  US  10  A  is  the  junction  with  an  oiled  road. 

Right  on  this  road  2.1  m.  to  the  i6-room  EVANS  HOUSE  (open  May-Nov.),  built 
by  Mrs.  Gwenellen  Evans  in  1860  on  the  first  plot  of  Montana  land  held  by  a 
woman.  Both  exterior  and  interior  are  well  preserved.  The  original  carpets,  drap- 
eries, plush-covered  furniture,  square  piano,  1 6-foot  mirrors,  and  huge  walnut  doors 
and  staircase  remain.  The  rooms  are  filled  with  curios  from  many  parts  of  the  world. 

The  Washoe  Smelter  (L),  with  its  huge  smokestack,  is  seen  at  8.2  m. 

BURNT  HILL  (L),  was  once,  according  to  legend,  the  scene  of  a  bat- 
tle between  two  Indian  tribes.  The  losing  tribe,  to  escape  annihilation, 
fired  the  timber  that  covered  the  hill,  and  screened  by  the  fire,  found 
sanctuary  beyond  the  mountain. 

Slipping  between  desolate  gray  piles  of  slag,  the  road  crosses  Ana- 
conda's bare  front  yard  and  follows  Park  Ave.,  which  leads  to  Main  St. 

ANACONDA,  10. 7  m.  (5,331  alt.,  12,494  pop.),  set  at  the  mouth  of 
a  narrow  valley  near  the  Continental  Divide,  is  almost  entirely  dependent 
on  the  smelting  of  copper  and  zinc  ores  mined  near  Butte.  When  copper  is 
in  demand,  the  city  has  a  smelter  pay  roll  of  about  3,500  men  and  is 
prosperous  and,  on  the  whole,  content;  when  the  market  is  sluggish  and 
only  skeleton  crews  work  the  town  suffers. 

For  a  smelter  city  a  mile  above  sea  level,  Anaconda  is  not  unattractive. 


SMELTER,  ANACONDA 


It  has  many  pleasant  modern  homes,  with  trees  and  lawns,  to  contrast  with 
massive,  pillared  and  turreted  structures  of  the  gingerbread  period.  Its 
streets  are  paved  and  well  lighted.  But  the  business  section  lacks  liveliness 
except  when  copper  is  high.  Certain  districts  are  overcrowded  and  in  the 
original  settlement  on  the  north  side  many  old  log  buildings  and  flimsy 
frame  houses  of  the  mining-camp  type  are  still  in  use. 

Anaconda  has  an  interest  for  sports  that  was  encouraged  by  Marcus 
Daly,  whose  horses  ran  in  important  races  both  in  America  and  England. 
The  old  race  track,  opposite  Washoe  Park,  has  been  made  into  an  athletic 
field.  The  city's  recreational  activities  reach  an  annual  climax  in  the  Win- 
ter Sports  Carnival  (see  RECREATION),  which  features  ski  jumping 
on  Oimoen  Hill,  just  south  of  the  city. 

Marcus  Daly,  the  originator  of  Montana's  copper  industry,  personally 
picked  this  place  for  the  construction  of  a  copper  smelter  because  of  its 
nearness  to  ample  water  and  limestone.  Daly's  decisions  were  often  abrupt 
and  made  by  rule  of  thumb.  While  looking  over  the  site,  he  saw  a  cow 
standing  meditatively  in  the  valley.  "Main  Street,"  he  said  to  his  engi- 
neers, "will  run  north  and  south  straight  through  that  cow." 

The  city,  first  called  Copperopolis,  was  platted  in  1883.  When  the 
postmaster,  Clinton  H.  Moore,  learned  that  a  Copperopolis  already  existed 
in  Meagher  County,  he  looked  about  for  a  new  name,  and  thought  of  the 
important  Anaconda  Mine  in  Butte.  Mike  Hickey,  the  discoverer  of  the 


370  TOURS 

Anaconda,  had  named  it  after  reading  in  an  account  of  the  closing  campaign 
of  the  Civil  War  that  "Grant  encircled  Lee  like  a  giant  anaconda."  Moore 
chose  Anaconda  as  the  name  for  the  new  city.  The  aptness  of  this  second 
name  has  been  demonstrated  by  the  entire  social  and  economic  history  of 
Montana. 

Anaconda  expanded  with  the  development  of  the  copper  industry, 
which  about  1900  outgrew  the  smelter  on  the  north  side  of  town.  A  new 
one  was  erected  farther  south.  Daly  had  high  ambitions  for  the  city  he  had 
founded,  and  was  eager  to  see  it  grow.  Old-timers  say  that  when  the  Mon- 
tana Hotel  was  being  completed  in  1888,  the  energetic  Irishman  stepped 
to  a  point  of  vantage  across  the  street,  took  a  good  look  at  its  two  modest 
stories,  then  shook  his  head.  "It  doesn't  look  big  enough,"  he  said.  "Put 
another  story  on  it." 

But  Daly's  plans  for  the  city  were  not  always  successful.  In  1889  he 
founded  the  Anaconda  Standard  to  urge  Anaconda's  candidacy  in  the  cam- 
paign for  State  capital.  To  impress  the  city's  aliveness  on  the  public  mind, 
he  gave  the  paper  the  make-up  and  features  of  a  metropolitan  daily.  The 
candidate  lost  (see  HISTORY),  but  the  campaign  publication  did  better. 
In  1931,  when  the  paper  was  reduced  to  tabloid  size  because  of  the  growth  of 
the  Montana  Standard  of  Butte,  the  news  magazine  Time  devoted  several 
columns  to  its  history,  stressing  the  fact  that  when  the  city  had  only  3,000 
people  the  Anaconda  Standard  outbid  the  New  York  Herald  for  artists 
to  prepare  one  of  the  first  colored  comic  sections  published  in  the  Nation. 

Among  Anaconda's  first  inhabitants,  people  of  Irish  stock  were  pre- 
dominant, but  after  1900  there  was  a  heavy  influx  of  workers  from  the 
Balkan  countries.  Though,  to  a  limited  extent,  the  people  of  each  na- 
tional strain  kept  their  own  customs,  beliefs,  and  distinctive  organizations, 
all  were  soon  bound  together  by  their  dependence  on  copper.  Labor 
unions  grew  in  strength,  and  eventually  won  such  things  for  the  workers 
as  employment  insurance,  a  system  of  "rights"  depending  on  length  of 
service,  and  wages  based  on  the  price  of  copper  (see  HISTORY). 

The  MONTANA  HOTEL,  Main  St.  and  Park  Ave.,  is  a  three-story  brick 
structure  that  is  still  proud  of  its  bar,  a  reproduction  of  one  in  the  old 
Hoffman  House  of  New  York.  The  woodwork  is  of  Philippine  mahogany, 
the  floor  of  alternate  strips  of  redwood  and  maple.  Inlaid  in  the  floor  is  a 
mosaic  of  Daly's  race  horse  Tammany.  A  fresco  of  beer  steins  and  ale 
glasses  adorns  the  wall.  It  is  said  that  late  one  night  Daly  arrived  at  the 
hotel,  unannounced  and  unrecognized,  and  found  the  place  filled.  A 
printer  just  leaving  for  night  duty  on  the  Standard  offered  the  stranger  his 
room,  "hoping  he  was  a  whisky  drummer  and  might  leave  me  a  quart." 
Next  morning  the  hotel  manager  informed  the  printer  that  from  then  on 
his  rent  was  to  be  free. 

The  HEARST  FREE  LIBRARY  (open  10-9  weekdays),  Main  and  4th  Sts., 
has  more  than  90,000  books  and  many  newspapers  and  magazines,  housed 
in  a  two-story  brick  building  of  simple  design.  The  building  was  given 
to  the  city  by  Mrs.  Phoebe  Hearst,  mother  of  William  Randolph  Hearst. 
The  Hearsts  were  among  Daly's  original  backers. 

The  CITY  COMMON,  a  square  bounded  by  Main,  Hickory,   3rd,  and 


TOUR    18  371 

4th  Sts.,  is  given  over  to  the  children  as  a  baseball  field  in  summer  and  a 
skating  rink  in  winter. 

Left  from  Anaconda  on  4th  St.,  which  becomes  an  improved  road  to  the  WASHOE 
SMELTER  (open  1  p.m.  weekdays ;  guides) ,  1  m.,  one  of  the  largest  copper  smelters 
in  the  world.  Its  angular  groups  of  brick  and  steel  sheds  cover  the  side  of  a  hill 
surmounted  by  an  enormous  smokestack.  Between  the  sheds  and  the  stack  extends  a 
main  flue  half  a  mile  long;  from  a  distance  it  looks  like  a  huge  misshapen  hot- 
water  bottle  flattened  against  the  hill.  The  mountainsides  for  miles  around  are  ugly 
and  bare,  or  covered  only  with  gaunt  dead  timber,  destroyed,  before  the  stack  was 
built,  by  poisonous  smelter  fumes. 

The  stack,  one  of  the  landmarks  of  western  Montana,  rises  585  feet,  has  a  diam- 
eter of  75  feet  at  the  base  and  60  feet  at  the  top,  and  discharges  3  to  4  million 
cubic  feet  of  gas  a  minute.  Nearly  7,000,000  bricks  were  used  in  its  construction. 

Nearly  all  the  zinc  and  copper  ores  mined  in  Montana  are  concentrated  and 
smelted  at  this  plant.  Ore  is  hauled  from  Butte  by  the  electrified  Butte,  Anaconda 
&  Pacific  R.  R.,  delivered  to  high-line  tracks  in  5o-ton  cars,  and  dumped  into  bin* 
by  a  rotary  car  dumper  that  can  handle  1,000  tons  an  hour.  It  goes  to  a  central 
crushing  plant,  and  is  then  conveyed  to  the  concentrating  department,  a  close-set 
group  of  buildings  left  of  the  flue  whose  roofs  give  a  terraced  effect.  Here  the  pul- 
verized ore  is  passed  through  various  screens,  classifiers,  and  filters  to  great  batteries 
of  flotation  machines. 

In  the  flotation  method  of  concentration  the  heavier  minerals  are  made  to  float  in 
water,  while  the  lighter  minerals  sink.  This  phenomenon  takes  place  when  finely 
ground  ore,  with  small  quantities  of  oil  and  chemical  substances  added,  is  agitated 
and  aerated.  Some  of  the  oil  and  chemicals  cling  to  the  heavy  mineral  particles;  the 
mineral  particles  cling  to  air  bubbles,  which,  because  of  the  film  of  oil,  expand  with- 
out breaking  and  rise  as  froth  to  the  surface.  The  method  has  been  so  perfected  that 
certain  minerals  can  be  prevented  from  entering  the  froth  if  this  is  desired.  In  cop- 
per concentration,  the  iron-bearing  minerals  are  to  a  large  extent  rejected.  This  is 
called  selective  flotation. 

From  the  concentrators  the  ore  goes  to  roasting  furnaces  where  it  is  dried,  and 
part  of  its  sulphur  is  fumed  off.  It  is  then  mixed  with  fluxing  materials  (limestone, 
silica,  iron)  and  sent  to  reverberatory  furnaces.  There  the  slag  is  "tapped  off,"  and 
the  enriched  copper  product  (matte)  is  drawn  into  1 3-ton  ladles  and  carried  to 
buildings  that  contain  rows  of  spectacular,  pot-shaped,  flame-belching  converter  fur- 
naces, which  produce  "blister"  copper,  98  percent  pure.  Further  treated  in  refining 
furnaces,  the  metal  is  molded  into  slabs  called  anodes  (see  Tour  14). 

The  LEACHING  PLANT  contains  12  great  tanks  in  which  tailings  are  treated  with 
diluted  sulphuric  acid  for  recovery  of  copper  that  is  present  in  the  form  of  carbon- 
ates. The  solution  obtained  is  sent  through  scrap  iron  precipitating  plants  (see 
BUTTE),  where  the  metallic  copper  is  recovered. 

The  ZINC  PLANT  is  divided  into  concentrating,  roasting,  leaching,  electrolyzing, 
and  casting  departments.  The  double  lead-zinc  concentrates  (see  INDUSTRY  AND 
COMMERCE)  are  produced  by  selective  flotation.  In  the  electrolytic  department  are 
great  tanks  that  hold  the  electrolyte  solution  from  which  the  pure  zinc  is  deposited 
on  aluminum  cathodes. 

Lesser  plants  among  the  smelter  group  extract  white  arsenic  from  furnace  fumes 
and  flue  dust,  and  manufacture  wood  preservatives,  sulphuric  acid,  and  phosphate 
fertilizer.  A  foundry  and  brick  factory  supply  the  smelter  with  the  castings,  fire 
brick,  and  building  brick  it  requires. 

US  10  A  goes  west  from  Anaconda  on  Park  Ave. 
The  ANACONDA  TOURIST  PARK  (R),  10.9  m.,  is  maintained  by  the 
city.  (Outdoor  fireplaces,  wood,  water,  and  comfortable  cabins.) 
At  11  m.  is  the  junction  with  an  improved  road. 

Right  on  this  road  to  WASHOE  PARK,  0.5  m.,  a  i5-acre  playground  (picnic  tables, 
benches,  outdoor  stoves,  dance  pavilion,  tennis  courts,  swimming  pool,  artificial  lake, 
fish  hatchery)  with  a  zoo  containing  buffalo,  bear,  deer,  antelope,  and  other  large 


372  TOURS 

and  small  animals.  Warm  Springs  Creek  flows  through  the  shady  expanse  of  trees, 
shrubs,  and  lawn. 

The  wild,  tumbled  peaks  of  the  Anaconda  Range  are  on  the  L. 

The  highway  crosses  the  boundary  of  the  DEER  LODGE  NATIONAL 
FOREST  at  19.8  m.  Lodgepole  pine  predominates,  with  smaller  stands 
of  Douglas  fir  and  Engelmann  spruce  in  scattered  areas.  Near  timber  line 
are  alpine  fir  and  limber  pine.  Elk,  deer,  bighorn  sheep,  and  mountain 
goats  find  pasture  on  the  higher  slopes;  there  are  ducks  on  the  rivers  and 
lakes,  and  grouse  in  the  smaller  timber. 

A  FOUNTAIN  (R),  21.2  m.,  was  built  of  local  stone  by  the  State  High- 
way Commission. 

At  23.7  m.  is  a  junction  with  a  graveled  road. 

Right  on  this  road  to  CABLE,  6  m.,  marked  by  the  abandoned  buildings  of  the 
ATLANTIC  CABLE  MINE,  so  named  to  commemorate  the  laying  of  the  second  trans- 
atlantic cable.  Alexander  Aiken,  Jonas  Stow,  and  John  Pearson  discovered  the  mine 
in  June  1867  while  tracking  their  horses,  which  had  wandered  into  this  neighbor- 
hood from  their  camp  on  Flint  Creek.  The  ground  was  so  rich  that  a  cigar  box  full 
of  samples  of  it  was  worth  $1,000.  Its  estimated  subsequent  production  of  $6,500,- 
ooo  in  gold  included  a  nugget  sold  for  $19,000  to  W.  A.  Clark,  who  asserted  that 
it  was  the  largest  ever  found.  Mill  machinery  was  imported  from  Swansea,  Wales, 
and  freighted  to  the  mine  from  Corinne,  Utah,  the  nearest  railhead.  Mill  whistles 
had  been  unknown  in  the  Northwest  up  to  that  time;  the  old  steamboat  whistle 
installed  by  owners  of  the  Cable  Mine  blew  a  blast  audible  twelve  miles  away  on 
clear  days. 

Stow  and  Pearson  sold  their  shares  in  the  mine  for  $10,000  each.  Aiken  could  not 
agree  with  his  new  partners,  and  became  involved  in  lawsuits  which  wiped  out  his 
fortune.  He  left  the  country  on  foot,  with  his  blankets  on  his  back. 

SILVER  LAKE  (L),  24.9  m.,  is  a  natural  reservoir  from  which  water 
is  piped  to  the  Anaconda  smelter.  Because  of  low  water  in  this  and  ad- 
joining lakes,  work  at  the  smelter  was  curtailed  during  the  spring  and 
summer  of  1937  until  lakes  higher  in  the  mountains  could  be  tapped  for 
an  added  supply. 

The  GOLD  COIN  MINE  (R),  25.8  m.,  is  an  active  gold  producer  that 
was  once  abandoned  in  the  belief  that  its  pockets  were  worked  out. 

GEORGETOWN  LAKE  (L),  26.5  m.,  an  irregularly  shaped  artificial 
body,  was  created  to  supply  hydroelectric  power.  Several  fine  summer 
homes  are  on  its  shores  and  it  is  noted  for  its  large  rainbow  trout.  During 
the  winter  of  1936-37  thousands  of  fish  died  in  the  lake  because  of  a 
lack  of  oxygen  caused  by  low  water,  long-continued  ice  cover,  and  a  large 
amount  of  decaying  organic  matter. 

The  GEORGETOWN  FISH  HATCHERY  (L),  27  m.,  is  maintained  by  the 
State. 

GEORGETOWN,  27.3  m.  (5,570  alt.),  has  cabins,  a  store,  and  boats 
that  are  rented  to  lake  fishermen.  Half  a  mile  to  the  right  are  a  few  resi- 
dences, the  remains  of  an  older  Georgetown,  built  before  US  10  A  was 
routed  along  the  lakeside. 

Right  from  Georgetown  on  a  forest  road  to  SOUTHERN  CROSS,  2  m.,  an  almost 
deserted  mining  camp  on  the  shoulder  of  Iron  Mountain.  Here  a  rich  mine  was 
abandoned  because  of  flows  of  water  that  could  not  be  pumped  out.  Vacant  houses 
stand  among  the  ore  dumps,  and  rusty  mining  machinery  lies  scattered  about.  In  all 
directions  stretches  a  dark  carpet  of  evergreens,  unbroken  except  for  a  few  bare 


CONVERTERS 


summits  and  an  occasional  patch  of  blue-gray  water  on  the  valley  floor.  Unemployed 
miners  from  Butte  often  prospect  in  the  district. 

ECHO  LAKE  (boats  available),  3.5  m.,  is  a  favorite  retreat  for  residents  of  Butte 
and  Anaconda,  whose  summer  homes  line  the  shore. 

At  the  summit  of  FLINT  CREEK  HILL,  29.2  m.,  is  a  good  view  of  the 
Continental  Divide  (L).  The  road  descends  Flint  Creek  Hill  between 
walls  of  blue,  orange-red,  and  brown  rock. 

At  34  m.  is  the  junction  with  State  38  (see  Tour  7,  Sec.  c). 

PORTER'S  CORNERS,  34.4  m.,  is  a  store  and  service  station. 

The  road  enters  the  broad  Flint  Creek  Valley. 

PHILIPSBURG,  40.1  m.  (5,195  alt.,  1,355  pop-)'  seat  of  Granite 
County,  is  a  silver  town  whose  mines  also  produce  manganese  (see  IN- 
DUSTRY AND  COMMERCE).  It  clings  precariously  on  the  flank  of  a 
spur  of  the  Rockies. 

Luxurious  automobiles  move  along  its  hilly  streets,  and  stop  before 
very  simple  houses.  Bright  sport  outfits,  smart  street  clothes,  and  white 
flannels  mingle  in  democratic  informality  with  calked  boots,  overalls,  and 
mackinaws,  at  the  talkies,  on  the  streets,  and  in  the  homes. 

Settled  in  1866,  Philipsburg  was  named  for  Philip  Deidesheimer,  super- 
intendent of  a  silver-mining  company.  The  county  is  named  for  a  moun- 
tain of  granite  north  of  town,  on  which  is  the  site  of  one  of  the  region's 
first  and  richest  mines  (see  HISTORY). 


374  TOURS 

HOPE  MILL,  one  block  south  of  Main  St.,  is  a  ten-stamp  silver  mill 
built  in  1867  to  handle  the  free-milling  ores  from  the  Hope  Mine,  a 
mile  north  of  town.  It  was  the  first  silver  mill  in  Montana.  During  In- 
dian troubles  it  served  as  a  fort. 

The  town  is  in  a  particularly  good  fishing  region;  at  an  Angler's  Club 
fish-fry  of  1928,  1,500  guests  were  fed  with  fish  caught  in  one  day  in 
Rock  Creek  (see  Tour  1 ,  Sec.  c),  12  miles  west  of  Philipsburg. 

Right  from  Philipsburg  on  a  dirt  road  to  GRANITE,  1  m.,  a  bustling  silver  camp 
until  1893,  when  it  was  abandoned  after  the  drop  in  the  value  of  silver.  The  GRAN- 
ITE BIMETALLIC  AND  HOPE  MINES  are  nearby. 

US  10  A  goes  north  down  the  Flint  Creek  Valley,  a  grain  and  livestock 
region.  At  52.1  m.  is  the  junction  with  an  improved  road. 

Left  on  this  road  is  MAXVILLE,  0.2  m.  (4,852  alt.,  50  pop.),  a  distribution 
point  once  known  as  Flint.  The  name,  changed  to  honor  the  first  postmaster  and 
merchant,  R.  R.  Macleod,  was  intended  to  be  Macville. 

Between  Maxville  and  Hall  is  (R)  a  stretch  of  man-made  badlands,  the 
result  of  hydraulic  mining.  Glacial  deposits,  immeasurably  older,  extend 
(L)  along  the  valley  floor. 

HALL,  60.4  m.  (4,215  alt.,  151  pop.),  is  a  livestock-shipping  point. 
The  Northern  Pacific  right-of-way  in  this  vicinity  was  acquired  from 
Henry  Hall. 

DRUMMOND,  66.8  m.  (3,967  alt.,  363  pop.)  (see  Tour  I,  Sec.  d), 
is  at  the  junction  with  US  10  (see  Tour  1). 


(International  Peace  Park) 

General  Information 

Season:  Official  season  June  15  to  Sept.  15;  but  entrances  not  closed 
to  travel  at  earlier  and  later  dates.  Going-to-the-Sun  Highway  never  clear 
of  snow  across  the  Continental  Divide  before  June  15,  but  generally 
passable  until  sometime  in  October.  Western  entrance  at  Belton  open  all 
year ;  road  beyond  kept  free  of  snow  to  Lake  McDonald. 

Administrative  Offices:  Park  headquarters  just  inside  W.  entrance; 
address,  Belton.  Glacier  Park  Hotel  Co.  and  Glacier  Park  Transport  Co., 
Glacier  Park  Station;  Glacier  Park  Saddle  Horse  Co.,  Kalispell,  or,  in 
summer,  Glacier  Park  Station. 

Admission:  Free.  Automobile  permit  $i,  issued  at  any  entrance  during 
season. 

Transportation:  Park  reached  by  Great  Northern  Ry.  and  US  2  (Tour  2) 
through  Glacier  Park  Station  (E)  and  Belton  (W)  ;  by  US  89  (Tour  4), 
N.  and  SE.;  by  US  91  (Tour  6),  N.  and  SW. 

Busses  from  Great  Falls  to  Glacier  Park  Station  in  summer.  Daily  bus 
service  within  the  park;  Glacier  Park  Station  to  Two  Medicine,  St.  Mary, 
Many  Glacier,  Waterton  Lake,  Going-to-the-Sun,  Lake  McDonald,  and 
Belton ;  Belton  to  Lake  McDonald,  Logan  Pass  on  the  Continental  Divide, 
Going-to-the-Sun,  and  St.  Mary.  Connections  at  St.  Mary  to  Many 
Glacier,  Waterton  Lake,  and  Glacier  Park  Station.  Glacier  Park  Transport 
Co.  and  Glacier  Park  Hotel  Co.  jointly  offer  all-expense  tours  by  bus, 
ranging  from  $17  for  i  day  to  $42.50  for  three  days. 

Saddle  horses  available  at  Glacier  Park,  Many  Glacier,  and  Lake  Mc- 
Donald Hotels,  Going-to-the-Sun  Chalets,  and  Goathaunt  Tent  Camp.  At 
Two  Medicine  Chalets,  horses  for  local  rides  only.  Trails  total  900  m. 
Horseback  trip  expenses  vary  according  to  size  of  party  and  type  of  ac- 
commodation used.  Average  rate  per  person  for  i-day  trip  in  group  with 
horses,  guide,  and  box  lunch,  $5-$6.  All-expense  trips  of  several  days, 
with  stop  each  night  at  chalet  or  tent  camp,  about  $10  a  day  per  person. 
Private  camping  parties,  with  guide,  cook,  and  other  help,  $11  to  $27  a 
day  per  person.  Experienced  riders  can  use  horses  without  guide  at  $i 
an  hr.,  $3  for  4  hr.,  $5  for  8  hr.  (see  TRAIL  TOURS). 

Launch  on  Waterton  Lake  between  Goathaunt  Camp  and  Waterton 
Lake  town  site  (Prince  of  Wales  Hotel),  Alta.  (fare  75$)  ;  on  Josephine 
and  Swiftcurrent  Lakes  from  Many  Glacier  Hotel  ($i);  on  Two  Med- 
icine Lake  (75^);  Lake  McDonald  (75$).  Rowboats  available  at  hotels 

375 


37^  TOURS 

and  chalets  on  Two  Medicine,  St.  Mary,  Swiftcurrent,  Josephine,  Crossley, 
Red  Eagle,  and  McDonald  Lakes;  50$  an  hr.,  $2.50  a  day.  Outboard 
motors  can  also  be  rented. 

Accommodations:  Three  hotels  (Glacier  Park,  Many  Glacier,  Lake  Mc- 
Donald) ;  eight  chalets  (Two  Medicine,  Cut  Bank,  St.  Mary,  Many 
Glacier,  Going-to-the-Sun,  Granite  Park,  Sperry,  Belton).  Rates:  Hotels, 
$6.50  to  $14  a  day  American  plan,  $4.50  to  $11  European  plan;  break- 
fast and  lunch  $i,  dinner  $1.50.  Chalets,  bed  usually  $2,  breakfast  and 
lunch  750,  dinner  $i.  Going-to-the-Sun  Chalet  slightly  higher  for  special 
accommodations.  Ten  percent  discount  for  stay  of  week  or  more  at  one 
place. 

Tent  camps  at  Goathaunt  on  Waterton  Lake,  at  Fifty  Mountain  on  the 
Continental  Divide  in  Kootenai  Pass,  and  at  Crossley  Lake;  used  prin- 
cipally by  saddle-horse  parties,  but  open  to  hikers. 

Privately  owned  cabins  on  Lake  McDonald  rented  to  tourists.  Many 
tourist  camps  outside  park  along  US  2  and  89,  especially  at  Glacier  Park 
Station  and  Belton.  Rates  lower  than  in  park. 

Free  public  automobile  campgrounds,  with  pure  water,  firewood,  cook 
stoves,  and  sanitary  facilities,  at  Two  Medicine,  Cut  Bank,  Roes  Creek, 
and  Many  Glacier  on  E.  side;  at  Avalanche  Creek,  Sprague  Creek  (near 
Lake  McDonald  Hotel),  Fish  Creek  (near  Apgar),  and  Bowman  Lake 
on  W.  side. 

Climate,  Clothing,  Equipment:  Riding  breeches,  golf  pants,  or  slacks 
with  puttees  worn  by  both  men  and  women.  Shorts  not  good  for  hiking 
because  trails  are  often  closely  fringed  with  bushes.  Many  hikers  wear 
khaki,  but  wool  is  preferable  to  absorb  sweat  by  day  and  to  give  warmth 
in  evening.  Stout  shoes  with  thick  soles  essential  for  hiking  on  rocky 
trails;  should  be  large  enough  to  enable  wearing  of  two  pairs  of  socks, 
one  pair  thick  wool.  Warm  sweater  or  jacket  on  trips;  waterproof  slicker 
is  tied  behind  the  cantle  on  every  saddle  horse. 

'  All  essential  clothing  and  equipment  can  be  purchased  or  rented  at 
Glacier  Park,  Many  Glacier,  and  Lake  McDonald  Hotels  (see  STATE 
GENERAL  INFORMATION). 

Medical  Service:  Trained  nurses  at  hotels,  resident  physician  at  Glacier 
Park  Hotel.  In  emergency  a  physician  can  be  summoned  by  telephone 
from  outside  the  park. 

Post  Offices:  Mail  forwarded  to  hotels  and  chalets.  Mail  to  E.  side 
should  be  addressed  via  Glacier  Park;  W.  side,  via  Belton. 

Communication  and  Express  Service:  Telephone,  telegraph  available  at 
inns  and  ranger  stations;  express  service  to  concentration  points.  Hand 
baggage  (c.25  lb)  free  on  busses;  may  be  checked  at  entrances  or  re- 
checked  to  point  of  departure.  No  storage  charges  during  trips. 

Naturalist  Service:  Ranger  naturalists  at  Many  Glacier,  Going-to-the- 
Sun,  Two  Medicine,  Lake  McDonald,  Sprague  Creek,  Roes  Creek  Camp- 
ground, and  Avalanche  Creek  Campground  deliver  lectures,  answer  ques- 
tions, conduct  local  field  trips  and  campfire  entertainments,  and  arrange 
flower  exhibits. 


GLACIER   NATIONAL   PARK  377 

Warnings  and  Regulations:  Build  fires  only  at  designated  places;  be 
sure  they  are  out  before  leaving  them.  Be  careful  with  cigarettes,  cigars, 
pipe  ashes,  and  matches. 

Speed  limit  of  35  m.p.h.  must  be  reduced  to  15  m.  on  sharp  curves  and 
in  passing  hotels  and  campgrounds.  Keep  cars  in  lower  gears  on  grades. 
Hunting  or  trapping  prohibited.  Do  not  feed  bears  or  leave  foodstuffs 
where  they  can  break  into  the  containers ;  leave  with  camp  tender,  or  hang 
in  box  out  of  reach.  Do  not  pick  flowers;  get  permit  to  collect  specimens 
for  scientific  purposes.  Do  not  destroy  or  injure  natural  features.  Dead 
and  fallen  wood  may  be  used  for  fires.  To  camp  at  other  than  designated 
campgrounds,  obtain  permit  from  ranger;  leave  campground  clean;  put 
refuse  in  containers  provided,  or  bury  it.  (Get  additional  information  in 
park.) 

Best  Fishing:  (No  license  required,  but  get  a  copy  of  seasonal  regula- 
tions as  to  limit,  etc.)  Two  Medicine  Lake — eastern  brook  and  rainbow; 
Cut  Bank  Creek — eastern  brook  and  cutthroat;  St.  Mary  Lake — Macki- 
naw, cutthroat,  rainbow;  Red  Eagle  Lake  and  Creek — large  cutthroat; 
Gunsight  Lake — rainbow;  Lake  Sherburne — pike,  whitefish,  rainbow,  cut- 
throat; Swiftcurrent,  Josephine,  Grinnell,  and  Ptarmigan  Lakes — cut- 
throat, eastern  brook,  rainbow;  Cracker  Lake — small  black-spot;  Kennedy 
Creek — grayling,  cutthroat;  Belly  River — large  rainbow,  cutthroat,  gray- 
ling; Crossley  Lakes — Mackinaw,  cutthroat;  Elizabeth  Lake — rainbow, 
grayling;  Waterton  Lake — Mackinaw,  cutthroat;  Lake  Francis — rainbow; 
Lake  McDonald — cutthroat,  Dolly  Varden,  western  whitefish;  Fish,  Sny- 
der,  Avalanche,  Lincoln,  Trout,  and  Arrow  Lakes — cutthroat;  Lake  Ellen 
Wilson — eastern  brook;  Harrison  Lake — cutthroat;  Logging,  Quartz, 
Bowman,  and  Kintla  Lakes — cutthroat,  Dolly  Varden.  Excellent  fishing  in 
forks  of  Flathead  River. 

Centers  of  Interest:  Outstanding  scenery  at  Two  Medicine,  Red  Eagle, 
Going-to-the-Sun,  Many  Glacier,  Belly  River  Valley,  Goathaunt,  Granite 
Park,  Logan  Pass,  Avalanche,  Sperry,  and  North  Fork.  At  Glacier  Park 
Station,  Blackfeet  Indians  camp,  sing,  dance,  and  tell  stories.  Water  sports 
at  Two  Medicine,  St.  Mary  (shingle  beach),  Going-to-the-Sun,  Many 
Glacier,  Goathaunt  (launch  from  Waterton  Lake  village  in  Canada),  Lake 
McDonald.  Wild,  primitive  country  in  the  North  Fork,  Two  Medicine, 
Many  Glacier,  Goathaunt,  and  Granite  Park  regions ;  abundance  of  moun- 
tain flowers;  animals  such  as  mountain  sheep  and  goats.  Glaciers  and 
first-rate  climbing  at  Going-to-the-Sun  (largest  glacier  in  park),  Many 
Glacier  (best  place  to  see  mountain  sheep),  Logan  Pass,  and  Sperry. 
Forest  fire  damage  at  Granite  Park  mars  one  of  best  views  in  park.  On 
Logan  Pass,  brilliantly  flowered  meadows  called  Hanging  Gardens  are 
framed  among  high  peaks.  Abundance  of  huckleberries  at  Avalanche. 

GLACIER  NATIONAL  PARK  (1,534  sq.  m.)  straddles  the  Continen- 
tal Divide  between  the  Canadian  boundary  and  Marias  and  Theodore 
Roosevelt  Passes;  it  stretches  from  the  Great  Plains  to  the  North  Fork 
of  the  Flathead  River.  Its  latitude  and  altitude  make  the  climate  temperate 


378  TOURS 

during  short  summers,  cold  and  snow-blanketed  through  long  winters. 
The  heavy  snows  keep  its  streams  full  in  summer,  and  feed  gleaming 
emerald  lakes  and  resplendent  waterfalls. 

The  mountains  of  the  park  are  young  and  spectacular — segments  of 
the  continental  backbone,  with  a  glacier,  a  lake,  and  a  singing  stream  in 
every  interstice.  On  the  west  the  ascent  to  the  summit  is  gradual — on  the 
east  the  slope  is  so  abrupt  as  to  amount  to  an  escarpment,  a  result  of  the 
Lewis  overthrust  fault,  which  uplifted  and  shoved  the  park  area  15  to 
25  miles  out  over  the  plains.  On  the  eastern  side  there  is  an  abrupt  change 
from  rolling  shadeless  plain  to  tremendously  rugged  timbered  country. 
The  sixty  large  and  small  glaciers  that  give  the  park  its  name  are  not 
strictly  "rivers  of  ice,"  like  those  in  Alaska  and  the  Alps,  but  remnants  of 
such  rivers;  they  are  bedded  in  glacial  cirques  and  cling  to  high  benches 
and  northern  slopes ;  every  year  they  recede  slightly.  They  have,  however, 
all  the  glacial  characteristics — movement,  crevassed  surface,  and  morainal 
deposits — but  their  day  is  spent.  If  there  is  no  climatic  change,  they  will 
be  gone  in  a  thousand  years. 

While  the  glaciers  enhance  the  glory  of  the  scene  they  are  high  in  the 
mountains  and  accessible  only  by  trail.  The  park  is  a  wild  mountainous 
area  with  an  unusually  wide  range  of  appeal.  To  a  rider  the  peak  of  ap- 
preciation may  come  as  he  dangles  a  leg  over  a  thousand  vertical  feet  of 
space;  to  a  fisherman,  when,  knee  deep  in  a  rushing  stream,  he  brings  to 
net  a  fighting  rainbow;  to  the  hiker  when  he  meets  a  bear  or  mountain 
goat  on  some  high  trail;  to  the  picture  hunter  when  he  catches  a  bull 
moose  wallowing  along  the  edge  of  a  marsh.  Some  will  find  the  greatest 
lure  in  the  loneliness  of  a  summit. 

The  park  is  rimmed  by  roads,  but  there  is  only  one  highway  across  it. 
The  most  beautiful  and  dramatic  spots  are  reached  by  foot  and  bridle 
trails  that  branch  from  the  low  roads  and  lead  up  valleys  separated  by  the 
high,  forested  ridges  of  the  generally  impassable  main  range.  Going-to- 
the-Sun  Highway  traverses  a  representative  part  of  the  park;  nevertheless, 
valleys  threaded  only  by  trails  have  a  charm  impossible  to  places  scarred 
with  road  cuts  and  tunnels.  The  area  has  infinite  variety,  and  to  know  it 
well,  visitors  must  come  back  for  many  seasons. 

Adjoining,  across  the  international  line,  is  Canada's  Waterton  Lakes 
National  Park,  a  limited  area  with  topography  and  scenery  like  that  of 
Glacier  Park.  Dedicated  in  1932  as  an  international  park,  a  symbol  of  the 
peaceful  relationship  between  Canada  and  the  United  States,  the  joint  area 
straddles  the  only  long  unfortified  international  boundary  in  the  world. 
The  two  parks  are  under  separate  managements  that  cooperate  closely. 

The  first  white  man  in  the  Glacier  Park  area  was  probably  Hugh  Mon- 
roe, a  Hudson's  Bay  Company  trapper  known  to  the  Blackfeet  as  Rising 
Wolf,  who  arrived  about  1815,  and  married  a  Piegan  woman.  The  Black- 
feet  say  that  Father  De  Smet  visited  the  region  in  1846  and  gave  the 
name  St.  Mary  to  two  mountain  lakes  shown  to  him  by  Monroe.  The 
origin  of  the  name  is  not  otherwise  explained. 

The  story  of  Marias  Pass,  which  bounds  the  park  on  the  south,  is  one  of 
the  most  unusual  in  western  annals.  In  1806  Meriwether  Lewis  approached 


f\ 


LITTLE  CHIEF  MOUNTAIN 


38o 


TOURS 


GLACIER    NATIONAL    PARK 


38l 


382  TOURS 

but  did  not  enter  it.  Later  several  men  who  had  heard  of  it  from  the  In- 
dians attempted  to  find  it,  but  failed.  It  became  a  sort  of  legendary  passage 
for  three-fourths  of  a  century.  In  1889,  it  became  imperative  that  it  be 
found  as  a  route  for  a  northern  transcontinental  railway.  It  is  on  record 
that  Major  Baldwin  actually  discovered  it  in  October  of  that  year;  but 
either  he  was  not  given  credit  for  it,  or  his  report  needed  verification,  for 
in  December  John  Stevens  set  out  from  the  East  to  find  it.  Though  ham- 
pered by  the  lateness  of  the  season  and  deserted  by  his  superstitious  Flat- 
head  guide,  he  set  up  his  instruments  on  the  plain  near  the  present  Meri- 
wether  station,  took  a  bearing  on  the  elusive  gap,  discernible  from  that 
point,  and  on  December  n  walked  into  it.  The  Great  Northern  com- 
pleted its  road  in  1892.  In  1895  settlers  cut  a  narrow  trail  through  heavy 
timber  from  Belton  to  Lake  McDonald.  George  Snyder  shipped  a  steam- 
boat to  the  lake  and  built  a  log  hotel.  Dr.  Lyman  B.  Sperry  penetrated  to 
Avalanche  Lake,  reached  the  glacier  that  bears  his  name,  saw  the  beau- 
tiful lake  now  called  Ellen  Wilson,  and  convinced  the  Great  Northern's 
Jim  Hill  of  the  lucrative  tourist  business  in  store  for  his  railway. 

After  1900  mining  excitement  threatened  an  inrush  of  prospectors. 
Mining  men  persuaded  Congress  to  obtain  an  area  east  of  the  Divide 
from  the  Blackfeet,  but  no  ore  of  consequence  was  found.  In  1898  rumors 
of  oil  had  been  disproved  but  because  of  them  a  5O-mile  road  had  been 
cut  from  the  foot  of  Lake  McDonald  to  the  foot  of  Kintla  Lake — the  first 
substantial  step  toward  opening  the  region  to  travelers.  Homestead  booms 
populated  the  valleys ;  the  Great  Northern  Railway  began  extensive  adver- 
tising; and  the  Forest  Service  inaugurated  a  more  careful  patrol.  Even- 
tually on  May  n,  1910,  Glacier  National  Park  was  created  by  Act  of 
Congress.  Though  the  park  is  in  the  State  of  Montana,  it  is  under  the 
jurisdiction  of  the  Federal  Government,  and  violators  of  park  regulations 
are  tried  before  a  United  States  commissioner  at  Belton.  The  policing  is 
done  by  the  chief  ranger  and  20  to  30  men. 

Eons  ago  the  land  here  rose,  the  sea  drained  off,  and  rock  bodies  up- 
thrust  by  the  wrinkling  of  the  earth's  crust  became  mountains.  Snow 
accumulated  and  formed  glaciers,  and  glacial  erosion  changed  V-shaped 
valleys  to  U-shaped  ones.  The  rocks  were  exfoliated  by  alternate  thawing 
and  freezing,  and  the  glaciers  plucked  off  the  scales,  forming  cirques  or 
amphitheaters,  many  of  them  now  partly  occupied  by  small  lakes.  The 
larger  lakes  are  mostly  the  result  of  the  damming  of  glacial  valleys  by 
moraines.  Continued  action  of  the  ice  cut  into  the  steep  walls  that  backed 
the  cirques,  so  that  where  two  glaciers  lay  on  opposite  sides  of  a  wall,  the 
crest  dividing  them  was  reduced  in  thickness,  forming  passes  and  saw- 
tooth ranges. 

The  vast  escarpment  marking  the  end  of  the  eastward  advance  of  the 
Lewis  overthrust  is  of  old,  hard  limestone  that  resisted  erosion,  and  in 
many  places,  most  notably  in  Chief  Mountain,  towers  above  the  softer 
sandstone  and  shale  formations  on  which  it  rests.  The  fault,  plainly  visible 
at  Summit  on  the  Great  Northern  Ry.  as  a  thin  yellow  line  along  the 
mountains  to  the  north,  is  more  clearly  seen  farther  north  along  the  east- 
ern boundary  of  the  park.  It  is  conspicuous  below  Trick  Falls  on  Two 


GLACIER   NATIONAL   PARK  383 

Medicine  Creek,  and  on  both  sides  of  the  Narrows  on  St.  Mary  Lake. 
North  of  Swiftcurrent  Valley  it  forms  a  barrier  to  every  stream  that 
crosses  it,  and  on  the  forks  of  Kennedy  Creek  and  Belly  River,  rises  sev- 
eral hundred  feet,  giving  the  spurs  and  ridges  between  these  streams  al- 
most unscalable  fronts. 

In  general  the  weather  during  the  official  season  is  warm  by  day  and 
cool  at  night.  The  winds  that  parch  the  Great  Plains  seldom  reach  these 
pine-scented  valleys.  In  June,  sometimes  in  July,  cloud  banks  from  the 
west  slip  over  the  saw-toothed  crest,  depositing  their  moisture  as  snow 
on  the  higher  slopes  and  as  rain  in  the  valleys.  Sudden  thunderstorms 
with  brief  torrential  downpours  sometimes  occur.  Rainfall  is  about  equal 
on  the  eastern  and  western  slopes  during  the  officially  open  season;  ear- 
lier and  later,  it  is  much  heavier  on  the  western  side  of  the  Divide. 

Nearly  1,000  species  of  plants  bloom  in  the  area,  the  most  lavish  dis- 
play being  in  early  July.  The  park  is  divided  by  exposure,  precipitation, 
temperature,  and  other  factors  into  three  life  zones — Canadian,  Hud- 
sonian,  and  Arctic-Alpine — with  remarkable  contrasts.  Above  timber 
line,  the  flowers  follow  retreating  snowbanks;  there  are  no  successive 
flowering  seasons,  for  all  bloom  nearly  at  once  in  a  riot  of  color.  High 
up,  only  the  hardiest  mosses  and  lichens,  such  as  the  thick-rooted  stone- 
crops,  cling  among  the  constantly  avalanching  shales;  only  slightly  lower 
grow  rare  sky-blue  alpine  columbine,  forget-me-not,  velvety  dryad,  globe- 
flower,  and  carpet  pink.  A  step  lower,  among  stunted,  gnarled  alpine  fir 
and  white-barked  pine,  delicate  glacier  lilies  push  skyward  through  linger- 
ing snowbanks.  Fringed  parnassia,  red  and  yellow  mimulus,  wild  fragrant 
heliotrope,  heather,  and  gentian  add  to  the  glow  of  color.  Still  lower, 
showy,  creamy  plumes'  of  beargrass  bloom  in  alternate  years. 

At  the  eastern  base  of  the  mountains  are  fields  brilliant  from  earliest 
springtime  with  asters  and  flowering  grasses  that  dazzle  the  eye  until 
they  fade  and  become  tawny  in  the  autumnal  cold.  Framing  the  highways 
in  spring  are  passion  flower,  carpet  pink,  shooting  star,  buttercup;  in  late 
June,  forget-me-not,  blue  Camassia,  red  and  white  geranium,  scarlet  paint- 
brush, bistort,  and  puccoon;  in  July,  large  flowering  horsemint;  in  late 
summer,  bronze  agoseris,  gaillardia,  wild  hollyhock,  and  in  early  autumn 
exuberant  asters  and  yellow  composites. 

On  the  western,  more  humid  slope  the  same  flowers  occur,  but  in 
smaller  numbers  and  supplemented  in  places  by  trillium,  fireweed,  dwarf 
cornel,  and  calypso. 

Forests  composed  almost  wholly  of  coniferous  trees  lie  far  below  the 
lofty  peaks.  In  the  valleys  on  the  eastern  side  are  stands  of  Engelmann 
spruce,  alpine  fir,  lodgepole  pine,  and,  rarely,  Douglas  fir  and  limber  pine. 
Talus  slides  support  a  few  rugged  pines,  and  avalanche-ridden  slopes 
bear  mountain  ash,  maple,  alder,  and  aspen. 

The  dense  forests  of  the  west  slope,  especially  about  Lake  McDonald, 
have  an  almost  twilight  shade,  even  at  noon.  Composed  chiefly  of  large 
trees,  they  are  similar  to  forests  of  the  Pacific  coast.  Western  cedar  and 
hemlock  are  interspersed  with  larch,  grand  fir,  spruce,  and  pine.  A  few 
white  pines  in  McDonald  Valley  below  the  Logan  Pass  road,  and  cedars 


384  TOURS 

around  Avalanche  Creek,  stand  nearly  200  feet  high,  with  a  basal  diam- 
eter of  5  to  7  feet. 

With  abundant  food,  and  protected  by  strict  laws,  nearly  all  species  of 
big  game  of  temperate  North  America  thrive  in  the  park.  When  tourists 
throng  into  the  area  they  withdraw  to  undisturbed  places,  but  the  watch- 
ful traveler,  especially  on  remote  trails,  can  see  white-tailed  and  mule  deer, 
elk,  moose,  mountain  goats  and  sheep,  mountain  lions,  wolves,  and  grizzly 
and  black  bears.  Moose  frequent  marshy  ponds  in  the  deepest  forests ;  elk 
take  to  the  open  ridges;  and  mountain  sheep  and  goats  haunt  the  loftiest 
cliffs  and  meadows.  The  small  valleys  tributary  to  the  North  Fork  of  the 
Flathead  are  natural  breeding  grounds  for  moose,  deer,  and  bear.  On  hot 
summer  days,  moose  wade  in  shallow  lakes  or  browse  in  the  thick  willows 
along  streams.  The  great  brown  head  and  humped  shoulders  of  a  bull, 
with  spade-like  antlers  set  back  against  the  hump,  are  often  seen  moving 
in  the  glacial  waters  of  Trout  Lake.  In  the  water  the  moose  is  at  a  disad- 
vantage ;  but  it  is  unsafe  to  go  very  near  to  him,  for  he  will  fight  as  read- 
ily as  a  grizzly,  and  can  crush  a  light  craft  with  one  stroke.  Bears  frequent 
campgrounds.  The  smaller  animals — beaver,  coyote,  porcupine,  otter, 
mink,  weasel,  wildcat,  lynx,  and  marten — are  found  most  readily  by  those 
who  learn  to  tread  softly  and  remain  alert.  Often,  a  man  sitting  quietly 
in  the  shade  will  see  more  wildlife  in  an  hour  than  he  would  in  a  day  of 
vigorous  walking. 

Fish  are  plentiful  in  all  waters  of  the  park.  On  the  lakes  the  best  fish- 
ing is  usually  near  inlets  or  outlets,  at  about  sundown.  On  the  streams 
the  time  of  day  is  not  so  important  as  cautious  approach  and  quiet  casting. 


Park  Tour  i 


St.    Mary — Logan    Pass — Lake    McDonald — Belton;    Going-to-the-Sun 
Highway.  51  m. 

Oil-surfaced  roadbed  throughout. 

Going-to-the-Sun  Highway  branches  west  from  US  89  (see  Tour  4, 
sec.  a)  at  ST.  MARY,  0  m.  (4,478  alt.,  103  pop.). 

The  auto  checking  station,  0.1  m.,  registers  incoming  tourists. 

Left  from  the  checking  station  on  an  oiled  road  to  the  Swiss  type  ST.  MART 
CHALETS,  0 1.5  m.,  just  above  the  shingle  beach  of  UPPER  ST.  MARY  LAKE.  The 
lakes  were  held  m  reverence  by  the  Blackfeet  as  the  home  of  the  Wind  Maker;  the 
imaginative  easily  understand  the  origin  of  the  belief,  for  Upper  St  Mary's  dark 


GOING-TO-THE-SUN  MOUNTAIN 


386  TOURS 

blue  waters  are  usually  spangled  with  whitecaps.  Rough  water  often  makes  fishing 
impracticable. 

The  highway  skirts  the  northern  shore  of  the  upper  lake.  Across  the 
water  (L)  the  mountains,  in  succession,  are  Divide  (8,647  a^-)»  Kootenai 
(8,300  alt),  Red  Eagle  (8,800  alt),  and  Little  Chief  (9,542  alt.)  ;  R.  are 
Singleshot  (7,700  alt),  Whitefish  (8,000  alt.),  Goat  (8,816  alt),  and 
Going-to-the-Sun  (9,594  alt.). 

The  last-named  peak,  which  grows  more  majestic  as  it  is  approached,  is 
the  locale  of  an  Indian  legend.  Long  ago  great  adversity  visited  the  Black- 
feet.  Gone  was  their  glory  in  war,  gone  their  skill  and  strength;  famine 
held  them.  Troubled  by  the  distress  of  his  favorite  people,  the  Great  Spirit 
sent  among  them  a  warrior  of  fine  mien,  a  chief  who  knew  all  things,  to 
instruct  them  in  the  way  they  should  live.  Again  they  became  a  great  peo- 
ple, regaining  their  dominance  over  all  tribes.  As  quickly  as  he  had  come, 
the  chief  departed  up  the  lofty  slopes  of  a  mountain  to  the  west,  and  as  he 
went,  amid  lightning  and  thunder,  clouds  of  snow  eddied  about  him.  After 
the  storm  the  sun  blazed  forth,  and  the  Blackfeet  saw  that  the  snow  on  the 
mountain  formed  the  profile  of  the  great  chief  as  he  was  going  to  the  sun. 

At  6.4  m.  is  the  junction  with  a  secondary  dirt  road. 

Right  0.5  m.  on  this  road  to  ROES  CREEK  CAMPGROUND. 

The  NARROWS,  6.9  m.,  mark  the  lake  crossing  of  the  Lewis  over- 
thrust  fault.  The  yellow  limestone,  on  both  sides  of  the  road  is  the  lowest 
stratum  of  the  rocks  that  were  uplifted  and  pushed  out  over  the  plain.  In 
most  places  in  the  park  this  hard  lower  limestone  has  not  been  broken 
through  by  the  glaciers  that  scooped  out  the  valleys,  but  forms  a  barrier 
over  which  waterfalls  pour  from  the  lakes  behind  it.  The  glacier  that 
formed  St.  Mary  Valley  was  one  of  the  larger  ones;  the  continuing  line 
of  the  overthrust  is  plainly  visible  across  the  lake,  bearing  L.  along  the 
foot  of  Red  Eagle  Mountain,  mounting  high  on  Kootenai,  and  appearing 
near  the  top  of  Divide. 

LOST  LAKE  (L),  9.7  m.,  is  a  small  circular  body  of  water  warm 
enough  for  comfortable  swimming. 

At  10  m.  is  the  junction  with  a  paved  road. 

Left  on  this  road  0.3  m.  to  GoiNG-ro-THE-SuN  CHALETS  (4,500  alt.),  usually 
called  Sun  Camp.  The  largest  group  of  chalets  in  the  park,  they  are,  like  most  of 
the  other  chalets  and  hotels,  of  log  construction  in  a  local  adaptation  of  the  alpine 
style.  Perched  on  the  crest  of  a  rocky  eminence  a  little  more  than  100  feet  above 
Upper  St.  Mary  Lake,  they  afford  a  view  of  the  lake  and  the  encompassing  heights. 
The  azure  water  is  rimmed  with  deep  green  forest ;  higher,  the  yellow,  green,  and 
red  cliffs  enfolding  white  snowbanks  accentuate  the  verdant  tones  of  the  cirque 
meadows  above  the  timber  line.  At  this  point  the  mountains  visible  (L.  to  R.)  are 
Red  Eagle,  immediately  across  the  lake;  Little  Chief;  Citadel  (9,024  alt.)  ;  Gunsight 
(9,250  alt.),  farthest  distant;  Fusillade  (8,747  alt.),  a  vast  wedge;  Reynolds 
(9,147  alt.),  a  higher  triangle;  Going-to-the-Sun,  and  Goat. 

Trails  branch  from  Going-to-the-Sun  Chalets  (see  Trail  Tour  1). 

At  10.5  m.  is  the  junction  with  a  footpath. 

Right  on  this  path  to  SUNRIFT  GORGE,  0.2  m.,  a  spectacular  cleft  in  red  argil- 
lite  hardly  more  than  10  feet  wide,  with  vertical  walls  25  to  50  feet  high,  formed 
by  a  slip  along  a  fault,  and  scoured  into  fantastic  shapes  by  water.  Windfalls,  over- 
grown with  moss  and  lichens,  are  continuously  moistened  by  a  curtain  of  mist  from 


PARK   TOUR    I  387 

the  rushing  water  below.  Sunbeams  slanting  obliquely  into  the  gorge  touch  the  mist 
with  rainbow  colors. 

The  road  mounts  by  an  easy  grade  around  Going-to-the-Sun  Mountain 
(R),  and  at  13.5  m.  swings  L.  across  a  tributary  of  Reynolds  Creek  to  the 
side  of  Piegan  Mountain  (9,230  alt.).  Across  the  narrow,  forested  valley 
(L)  is  Mount  Reynolds.  On  a  lower  point  of  the  latter  is  a  lookout  sta- 
tion commanding  the  St.  Mary  Valley. 

A  408-foot  TUNNEL,  17  m.,  much  of  it  on  a  shelf  blasted  out  of  solid 
rock,  shows  some  of  the  difficulties  and  hazards  encountered  by  the  build- 
ers of  this  road.  Several  of  the  contractors  and  subcontractors  failed  finan- 
cially during  the  12  years  of  construction.  Completed  in  1933,  the  stretch 
between  Going-to-the-Sun  and  Logan  Pass  was  the  final  link.  At  the 
opening  celebration  in  Logan  Pass,  west-side  Indians  met  the  Blackfeet 
and  ceremoniously  ended  the  age-old  enmity  between  them. 

LOGAN  PASS,  18.3  m.  (6,654  alt.),  cuts  the  Continental  Divide  be- 
tween the  towering  summits  of  Reynolds,  Clements  (8,764  alt.),  and 
Oberlin  (8,150  alt.)  Mountains  (L),  and  Piegan  and  Pollock  (9,211 
alt.)  (R).  The  terraced  meadows,  more  than  a  mile  in  diameter,  in  the 
open  circle  (L),  are  the  HANGING  GARDENS.  Red  and  yellow  mimulus, 
fragrant  heliotrope,  heather,  glacier  lily,  fringed  parnassia,  gentian,  and 
other  species  hardly  less  showy  bloom  at  the  edges  of  snowbanks  and 
along  hundreds  of  rills  that  net  these  uplands.  From  any  elevated  point 
in  the  Hanging  Gardens  can  be  seen  the  forested  valley  of  St.  Mary, 
with  the  lake  far  below  filling  a  hollow  between  Going-to-the-Sun  and 
Red  Eagle. 

At  Logan  Pass  is  the  junction  with  a  park  trail. 

Left  on  this  trail  is  HIDDEN  LAKE,  2  m.  (see  Trail  Tour  10). 

On  the  west  slope  the  road  for  long  stretches  is  on  a  man-made  ledge 
on  a  steep  wall,  guarded  on  the  outside  edge.  There  are  several  turn-outs 
for  parking.  The  deep  Logan  Creek  Valley  is  precipitously  below ;  Mounts 
Oberlin  and  Cannon  (8,460  alt.)  are  L.;  ahead  across  McDonald  Valley 
the  sweeping  curve  of  a  glacial  wall  leads  to  Heavens  Peak  (8,994  alt.). 
Above  the  road  (R)  the  sharp  outline  of  the  Garden  Wall  is  etched  in 
saw-tooth  scallops  against  the  sky. 

HAYSTACK  BUTTE  (R),  21  m.,  around  which  the  road  winds,  is  a 
flying  buttress  of  the  Garden  Wall.  At  one  time  it  was  between  two  arms 
of  the  glacier  that  carved  out  McDonald  Valley. 

CAMP  NINE  (L),  23.2  m.,  is  a  road  maintenance  camp.  Bears  some- 
times prowl  about,  just  below  the  highway. 

On  the  switch-back,  26  m.,  where  the  road  turns  away  from  the  Garden 
Wall,  is  a  large  parking  space.  The  once  beautiful  view  of  McDonald 
Valley  in  both  directions  now  illustrates  the  damage  a  major  forest  fire 
accomplishes  in  a  few  hours. 

The  place  where  the  1936  fire  was  started  by  lightning  is  plainly  visible 
(L)  on  a  low  shoulder  of  Heavens  Peak.  The  fire,  quickly  trenched  about, 
smoldered  for  several  days  in  crevices,  defying  efforts  of  men  let  down 
with  ropes  to  put  it  out.  A  high  wind  scattered  sparks  over  the  valley, 
igniting  spot  fires  that  soon  merged  into  a  general  conflagration. 


388  TOURS 

The  road  enters  a  tunnel,  192  feet  long,  at  26.7  m.;  two  openings  in 
the  rock  overlook  McDonald  Valley.  From  the  tunnel  the  road  drops 
rapidly  into  the  heavy  forest  of  the  west  side.  Mountains  towering  against 
an  unbelievably  blue  sky  show  through  vistas  of  tall  spruce,  pine,  and  fir 
with  thickset  and  cone-studded  boughs. 

At  28.1  m.,  just  before  the  road  makes  its  last  turn  down  to  the  valley 
floor,  the  north  side  of  Mount  Cannon  and  a  small  glacier  near  the  sum- 
mit are  R.,  with  a  vivid  green  flank  of  Heavens  Peak  thrusting  partly 
across  the  foreground.  There  is  a  similar  view,  with  rushing  water  in  the 
foreground,  from  the  end  of  the  horse  bridge  over  McDonald  Creek  (R), 
28.2  m.,  just  beyond  the  turn  of  the  road.  A  footpath  descends  the  bank. 
The  creek  affords  good  fishing  in  late  summer,  when  the  water  is  low. 

The  highway  continues  through  a  lane  of  evergreens  with  lush  roadside 
flora. 

AVALANCHE  CREEK  CAMPGROUND  (L),  33.8  m.,  is  one  of  the  best  and 
largest  campsites  along  the  highway,  with  parking  space  for  about  200 
cars. 

At  the  camp  is  the  junction  with  a  park  trail. 

Left  on  this  trail  to  AVALANCHE  LAKE,  3.5  m.  (see  Trail  Tour  8). 
LOGAN  FALLS  (R),  36.5  m.,  large  and  noisy,  are  below  but  near  the 
edge  of  the  highway. 

At  38.1  m.  is  the  junction  with  a  spur  road. 

Right  on  this  road,  which  makes  a  turn  around  the  head  of  Lake  McDonald  to 
MCDONALD  RANGER  STATION,  1  m.,  several  summer  homes,  and  a  TOURIST  CAMP, 
2.5  m. 

LAKE  McDONALD  (R),  38.5  m.,  the  largest  lake  in  the  park,  is  10 
miles  long  and  more  than  a  mile  wide.  Because  of  its  depth  (maximum, 
437  feet),  it  is  often  ice  free  all  winter,  though  the  snow  along  its  banks 
may  be  more  than  4  feet  deep.  Fly  fishing  is  good  in  deep  water  near 
the  bank. 

LAKE  MCDONALD  HOTEL,  39.6  m.  (3,167  alt.),  is  a  log  structure 
whose  second  and  third  story  verandas  overlook  the  lake.  It  is  the  center 
of  west-side  recreational  activities  and  the  hub  of  many  trails.  In  the  hotel 
lobby  is  a  collection  of  mounted  specimens  of  game  native  to  the  park. 
The  view  from  the  front  lawn  includes  Stanton  (7,744  alt.),  Vaught 
(8,840  alt.),  and  Heavens  Peak  on  the  west,  and  the  Garden  Wall  and 
Mount  Cannon  on  the  north.  Mount  Brown  (8,541  alt.)  towers  a  vertical 
mile  above  the  hotel  to  the  east. 

1.  Left  from  Lake  McDonald  Hotel  on  a  park  trail  to  SPERRY  CHALET,  7  m. 
(see  Trail  Tour  1,  sec.  d),  and  MOUNT  BROWN  LOOKOUT  STATION,  5  m.  (see  Trail 
Tour  9). 

2.  Right  from  Lake  McDonald   Hotel  on  a  park  trail   to   GRANITE   PARK 
CHALETS,  18  m.  (see  Trail  Tour  1,  sec.  c). 

SPRAGUE  CREEK  CAMPGROUND  (R),  40.4  m.,  on  the  shore  of  Lake 
McDonald  at  the  outlet  of  a  rushing  stream,  has  space  for  75  cars.  There 
is  a  sandy  beach,  but  the  lake  water  is  cold  even  in  August. 

The  road  along  the  east  shore  passes  many  delightful  picnic  spots  on 
gravelly  points  or  wooded  bays.  The  best  view  is  to  the  rear. 


LAKE  MCDONALD 


39o  TOURS 

APGAR,  48.6  m.  (3,150  alt.,  50  pop.),  a  community  of  tourist  camps, 
stores,  and  places  of  recreation  and  refreshment,  is  at  the  lower  end  of 
Lake  McDonald.  The  settlement  dates  from  1895  when  Dimon  Apgar  and 
others  cut  a  road  from  Belton  through  the  heavy  cedar  forest  to  Lake  Mc- 
Donald, and  homesteaded  there.  In  1930  the  Government  purchased  about 
half  the  privately  owned  land,  A  considerable  acreage,  still  privately 
owned,  is  used  for  camp  sites  and  summer  homes. 

At  Apgar  is  the  junction  with  the  North  Fork  road  (see  Park  Tour  I  A). 
The  west  entrance  checking  station  is  at  50.7  m. 

GLACIER  NATIONAL  PARK  HEADQUARTERS,  50.8  m.,  is  a  group  of  ad- 
ministrative offices,  staff  residences,  and  warehouses  on  the  high  banks  of 
the  Middle  Fork  of  the  Flathead. 

The  highway  turns  upstream  (L)  to  a  narrow  crossing  of  the  river, 
which  in  this  area  doubles  back  toward  the  south  after  a  northward  jour- 
ney between  the  Flathead  Range  and  the  Continental  Divide. 

At  BELTON,  51.6  m.  (3,219  alt.,  180  pop.)  (see  Tour  2,  sec.  c),  is 
the  junction  with  US  2  (see  Tour  2). 


Park  Tour  lA 


Apgar  —  Canadian  Border;  59  m.  • 

Narrow,  graveled  roadbed. 

This  highway  follows  the  pioneer  road  built  by  prospectors  in  1900  to 
reach  a  supposed  oil  field  near  Kintla  Lake.  Passing  up  and  down  steep 
timbered  ridges  along  the  valley  of  the  North  Fork  of  the  Flathead,  with 
only  an  occasional  far  view,  it  is  used  chiefly  by  those  who  wish  to  get 
into  the  back  country  for  fishing  and  camping. 

The  road  branches  north  from  Going-to-the-Sun  Highway  (see  Park 
Tour  1)  at  APGAR,  0  m.  (3,150  alt.,  50  pop.)  (see  Park  Tour  1). 

BULL  HEAD  LODGE  (R),  0.6  m.,  once  the  summer  home  of  Charles  M. 
Russell  (see  THE  ARTS),  is  identified  by  the  buffalo  skull  on  the  drive- 
way arch. 

At  1.5  m.  is  the  FISH  CREEK  RANGER  STATION  (R).  The  North  Fork 
road  climbs  to  the  crest  of  a  hill,  where  a  small  public  campground  (R), 
in  a  stand  of  larch  and  lodgepole  pine  overlooks  the  lake. 

The  road  mounts  steadily  between  Howe  Ridge  (R)  and  the  generally 
forested  Apgar  Mountains  (L),  the  highest  point  of  which  is  denuded 
Huckleberry  Mountain  (6,580  alt.)  at  the  far  end. 


PARK   TOUR    IA  391 

McGEE  MEADOWS  (L),  5  m.,  is  a  marshy  flat  between  the  Fish  and 
Camas  Creek  drainages. 

At  5.5  m.  is  the  junction  with  a  dirt  road. 

Right  on  this  road,  barely  passable  even  in  dry  weather,  to  muddy  little  HOWE 
LAKE,  1.5  m.,  from  which  small,  dark  cutthroat  trout  are  taken.  A  raft  is  provided 
for  anglers. 

CAMAS  CREEK,  1m.,  drains  Rogers,  Trout,  Arrow,  and  Evangeline 
Lakes. 

At  7.5  m.  is  the  junction  with  a  park  trail. 

Right  on  this  trail  up  Camas  Valley  to  ROGERS  LAKE,  3  m.;  TROUT  LAKE,  3.5 
m.;  and  ARROW  LAKE,  5  m.,  at  the  foot  of  a  CIRQUE  WALL  of  which  Rogers, 
Longfellow,  and  Heavens  Peak,  Mount  Vaught,  and  Stanton  Mountain  are  parts. 

The  road  descends  steeply  to  Dutch  Creek,  10  m.,  west  of  which  it 
climbs^  again.  Then  it  makes  a  long,  steep,  winding  descent  to  Anaconda 
Creek/ 13  m.  Over  the  next  ridge  is  LOGGING  CREEK  RANGER  STATION 
(L),  18  m. 

Right  from  Logging  Creek  Ranger  Station  on  a  park  trail  to  LOGGING  LAKE, 
4  m.  (3,800  alt.). 

At  19.5  m.  the  road  cuts  in  along  the  high,  precipitous  bank  above  the 
North  Fork  of  the  Flathead  (L),  with  a  view  of  the  wooded  Whitefish 
Range  across  the  valley. 

LAKE  WINONA  (L),  22  m.,  is  small  and  marshy.  At  24  m.  is  LONE 
PINE  PRAIRIE,  an  open  space  in  the  woods.  The  road  again  swings  close 
to  the  North  Fork  at  25  m.,  and  angles  down  a  long  cutbank  to  the  river 
level. 

POLEBRIDGE  RANGER  STATION,  26.5  m.,  is  an  entrance  station  at  the 
park  end  of  the  bridge  over  the  North  Fork.  Polebridge,  a  hamlet  beyond 
the  river,  is  on  a  Forest  Service  road  that  goes  south  to  Columbia  Falls 
and  north  to  the  Canadian  Boundary. 

At  26.9  m.  is  the  junction  with  a  dirt  road. 

Right  on  this  narrow,  winding  road  to  BOWMAN  LAKE,  B  m.  (4,020  alt.), 
which  is  about  7  miles  long,  0.5  mile  wide,  and  256  feet  deep.  The  scene  is  some- 
what similar  to  that  at  the  foot  of  Lake  McDonald,  except  that  the  valley  is  nar- 
rower. The  forested  Cerulean  Ridge  (R)  culminates  in  Square  Peak  (9,800  alt.) 
and  Rainbow  Peak  (9,860  alt.),  whose  bare  escarpment  rising  from  the  lake  shore 
is  streaked  with  color.  Indian  Ridge  (L)  rises  to  an  unnamed  peak  (8,300  alt.), 
beyond  which,  at  the  head  of  the  lake,  bulks  Mount  Peabody  (7,282  alt.).  The  tops 
of  many  other  mountains  show  behind  the  nearer  fringe.  The  lodge  and  other  build- 
ings (L.  of  the  public  campground)  were  formerly  occupied  by  a  boys'  camp. 

Although  the  road  closely  parallels  the  North  Fork,  the  river  is  usually 
out  of  sight.  On  BIG  PRAIRIE,  30  m.  to  33  m.,  it  passes  two  or  three 
ranch  houses.  Few  if  any  months  are  frost- free  here. 

At  38  m.  is  the  junction  with  a  dirt  road. 

Right  on  this  road  to  LOWER  KINTLA  LAKE  CAMPGROUNDS,  2  m.  (4,000  alt.), 
a  primitive  site  in  a  stand  of  tall  spruce  and  fir.  Kintla  Lake,  snowing  blue  between 
forested  slopes,  extends  eastward.  It  is  about  6  miles  long  and  0.8  mile  wide. 

STARVATION  RIDGE,  north  of  the  lake,  leads  to  the  Boundary  Mountains,  in 
which  a  series  of  peaks  rises  to  about  8,000  feet.  Parke  Ridge  (R)  shuts  off  a  clear 
view  of  Parke  Peak  (9,100  alt.).  Kinnerly  and  Kintla  Peaks  (10,000  alt.)  are 


5<p2  TOURS 

visible  only  from  the  upper  lake,  which  is  connected  with  the  lower  lake  by  Kintla 

Creek. 

KISHENEHN  RANGER  STATION  (R),  is  at  47  m. 

The  road  crosses  the  Canadian  Border  at  59  m.,  i  mile  south  of  Flat- 
head,  British  Columbia. 


Park  Tour  2 


Junction  with  US  2  —  Two  Medicine  Chalets;  7.5  m. 

This  road  angles  sharply  downhill,  northwest  from  US  2  (see  Tour  2) 
at  TWO  MEDICINE  JUNCTION,  0  m.,  to  the  level  of  LOWER  TWO 
MEDICINE  LAKE  (L),  0.8  m.  The  dam  at  the  lower  end  of  the  lake 
regulates  the  flow  of  water  for  minor  irrigation  along  Two  Medicine 
Creek  on  the  Blackfeet  Reservation.  The  valley  is  thinly  wooded.  Rugged 
mountains  slant  steeply  above  the  treetops. 

Two  Medicine  Valley  was  always  a  favorite  camping  ground  of  the 
Blackfeet,  who  met  on  the  shores  of  the  middle  lake  each  year  to  make 
medicine  and  recount  their  exploits.  Once  when  two  factions  developed, 
one  camp  was  pitched  on  the  upper  lake  and  one  on  the  lower.  Some  say 
this  is  the  reason  for  the  name  "Two  Medicine." 

At  2.9  m.  the  road  crosses  the  park  boundary  and  at  3.8  m.  is  the  en- 
trance checking  station. 

At  5.5  m.  is  the  junction  with  a  footpath. 

Right  on  this  path  to  TRICK  FALLS,  0.2  m.,  amid  spruces.  Early  in  the  season, 
when  the  volume  of  water  is  large,  it  looks  like  any  other  waterfall.  But  some  of 
the  water  flows  from  a  hole  beneath  its  brink  and,  late  in  the  season,  water  issues 
only  from  the  hole.  The  ancient  limestone  edge  of  the  falls  marks  a  line  of  the 
Lewis  overthrust  fault  across  the  valley.  The  glacier  that  scoured  out  the  valley 
weakened  this  lowest  limestone;  the  water  of  Two  Medicine  found  an  underground 
passage  in  the  structure,  thus  making  one  waterfall  above  another.  Many  believe 
this  phenomenon  to  be  the  origin  of  the  name  Two  Medicine. 

The  road  bridges  Two  Medicine  Creek,  and  climbs  (R)  through  dense 
evergreens  to  emerge  at  the  foot  of  TWO  MEDICINE  LAKE  (5,165 
alt.)  among  the  TWO  MEDICINE  CHALETS,  7.5  m.,  which  are  large 
log  cabins  with  sloping  roofs  designed  to  shed  heavy  winter  snows. 

Trails  branch  from  Two  Medicine  Chalets  (see  Trail  Tours  3,  4). 
From  the  shore  of  Two  Medicine  a  slope  (R)  sweeps  up  out  of  lake  and 
forest  to  the  snowfields  and  purple-red  summit  of  Rising  Wolf  Mountain 


PARK  TOUR   4  393 

(9,505  alt.).  Across  the  lake  the  crags  of  Sinopah  (8,435  alt-)  rise  sheerly 
and  hide  the  parent  Mount  Rockwell  (9,250  alt.).  Near  the  outlet  (R) 
of  the  lake,  and  elsewhere  along  its  shores,  are  beaver  colonies. 


Park  Tour  3 


Junction  with  US  89 — Rocky  Mountain  Trail  Ranch;  6  m. 

The  road  branches  west  from  US  89  (see  Tour  4)  at  CUT  BANK 
BRIDGE,  0  m.  (see  Tour  4,  sec.  a),  following  Cut  Bank  Creek  through 
open  and  brushy  country  cut  by  many  cattle  trails. 

CUT  BANK  RANGER  STATION  (R)  is  at  5  m.,  and  a  small  CAMPGROUND 
(R)  at  5.5  m.  in  a  grove  of  pines  and  fir. 

Near  the  bank  of  the  creek  is  the  ROCKY  MOUNTAIN  TRAIL  RANCH, 
6  m.,  with  the  former  Cut  Bank  Chalets;  it  is  now  a  dude  ranch.  At  the 
head  of  this  valley  is  TRIPLE  DIVIDE  PEAK  (8,001  alt.),  from  which 
creeks,  appropriately  named  Atlantic,  Pacific,  and  Hudson  Bay,  flow  to 
the  three  oceans  touching  North  America. 


Park  Tour  4 

Babb— Many  Glacier  Hotel;  12.8  m. 

The  park  road  branches  west  from  US  89  (see  Tour  4)  at  BABB, 
0  m.  (4,461  alt.,  25  pop.)  (see  Tour  4,  sec.  a),  crossing  part  of  the 
BLACKFEET  RESERVATION  (see  Tour  2,  sec.  b). 

Right,  farthest  out  on  the  plain,  is  the  yellow,  truncated  monolith, 
Chief  Mountain  (9,056  alt.)  ;  nearer  is  Sherburne  Peak  (8,500  alt.).  The 
road  winds  around  hills  of  drift  deposited  by  the  ancient  glacier  whose 
upper  branches  occupied  Swiftcurrent  and  Boulder  Valleys.  These  vast 
mounds,  lying  on  each  side  of  Swiftcurrent  Creek  (L),  demonstrate  im- 


394  TOURS 

pressively  the  amount  of  material  a  first-class  glacier  can  transport.  Thickets 

of  small  quaking  aspens  mottle  their  brown  slopes. 

A  DAM  (L),  5.7  m.,  impounds  the  water  of  Swiftcurrent  Creek,  form- 
ing LAKE  SHERBURNE.  Excess  water  is  diverted  to  St.  Mary  Lake  and 
Milk  River.  BOULDER  RIDGE,  south  of  Sherburne  Lake,  was  burned 
over  in  1934,  when  a  sheepherder  neglected  to  extinguish  his  campfire. 

The  entrance  station  is  at  8.6  m.  As  the  road  winds  along  the  northern 
shore  of  Lake  Sherburne,  the  mountains  take  on  individual  character  and 
interest.  Appekunny  Mountain  (9,053  alt.)  rises  R. ;  it  bears  the  Indian 
name  of  James  Willard  Schultz  (see  LITERATURE).  Near  the  head  of 
the  lake  is  rosy  Altyn  Peak  (8,050  alt.),  a  lower  summit  of  yellow  Mount 
Henkel  (8,700  alt.).  At  the  foot  of  the  cliffs  around  Appekunny  and 
Altyn  is  the  edge  line  of  the  Lewis  overthrust,  which  superimposed  an- 
cient rocks  upon  more  recent  Cretaceous  deposits.  Altyn  yellow  limestone 
is  lowest,  then  Appekunny  green  argillite,  and  Grinnell  red  argillite; 
Siyeh  gray  or  yellow  limestone  forms  the  higher  mountaintops.  In  some 
places  the  lower  limestone  is  1,500  feet  thick;  the  green  rocks  occupy 
2,000  to  3,000  feet;  the  red  rocks  about  2,000  feet.  This  banding,  con- 
cealed in  some  places  by  the  glacial  debris  that  forms  the  slopes,  is  very 
apparent  here. 

Across  Swiftcurrent  Creek  (L)  is  Point  Mountain  (8,300  alt.),  with  a 
ridge  connecting  it  with  Siyeh  (10,004  alt.)  farther  back.  Next  is  Allen 
(9,355  alt.)  in  the  foreground;  the  gable  end  of  Gould  (9,541  alt.)  in- 
terrupts the  Garden  Wall  skyline.  Grinnell  (8,838  alt.)  is  straight  ahead, 
coming  to  a  reddish  prominence  in  Stark  Point,  which  rises  sheer ly  above 
the  small  Swiftcurrent  Lake,  west  of  the  head  of  Lake  Sherburne.  In  the 
distance,  R.  of  Grinnell,  is  yellowish  Swiftcurrent  (8,300  alt.),  and  farther 
R.  is  Wilbur  (9,293  alt). 

The  road  swings  L.  across  Swiftcurrent  Creek,  12.6  m.,  with  a  glimpse 
(L)  of  Swiftcurrent  Falls.  SWIFTCURRENT  LAKE  (R),  formerly 
called  McDermott,  is  in  front  of  rambling,  rustic  MANY  GLACIER  HOTEL, 
12.8  m.  Evidence  of  the  1936  forest  fire,  which  destroyed  the  former 
chalets,  tourist  camp,  and  store,  is  everywhere  visible  on  the  lower  slopes 
here.  (See  Trail  Tour  1,  sees,  a  and  b,  and  5  and  6.) 

The  hotel,  largest  of  the  park  buildings,  is  five  stories  high  and  ac- 
commodates 500  guests.  It  is  built  of  logs  and  its  design,  adapted  from 
those  used  for  cottages  in  the  Alps,  is  simple  and  charming.  Balconies  ex- 
tend along  the  walls  on  each  floor;  at  the  ends  are  stairs  leading  to  the 
ground.  Within,  great  log  columns  extend  from  floor  to  roof  around  the 
rectangular  lobby.  There  are  two  annexes. 


TRAIL    TOUR    I  395 

««<<<<«<«(<«   <#»   »)>)>>>>»>>>» 


Trail  Tour 


Going-to-the-Sun — Many  Glacier — Swiftcurrent  Pass — Granite  Park — 
Lake  McDonald — Sperry  Glacier — Going-to-the-Sun.  Piegan  Pass  Trail, 
Going-to-the-Sun  Trail,  and  unnamed  park  trails;  66.2  m. 

Hotels,  chalets,  or  campgrounds  near  all  major  points  of  interest. 
Trail  requires  caution  in  some  places,  but  is  nowhere  unduly  laborious. 

Section  a.   GOING-TO-THE-SUN   CHALETS   to   MANY  GLACIER 
HOTEL,  17.4  m.  Piegan  Pass  Trail. 

Along  the  first  part  of  this  trail  are  meadows  and  also  deep  forests  of 
alpine  larch.  From  Piegan  Pass  is  seen  an  endlessly  fascinating  sea  of  sum- 
mits, crags,  ridges,  and  valleys  that  continually  vary  in  color  and  appear- 
ance according  to  the  light  and  clouds. 

Piegan  Pass  Trail  branches  west  from  GOING-TO-THE-SUN  CHALETS, 
0  m.  (4,500  alt.)  (see  Park  Tour  1). 

At  0.5  m.  is  a  trail  junction. 

Right  on  this  trail  to  BARING  CREEK  FALLS  and  SUNRIFT  GORGE,  0.5  m. 
(see  Park  Tour  1),  SIYEH  PASS,  5.7  m.,  and  PIEGAN  PASS  (see  below),  ISA  m. 

At  2.5  m.  is  the  junction  with  a  spur  trail. 

Left  on  this  trail  0.3  m.  to  ST.  MARY  FALLS. 

At  Reynolds  Creek,  3.5  m.,  is  the  junction  with  a  park  trail. 

Right  on  this  trail  to  SPERRY  CHALETS,  12.5  m.  (see  Trail  Tour  1,  sec.  d). 

The  Piegan  Pass  Trail  follows  Reynolds  Creek,  passes  REYNOLDS 
FALLS  (L),  and  turns  R.  at  a  trail  junction,  5  m.  The  real  climb  begins 
here,  though  this  trail  is  not  steep  by  mountain  trail  standards.  The  route 
underpasses  Going-to-the-Sun  Highway  and  proceeds  up  along  a  fork  of 
Reynolds  Creek  through  a  forest,  then  through  PRESTON  MEADOWS, 
one  of  the  few  places  in  the  park  where  alpine  larch  is  found.  Flowers, 
especially  in  July,  border  the  banks  of  every  little  mossy  rill,  their  crisp, 
delicate  colors  seemingly  distilled  from  melted  snow  and  mountain  sun- 
shine. Piegan  Mountain  (9,230  alt.)  is  L.,  Going-to-the-Sun  (9,594  alt.), 
R.  To  the  rear,  the  pyramidal  peak  in  the  middle  distance  is  Reynolds 
(9,147  alt.),  with  Fusillade  (8,747  alt.)  just  L.  of  it  and  Jackson  (10,023 
alt. )  on  the  skyline  beyond. 

Right  of  Reynolds,  in  the  distance,  looking  like  the  gable  of  a  house 
with  snow  on  the  porch  roof,  is  Edwards  (9,055  alt.)  and  one  edge  of 
Sperry  Glacier. 

Near  the  summit  of  the  pass  the  trail  crosses  two  small  creeks.  The 
second,  LUNCH  CREEK,  8.2  m.,  is  the  place  where  midday  sandwiches 
are  usually  eaten. 


396  TOURS 

PIEGAN  PASS,  9.1  m.  (7,800  alt.),  is  at  the  top  of  an  open  park  that 
stretches  around  the  flanks  of  Mount  Siyeh  (10,004  a^-)  and  Going-to- 
the-Sun  Mountain  (R).  Left  along  the  Continental  Divide,  part  of  the 
Garden  Wall  is  in  sight,  with  cliffs  2,000  to  4,000  feet  high,  interrupted 
just  ahead  by  the  dark  bulk  of  Mount  Gould  (9,541  alt.).  The  dark  band 
of  rock  so  conspicuous  along  the  Garden  Wall  at  about  the  elevation  of 
Piegan  Pass,  is  diorite,  a  granular,  crystallized  material  that  intruded  in 
the  molten  state  between  two  layers  of  Siyeh  limestone,  bleached  the  rock 
along  the  lines  of  contact,  and  thus  became  fringed  with  white  above  and 
below.  The  limestone,  extremely  hard  and  resistant  to  erosion,  accounts 
for  the  craggy  summits  along  the  Garden  Wall. 

At  Piegan  Pass  is  the  junction  with  a  park  trail. 

Right  on  this  trail  to  SIYEH  PASS,  4.7  m.  (see  above),  SUNRIFT  GORGE  9.9 
m.  (see  Park  Tour  1),  and  GOING-TO-THE-SUN  CHALETS,  10.9  m.  (see  above; 
see  Park  Tour  1). 

From  Piegan  Pass  the  trail  descends  steep,  rocky  switch-backs. 

MORNING  EAGLE  FALLS  (L),  11  m.,  a  thin,  widespreading  sheet 
of  water,  pours  over  cliffs  of  red  argillite.  The  escarpments  of  Mount 
Gould  and  the  Garden  Wall  seem  to  overhang  the  narrow  valley. 
^  FEATHERPLUME  FALLS,  12  m.,  is  just  R.  of  the  summit  of  Mount 
Gould.  The  small  volume  of  water  starts  a  2,ooo-foot  drop  but  disappears 
in  mist  before  it  reaches  the  bottom. 

The  trail  leaves  the  open  parks  and  meadows  along  CATARACT 
CREEK  (L),  13  m.,  and  enters  a  forest  from  which  there  are  occasional 
far  views.  It  descends  an  easy  grade  along  the  side  of  (R)  ALLEN 
MOUNTAIN  (9,355  alt.).  Ahead  is  Lake  Josephine;  L.,  at  the  end  of 
the  Garden  Wall  skyline,  are  Mount  Grinnell  (8,838  alt.)  and  Grinnell 
Glacier. 

At  16.1  m.  is  the  junction  with  a  park  trail. 

Left  on  this  trail  to  GRINNELL  GLACIER,  6.2  m.  (see  Trail  Tour  5). 

MANY  GLACIER  HOTEL  (see  Park  Tour  4),  11 A  m.,  is  on  Swiftcurrent 
Lake  (see  Park  Tour  4  and  Trail  Tours  5  and  6). 

Sec.  b.  MANY  GLACIER  HOTEL  to  GRANITE  PARK  CHALETS,  7.8  m. 

From  MANY  GLACIER  HOTEL,  0  m.,  the  trail  crosses  Swiftcurrent  Creek 
on  a  stone  bridge  at  Many  Glacier  Hotel,  and  turns  L.  along  the  stream. 
Mount  Henkel  (8,700  alt.)  is  R.,  and  across  Swiftcurrent  Lake  (L)  is 
Stark  Point  (7,800  alt.),  a  part  of  Mount  Grinnell. 

At  1.5  m.  is  the  junction  with  a  park  trail. 

Right  on  the  trail  to  ICEBERG  LAKE,  5.5  m.  (see  Trail  Tour  6). 

The  Swiftcurrent  Pass  trail  crosses  WILBUR  CREEK,  and  continues 
up  Swiftcurrent  Creek  (L)  along  the  lower  slopes  of  (R)  MOUNT 
WILBUR  (9,293  alt). 

At  4  m.  is  a  trail  junction. 

Left  on  this  trail  0.2  m.  to  REDROCK  FALLS,  whose  waters  pour  over  a  6o-foot 
cliff  of  red  argilhte.  Beyond  the  falls  is  (L)  a  marshy  lake,  pleasant  to  look  at  but 
Harboring  many  mosquitoes. 


TRAIL   TOUR    I  397 

At  5  m.  the  trail  mounts  the  nose  of  a  wall  by  switch-backs  to  gently 
rising  meadows,  passing  several  small  waterfalls  and  lakes  (L)  and  at 
6  m.  comes  within  sight  of  North  Swiftcurrent  Glacier  (R)  and  the  larger 
Swiftcurrent  Glacier  (L),  whose  front  edge  overhangs  a  i,5oo-foot  drop. 
The  dark  band  of  diorite  that  here  forms  the  front  edge  of  the  cirque 
also  outcrops  in  Swiftcurrent  Pass  and  at  Granite  Park,  and  was  mis- 
takenly called  granite  by  prospectors,  who  on  this  evidence  hoped  to  find 
precious  metals  there. 

SWIFTCURRENT  PASS,  7  m.  (7,176  alt.),  provides  an  unusual  view 
of  the  Continental  Divide,  which  here  unfolds  its  shining  length  in  three 
directions.  To  the  L.  it  meanders  southward;  to  the  R.  the  low  summit 
of  Flattop  Mountain  (6,500  alt.)  carries  it  westward  from  the  Lewis 
Range  to  the  Livingston  Range,  whose  snowy  peaks  then  reach  northward 
across  Canada  and  become  the  front  range  of  the  Rockies  all  the  way  to 
Alaska. 

Right  from  the  pass  2  m.  on  a  footpath  to  the  yellow  summit  of  SWIFTCUR- 
RENT PEAK  (8,300  alt.)  ;  this  easy  trail  can  be  climbed  readily  in  about  an  hour, 
and  the  panorama  the  summit  offers  surpasses  any  other  in  the  park — any  other,  at 
least,  obtained  with  so  slight  an  effort. 

The  GRANITE  PARK  CHALETS,  7.8  m.  (6,600  alt),  are  the  only  park 
hostelries  that  do  not  follow  the  conventional  alpine  type.  The  main 
lodge  is  a  plain  square  structure  of  local  stone,  with  a  gabled  roof  and  no 
ornamentation.  Here  is  the  junction  with  a  trail  to  Logan  Pass  ( see  Trail 
Tour  7). 

Section  c.  GRANITE  PARK  CHALETS  to  LAKE  McDONALD 
HOTEL,  18  m. 

From  GRANITE  PARK  CHALETS,  0  m.,  the  trail  runs  downhill  through 
the  center  of  the  area  burned  in  1936,  descending  steeply  through  park- 
like  meadows,  and  what  was  once  a  heavy  stand  of  trees  nearly  100  feet 
tall.  Huckleberry  bushes,  formerly  abundant,  have  sprung  to  life  again 
only  where  the  roots  were  not  charred. 

At  3  m.  the  trail  circles  close  to  the  switch-back  on  the  highway  and 
goes  below  it  to  the  valley  floor  near  the  junction  of  Mineral  and  McDon- 
ald Creeks.  At  about  5  m.  it  emerges  from  the  fire-scarred  area  into  a 
shady,  fern-lined  avenue  of  coniferous  trees.  Mount  Cannon  (8,460  alt.) 
is  visible  ahead  over  a  shoulder  of  (R)  Heavens  Peak  (8,994  •&•). 

The  trail  crosses  McDonald  Creek,  6  m.,  on  a  rustic  bridge  and  closely 
follows  the  right  bank  for  10  miles.  On  the  opposite  side  of  the  rushing 
stream  is  the  highway.  The  trail  is  always  in  deep  shade ;  there  are  chang- 
ing views  of  the  great  peaks  on  both  sides.  Whitetail  and  mule  deer  fre- 
quent the  forest  and  are  sometimes  seen  along  the  path.  Fishing  in  the 
creek  is  best  in  those  pools  that  cannot  be  reached  from  the  highway. 

Sperry  Glacier  is  visible  (L)  at  12  m.  on  a  high  shelf  under  Gunsight 
Mountain  (9,250  alt.),  at  the  head  of  Avalanche  Basin  between  Mount 
Cannon  and  Mount  Brown  (8,541  alt.). 

Between  LOGAN  FALLS,  15.5  m.,  and  McDONALD  FALLS,  16  m., 


398  TOURS 

the  deep  rocky  channel  of  the  creek  is  called  PARADISE  CANYON.  At 
the  end  of  the  canyon  the  trail  crosses  the  creek  (L)  on  a  rustic  bridge, 
climbs  the  bank,  overpasses  the  highway,  and  turns  R.,  parallel  to  it. 

JOHN'S  LAKE,  16.5  m.,  is  a  shallow  pool,  surrounded  by  sphagnum 
bog.  Yellow  waterlilies  cover  the  surface. 

At  16.5  m.  is  the  junction  with  the  Going-to-the-Sun  Highway  (see 
Park  Tour  1). 

Between  this  junction  and  Lake  McDonald  Hotel  the  trail  and  the  high- 
way (see  Park  Tour  1)  are  one  route.  Bears  often  appear  along  the  last 
mile  of  the  trail. 

LAKE  MCDONALD  HOTEL  (see  Park  Tour  1)  is  at  18  m.  Trails  branch 
from  here  (see  Trail  Tour  1,  Sec.  d,  and  Tour  9). 

Section  d.  LAKE  McDONALD  HOTEL  to  SPERRY  CHALETS,  7  m. 

The  trail  branches  L.  from  the  LAKE  MCDONALD  HOTEL  MOUNTING 
STATION,  0  m.,  crosses  Going-to-the-Sun  Highway  (see  Park  Tour  1)  at 
0.2  m.,  and  proceeds  along  the  left  bank  of  Snyder  Creek,  through  heavy 
forest  in  which  cedar  and  western  larch  predominate,  to  CRYSTAL  FORD, 
1.5  m.,  a  trail  junction. 

Left  here  on  a  park  trail  to  MOUNT  BROWN  LOOKOUT  STATION  (8,000  alt.)  3.5 
m.  (see  Trail  Tour  9)- 

The  trail  crosses  Snyder  Creek  (R)  on  a  footbridge,  mounts  a  basal 
slope  of  Edwards  Mountain  (L),  and  enters  the  Sprague  Creek  drainage. 
Sprague  Creek,  in  a  densely  wooded  gorge  below  (R),  is  heard  for  2  or 
3  miles  but  not  seen. 

As  the  trail  gains  in  elevation,  Lake  McDonald  becomes  visible  in  the 
rear,  and  R.  appears  a  ridge  with  seven  summits,  the  last  of  which  is 
Lincoln  Peak  (7,400  alt.).  The  herbs,  shrubs,  and  trees  along  the  trail 
here  represent  all  three  life  zones  found  in  the  park. 

The  stone  Sperry  Chalets,  a  thousand  feet  above,  hardly  distinguishable 
from  the  mountain  background,  show  through  the  treetops  at  4.5  m. 

Above  the  trail  are  seen  the  bends  and  folds  of  the  laminated  red  and 
gray  argillite  of  the  upper  cliffs  of  EDWARDS  MOUNTAIN  (9,055 
alt. ) .  Their  marine  origin  is  shown  by  the  ripple  marks  made  on  the  face 
of  the  slabs  when  the  material  was  soft  beach  mud,  and  in  the  patterns  of 
sun  cracks,  which  indicate  that  the  mud  was  exposed  to  the  air  before  the 
last  deposits  were  added.  At  5.5  m.  the  chalets  are  in  full  view  (R)  ;  the 
trail  swings  R.  across  the  creek  and  mounts  the  rise  toward  the  open  bench 
on  which  they  stand.  Edwards  Mountain  is  L.  and  Gunsight  R.  of  the 
high  wall  that  hides  Sperry  Glacier  from  view. 

The  high  stone  SPERRY  CHALETS,  7  m.  (6,500  alt.),  have  more  flavor 
of  the  Swiss  Alps  than  anything  else  in  the  park.  There  are  even  goats 
around  the  place,  not  domestic,  but  mountain  animals.  Inasmuch  as  they 
have  undisturbed  possession  of  the  sheltering  porches  for  9  months  of  the 
year,  these  ordinarily  shy  animals  regard  the  chalets  as  their  home,  and 
continue  to  visit  them  all  summer.  Almost  every  night  nannies  and  their 
kids  clatter  across  one  of  the  porches  and  bounce  bleating  into  the  bushes. 


mm1. 


•    -5K- 


FAWN 


On  moonlit  nights  a  dozen  or  more  may  frisk  about  close  by.  Marmots 
and  conies  are  plentiful  among  the  nearby  rocks,  and  bears  and  mule  deer 
are  seen  daily. 

Left  from  Sperry  Chalets,  on  a  spectacular  but  safe  ledge  trail,  to  SPERRY 
GLACIER,  2.5  m.,  named  for  Dr.  Lyman  B.  Sperry  of  Oberlin  College. 

The  trail  swings  in  an  arc  up  the  wall  beneath  Gunsight  Mountain  (R),  with 
a  wide  outlook  over  the  ancient  glacial  basin  to  Lake  McDonald,  blue  and  shim- 
mering in  the  sunlight.  The  closely  encompassing  mountains  are  extraordinarily 
bright  colored,  especially  Edwards  Mountain,  with  heavily  folded  rosy  strata  over- 
laid in  places  with  alpine  greenery.  The  trail  mounts  to  the  second  bench  and 
presently  to  the  third  bench  of  this  compound  cirque;  on  the  floor  of  each  is  an 
alpine  lake.  The  lower  one  is  NANSEN;  the  upper,  PEARY.  All  about  are  gen- 
erous goat  pastures. 

The  ascent  of  the  last  wall,  about  100  feet,  must  be  made  on  foot.  A  corridor 
with  stairs  has  been  blasted  out  of  the  rock,  though  the  old  iron  ladder  with  87 
widely  spaced  rungs  is  still  used  by  some  visitors. 

The  glacier  begins  immediately  beyond  this  wall.  An  excellent  example  of  bench 
glacier,  it  is  about  1.5  miles  across  the  base,  and  extends  upward  approximately  a 
mile.  Its  size  has  diminished  rapidly  since  1920,  and  it  is  ribbed  with  ledges.  It  is 
unsafe  to  cross  it  early  in  the  season,  for  the  ice  is  then  covered  with  snow,  and 
there  are  deep  crevasses  that  only  a  party  equipped  with  ropes  should  attempt  to 
inspect. 

In  the  late  season  Gunsight  Mountain  can  be  scaled  from  the  glacier  without 
great  difficulty.  Edwards  (L)  is  possible  for  a  careful  climber. 

Sec.  e.  SPERRY  CHALETS  to  GOING-TO-THE-SUN  CHALETS,  16  m. 

Going-to-the-Sun  Trail  swings  south  from  SPERRY  CHALETS,  0  m.,  and 
ascends  by  a  series  of  switch-backs  to  LINCOLN  PASS,  1.5  m.  (7,000 
alt.),  between  Lincoln  Peak  (L)  and  a  corbie-step  gable  of  Gunsight 
Mountain. 


4OQ  TOURS 

Right  on  a  footpath  up  a  ridge  0.7  m.  to  the  summit  of  LINCOLN  PEAK.  Al- 
most 3,000  feet  below  is  the  blue  pit  of  Lincoln  Lake. 

The  main  trail  swings  L.  around  LAKE  ELLEN  WILSON  and,  de- 
scending, turns  the  corner  of  one  of  Gunsight's  fine  buttresses.  Right,  far 
below  the  trail,  the  waters  of  Lake  Ellen  Wilson  cataract  almost  straight 
down  1,700  feet  into  Lincoln  Lake.  The  scrubby,  gnarled,  and  twisted 
little  alpine  firs  and  pines  along  the  trail  are  hung  with  shreds  of  white 
goats'  hair.  Gunsight  Mountain  (L)  is  one  of  the  favorite  pastures  of 
park  goats;  in  the  late  afternoon  family  groups  often  appear,  picking 
precarious  paths  down  from  the  higher  ledges. 

The  trail  crosses  the  tail-water  of  a  foaming  cataract,  climbs  a  talus 
slope  that  bears  some  vegetation,  and  circles  the  east  end  of  the  lake. 

GUNSIGHT  PASS,  5  m.  (6,900  alt.),  looks  down  about  1,000  feet  on 
serene  Lake  Ellen  Wilson,  lying  in  its  high  mountain  cup  almost  sur- 
rounded by  sheer,  avalanching  walls.  Right  are  the  crags  and  snowfields 
of  Mount  Jackson ;  back  across  the  lake  is  Lincoln  Peak,  half  hidden  by  a 
shoulder  of  Gunsight. 

Below  Gunsight  Pass  the  trail  crosses  a  heavy  snowbank  that  pitches 
steeply  down  the  mountain.  In  the  early  season,  before  the  track  has  be- 
come imbedded  in  the  bank,  this  hundred  yards  must  be  traversed  cau- 
tiously because  of  the  danger  of  slides.  A  small  meadow  beyond  the  snow- 
bank is  a  pleasant  place  for  lunch.  Below  is  St.  Mary  Valley,  closely 
hemmed  on  each  side  by  colorful  cliffs. 

On  a  shelf  of  Mount  Jackson,  the  trail  continues  around  and  above 
GUNSIGHT  LAKE  (L).  The  lake  is  cupped  in  a  typical  glacial  cirque, 
but  along  the  velvety  looking  sides  of  the  bowl  are  deceptively  tall  alder 
bushes,  through  which  a  man  can  only  flounder  helplessly,  once  off  the 
main  trail. 

Near  the  approach  to  a  footbridge,  7.8  m.,  which  crosses  the  lake's 
outlet,  is  a  trail  junction. 

Right  from  the  footbridge  on  this  dim  trail,  which  bears  R.  around  Mount  Jack- 
son and  steadily  gains  altitude.  At  2  m.  the  trail  crosses  a  high  lateral  moraine, 
above  which  the  shelving  ledges  of  Mount  Jackson  climb  to  the  lower  elevation  (c. 
7,500  alt.)  of  BLACKFEET  GLACIER,  2.5  m.  This  glacier,  the  largest  in  the  park, 
covers  about  10  square  miles,  with  a  fall  of  3,000  feet  from  upper  to  lower  ice. 
There  are  formations  of  all  kinds,  and  the  greatly  crevassed  surface  is  highly  dan- 
gerous. 

MOUNT  JACKSON  (10,023  alt.),  the  highest  mountain  directly  on  the  Conti- 
nental Divide  in  the  park,  can  readily  be  climbed  from  this  point  by  its  series  of 
smooth  ledges.  (Climb  should  be  attempted  only  in  August,  in  clear  weather,  by 
well-seasoned  and  -equipped  mountaineers.)  The  rock  surface  is  very  slippery  when 
wet.  The  great  Blackfeet  and  Harrison  Glaciers  are  seen  from  the  summit,  as  are  a 
half-dozen  lakes  and  countless  waterfalls.  Innumerable  lesser  summits  are  seen  in 
the  distance. 

The  main  trail  crosses  the  Gunsight  Lake  outlet  by  ford  and  on  a  foot- 
bridge. The  old,  pack-ratty  shelter  cabin  (R)  has  a  couple  of  board  bunks 
and  a  stove. 

At  8  m.  Gunsight  Lake  (5,276  alt.)  glistens  to  the  rear,  between  Jack- 
son and  Gunsight;  Gunsight  Pass  forms  a  notch  above  its  farther  shore. 

The  trail   loses   altitude   steadily   around   the   flank   of   FUSILLADE 


TRAIL   TOUR   2  401 

MOUNTAIN  (8,747  alt-)-  Tms  mountain  (L)  was  named  by  George  B. 
Grinnell,  a  conservationist  who  did  much  to  bring  the  wilderness  of 
Glacier  Park  to  the  world's  attention.  His  party  hunted  goats  on  this 
mountain  and  fired  a  "perfect  fusillade"  without  hitting  one. 

The  trail  follows  Florence  Creek  to  its  confluence  with  St.  Mary  River. 

At  10  m.  is  a  trail  junction. 

Left  on  a  spur  trail  to  FLORENCE  FALLS,  0.4  m.,  invisible  from  the  main  trail. 
Water  from  TWIN  LAKES,  in  the  cirque  between  Fusillade  and  Reynolds  Moun- 
tains, drops  600  feet  in  a  series  of  dizzy  plunges. 

The  main  trail  follows  the  bank  of  St.  Mary  River  through  timber  and 
occasional  open  glades  where  huckleberries  are  abundant. 

Reynolds  Creek,  12.5  m.,  is  crossed  near  its  confluence  with  St.  Mary 
River,  by  ford  or  on  a  footbridge.  On  the  right  bank  is  a  snowshoe  cabin 
equipped  with  telephone;  in  the  winter  it  is  used  as  overnight  shelter  by 
rangers  on  patrol,  in  summer  it  is  a  lookout  station. 

Between  Reynolds  Creek  and  GOING-TO-THE-SUN  CHALETS,  16  m. 
(see  Park  Tour  1),  this  route  follows  the  Piegan  Pass  Trail  (see  Trail 
Tour  1,  sec.  a). 


Trail  Tour  2 


Glacier  Park  Station  to  Scenic  Point;  Mount  Henry  Trail;  7.5  m. 

The  principal  trail  out  of  Glacier  Park  Station  begins  at  GLACIER  PARK 
HOTEL,  0  m.  (see  Tour  2),  which  is  on  US  2  (see  Tour  2),  and  winds 
north  through  aspens  that  give  way  to  limber  pine,  gnarled  and  twisted 
by  heavy  snows. 

At  3  m.  it  mounts  Bald  Hill,  and  at  4  m.  crosses  Forty-one-Mile  Creek, 
a  favorite  spot  for  a  brief  rest  in  the  shade.  BISON  MOUNTAIN  (7,835 
alt. )  is  L. ;  it  can  be  climbed  advantageously  from  a  high  point  at  about 
4.7  m,,  midway  between  here  and  a  second  crossing  of  Forty-Mile  Creek, 
5.5  m.  There  is  no  trail,  but  the  view  from  the  top  is  worth  the  scramble 
up  the  steep  ridge.  Westward  are  noble  peaks,  green  basins,  snowfields, 
and  waterfalls.  Eastward  the  plains  reach  to  dim  distance  beyond  the 
Blackfeet  Reservation. 

From  Forty-Mile  Creek  the  trail  winds  steeply  up  to  the  crest,  SCENIC 
POINT,  7.5  m.  Ahead  a  maze  of  peaks  and  precipices  looms,  deceptively 
close  across  the  clear  void.  Down  2,300  feet  is  Two  Medicine  Lake;  a 
hundred  smaller  lakes  are  visible  in  the  near  and  far  distance.  Rising  Wolf 
Mountain  (9,505  alt.)  rears  above  the  farther  side  of  the  lake,  Pumpelly 


402  TOURS 


Pillar  at  its  head.  Beyond  are  Mount  Helen  (8,540  alt.)  and  other  peaks 
along  the  Continental  Divide.  Waterfalls  of  melted  snow  pitch  over  sheer 
cliffs. 

Right  from  Scenic  Point  on  a  trail  that  descends  the  rocky  ridges  by  switch-backs 
and  then  follows  Appistoki  Creek  to  APPISTOKI  FALLS  (L),  1.5  m.t  and  trav- 
erses heavily  timbered  country  to  Two  MEDICINE  CHALETS,  3.5  m.  (5,175  alt.). 
(see  Park  Tour  2  and  Trail  Tours  3  and  4). 


Trail  Tour  3 


Two  Medicine  Chalets  to  Upper  Two  Medicine  Lake;  5.5  m. 

From  Two  MEDICINE  CHALETS,  0  m.  (see  Park  Tour  2  and  Trail 
Tours  2  and  4),  there  are  two  trails  leading  around  Two  Medicine  Lake, 
one  along  the  south  shore  (see  Trail  Tour  4),  another  along  the  north. 

The  north  trail  turns  R.  at  the  footbridge  over  Two  Medicine  Creek, 
and  L.  along  the  shore. 

The  slope  (R)  sweeping  up  out  of  lake  and  forest  to  snowfields  and 
a  purple-red  summit  is  Rising  Wolf  Mountain  (9,505  alt.).  The  crags  of 
Sinopah  Mountain  (8,435  a^-)  at  tne  head  of  the  lake  form  the  front 
peak  of  Mount  Rockwell  (9,250  alt.)  ;  L.  of  Rockwell  in  the  distance  is 
Grizzly  (9,070  alt).  Ellsworth  (8,595  a^0  and  Appistoki  (8,135  a^0 
are  across  the  water  (L).  There  are  beaver  colonies  along  the  shores  of 
Two  Medicine  Lake. 

At  3  m.,  just  beyond  the  end  of  the  lake,  is  a  trail  junction. 

1.  Right  on  a  mountain  trail,  which  passes  upward  through  timber  for  more  than 
a  mile  and  emerges  into  an  upland  of  flowers,  to  a  small  unnamed  lake  (L),  1.5  m. 
Visible  at  the  head  of  the  lake  is  a  small  unnamed  glacier.  Goats  are  always  in  sight 
here.  Behind  the  lake  is  Pumpelly  Pillar,  connected  by  a  ridge  with  Mount  Helen 
(8,540  alt.)   on  the  Continental  Divide.  Right  is  Bighorn  Basin,  quarried  by  an 
ancient  glacier,  which  with  the  help  of  another  on  the  opposite  side  formed  the 
pass  ahead  between  (L)  Helen  and  (R)  Flinsch  (9,225  alt.).  At  3  m.  is  Dawson 
Pass  (7,500  alt.).  Westward  some  of  the  highest  peaks  of  the  park  tower  above  the 
timbered  green  Nyack  Valley;  eastward  is  the  familiar  group  around  Two  Medicine. 
The  maze  of  cloud-wrapped  mountaintops  is  so  extensive  that  it  is  necessary  care- 
fully to  study  a  topographic  map  in  order  to  identify  the  peaks. 

2.  Left  on  the  south-shore  trail  back  to  the  Chalets  (see  Trail  Tour  4). 
PUMPELLY  PILLAR,  named  for  Prof.  Ralph  Pumpelly,  who  crossed  the 

mountains  from  west  to  east  by  way  of  Dawson  Pass  in  1883,  looms 
ahead.  The  trail  runs  up  along  Two  Medicine  Creek. 

TWIN  FALLS  (L),  4  m.,  is  a  cascade  separated  at  the  top  and  dashing 
thunderously  together  at  the  bottom.  The  shade  here  and  the  mist  from 


TRAIL   TOUR  4  403 

the  falls  make  this  a  pleasant  spot  to  eat  and  rest.  There  are  many  small 
brook  trout  in  the  pool. 

The  trail  continues  upward  through  a  forest  of  lodgepole  pine  and 
Englemann  spruce,  and  emerges  at  UPPER  TWO  MEDICINE  LAKE, 
5.5  m.,  a  clear  tarn  with  a  beach  of  colored  gravel.  The  lake  occupies  a 
glacial  cirque  with  vertical  walls  on  three  sides.  PUMPELLY  PILLAR  rises 
sheer  (R),  a  splintered  peak.  Mount  Lone  Walker  (8,580  alt),  named 
for  a  Blackfeet  chieftain,  dominates  the  head  of  the  lake,  and  Mount 
Rockwell  the  left  shore. 


Trail  Tour  4 


Two  Medicine  Chalets  to  Two  Medicine  Pass ;  8  m. 

West  of  Two  MEDICINE  CHALETS,  Om.,  the  trail  follows  the  south 
shore  of  Two  Medicine  Lake  through  a  lodgepole  pine  forest  with  occa- 
sional open  parks,  carpeted  with  flowers.  At  one  of  these  the  trail  crosses 
Aster  Creek. 

PARADISE  CREEK,  3  m.,  the  principal  drainage  from  the  south,  car- 
ries a  large  volume  of  water.  A  footlog,  upstream  from  the  ford,  provides 
a  dry  crossing. 

At  4  m.  is  a  trail  junction. 

Right  on  a  park  trail,  2.5  m.,  to  UPPER  TWO  MEDICINE  LAKE  (see  Trail 
Tour  3). 

Near  the  summit  of  a  hill  on  the  main  trail  is  ROCKWELL  FALLS 
(L),  4.3  m. 

Left  from  Rockwell  Falls  on  a  dim  trail  that  follows  a  branch  of  Paradise  Creek 
down  through  HANGING  GARDENS,  0.7  m.,  seldom  visited.  Game  is  abundant. 

The  main  trail  makes  a  second  crossing  of  Paradise  Creek  at  4.7  m., 
then  mounts  steeply  until  it  emerges  from  the  forest  at  timber  line.  In 
the  open  upland  there  is  a  maze  of  game  trails;  the  Two  Medicine  Pass 
trail  crosses  Paradise  Creek  to  COBALT  LAKE,  6m.,  which  occupies  a 
basin  recently  left  by  a  glacier.  Deer,  elk,  and  bear  are  numerous;  moun- 
tain sheep  and  goats  frequent  the  ledges  above  the  lake.  Many  kinds  of 
flowers  grow  in  this  area.  Above  the  lake  the  trail  climbs  steeply. 

TWO  MEDICINE  PASS  (7,675  alt.),  8  m.,  lies  between  Mount 
Rockwell  (R)  and  Mount  Grizzly  (L).  Westward  the  timbered  valley  of 
Park  Creek  is  visible;  the  thin  wedge  of  Mount  St.  Nicholas  (9,380  alt.) 
splits  the  sky.  Right  of  St.  Nicholas  is  Lake  Isabel;  farther  R.,  Lake 


GRINNELL  LAKE  AND  GLACIER 


Aurice.  Left  of  Park  Creek  Valley  is  Mount  Despair  (8,585  alt.).  East- 
ward are  Ellsworth  (8,595  a^-)»  Henry  (8,870  alt.),  and  Appistoki 
(8,135  alt.),  nearly  in  line.  Scores  of  other  peaks  are  in  view. 


Trail  Tour  5 


Many  Glacier  Hotel  to  Grinnell  Glacier;  7  m. 

Guides   advised.   Passage  by  launch    ($1.00)    from   hotel   to   upper   end   of   Lake 
Josephine  shortens  hike  by  more  than  2  miles. 

The  trail  leads  west  from  MANY  GLACIER  HOTEL,  0  m.  (see  Park  Tour 
4  and  Trail  Tours  1  and  6),  skirts  the  shore  of  SWIFTCURRENT  LAKE 
for  0.8  m.,  crosses  a  stone  bridge  over  Swiftcurrent  Creek,  and  turns  L. 


TRAIL    TOUR    6  405 

along  the  shore  of  LAKE  JOSEPHINE.  The  beauty  of  the  forest  was  de- 
stroyed by  fire  in  the  summer  of  1936. 

MOUNT  GRINNELL  (8,838  alt.)  rises  R.  The  trail  winds  steadily 
upward  along  its  base. 

At  1.3  m.  is  a  trail  junction  (see  Trail  Tour  1,  sec.  a). 

GRINNELL  LAKE  (L),  4  m.,  a  milky-blue  circle  about  a  mile  in 
diameter,  lies  below  the  trail.  The  glacial  scourings  that  pour  into  it  give 
the  water  its  curious  color. 

Across  the  lake  a  vast  shoulder  of  Mount  Gould  (9,541  alt.)  rises 
sharply;  straight  ahead  is  the  ragged  skyline  of  the  Garden  Wall,  with 
Grinnell  Glacier  outspread  beneath  it.  To  the  rear  the  many-topped  Altyn 
Peak  (9,335  alt.)  lifts  conspicuously  beyond  Swiftcurrent  Lake.  This 
scene  combines  all  the  pictorial  elements  for  which  the  park  is  noted — 
glacier,  waterfalls,  brilliantly  colored  sheer  cliffs,  jagged  sky  line,  cloud- 
flecked  azure  sky,  blue  lake,  and  pointed  firs.  It  is  the  most  reproduced 
of  park  views. 

The  trail  mounts  the  debris  at  the  foot  of  GRINNELL  GLACIER, 
7  m.,  which  is  about  a  mile  wide  and  a  mile  long;  the  depth  of  the  ice 
toward  the  wall  is  about  500  feet.  It  is  not  so  heavily  crevassed  as  some 
others,  but  the  dangerous  cracks  make  guide  service  necessary  for  explora- 
tion of  its  surface.  There  are  ice  caves  at  its  foot. 


Trail  Tour  6 


Many  Glacier  Hotel  to  Iceberg  Lake;  6  m. 

Between  MANY  GLACIER  HOTEL,  0  m.  (see  Park  Tour  4  and  Trail 
Tours  1  and  5),  and  1.5  m.  this  trail  and  the  Swiftcurrent  Pass  trail  are 
one  route  (see  Trail  Tour  1,  sec.  b). 

From  the  junction  this  trail  (R)  follows  Wilbur  Creek  (L).  Mount 
Wilbur  (9,293  alt.)  is  L.  and  yellow-topped  Mount  Henkel  (8,700  alt.) 
R. ;  a  high  ridge,  part  of  the  Ptarmigan  Wall,  is  ahead. 

At  3  m.,  near  the  falls  of  Wilbur  Creek,  is  a  trail  junction. 

Right  here  to  PTARMIGAN  LAKE,  2.5  m.  The  climb  is  steep,  passing  from 
forest  to  open  meadow,  with  many  small  waterfalls  and  cascades  along  the  creek. 
The  intensely  blue  lake,  hardly  more  than  a  mile  across,  is  surrounded  by  ruddy 

The  trail  mounts  in  short  zigzags  to  a  low  sag  in  the  skyline  behind  the  lake 
goes  through  a  tunnel  for  183  feet,  and  emerges  on  the  precipitous  north  face  oi 
PTARMIGAN  WALL  (7,500  alt.),  3  m.  Below  is  the  wild  Belly  River  country. 
Serene  Lake  Elizabeth  is  imbedded  in  a  rich  green  setting,  two  miles  away  at  1 
nearest  point  and  2,300  feet  below.  The  South  Fork  of  the  Belly  River  a  great 
green  trough,  extends  away  over  hazy  distances  to  the  plains.  The  chain  ot  mou 


406  TOURS 

tains,  L.  of  Lake  Elizabeth,  with  snow  or  ice  in  every  depression,  is  regarded  as  one 

mountain  mass,  called  Mount  Merritt  (9,924  alt.)- 

Right  of  the  valley  is  Gable  Mountain  (9,200  alt.),  whose  high  shoulder  partly 
blocks  the  view  toward  the  plains.  Nearer  is  the  bright-colored  shaly  slope  of  Mount 
Seward  (8  879  alt  )  called  the  Rainbow  Slide.  The  trail  goes  down  the  valley, 
passes  LAKE  ELIZABETH,  4  m.,  and  DAWN  MIST  FALLS  of  the  Belly  River, 
4.3  m.,  and  swings  L.  around  Mount  Merritt  to  CROSSLEY  LAKE  and  a  tent  camp, 
12  m. 

The  view  of  the  tremendous  CATHEDRAL  WALL  culminating  in 
Mount  Wilbur  becomes  more  impressive  as  the  trail  approaches  Iceberg 
Lake.  The  parklike  meadow  below  the  lake  is  bright  with  flowers ;  a  small 
stream  cascades  across  the  green  slopes  in  foamy  leaps. 

ICEBERG  LAKE  AND  GLACIER,  6m.,  are  small.  The  edge  of  the 
glacier  that  touches  the  water  occasionally  breaks  off,  and  the  miniature 
bergs  float  here  all  summer.  The  summer  temperature  of  the  water  is 
39°  F.  There  are  no  fish  in  the  lake,  though  wags  say  it  is  the  home  of 
"fur-bearing  trout."  The  easiest  approach  to  the  glacier  is  across  the  shal- 
low outlet  creek  and  around  the  right  shore  of  the  lake.  Mountain  sheep 
and  goats  frequent  the  ledges  of  the  3,ooo-foot  wall  at  the  rear  of  the 
cirque. 


-B- 


Trail  Tour  7 


Granite  Park  Chalets  to  Logan  Pass;  8  m. 

The  most  traveled  section  of  the  Garden  Wall  trail  maintains  an  even 
elevation  above  timber  line,  making  pleasant  hiking.  There  is  a  brief 
climb  over  a  low  ridge  that  connects  Haystack  Butte  with  the  Garden 
Wall. 

The  main  trail  branches  south  from  GRANITE  PARK  CHALETS  (see  Trail 
Tour  1,  Sec.  b). 

At  0.8  m.  is  a  trail  junction. 

Left  on  a  footpath  that  slants  up  the  shale  to  a  low  saddle  of  the  GARDEN 
WALL,  0.5  m.  It  is  a  stiff  climb  of  about  1,500  feet  with  one  bit  of  ledge  to  cross. 
Horses  can  manage  the  first  part  of  the  climb,  but  the  upper  part  must  be  traveled 
on  foot.  The  top  of  GRINNELL  GLACIER  is  almost  even  with  the  saddle  on  the 
eastern  slope;  a  yawning  gap  between  mountain  and  ice  is  partly  filled  with  rubble. 
This  bergschrund  (mountain  crevice)  is  an  interesting  illustration  of  how  the  pre- 
cipitous back  walls  of  cirques  are  created  by  glaciers.  As  the  space  between  moun- 
tain and  glacier  fills  each  winter  with  snow  and  ice,  and  melts  each  summer,  the 
expansion  and  contraction  disintegrate  some  of  the  rear  wall,  which  falls  and  is 
slowly  carried  away  on  the  bed  of  the  glacier.  Where  glaciers  are  present  on  two 
faces  of  a  ridge,  as  was  true  along  the  Garden  Wall,  the  crest  becomes  very  thin  and 
in  some  places  is  worn  completely  through  to  form  saddles  like  this  one,  or,  if  both 
glaciers  persist  long  enough,  low  passes. 


TRAIL   TOUR   8  407 

The  view  east  of  the  saddle  embraces  Mount  Gould,  Grinnell  and  Josephine 
Lakes,  lying  between  Mounts  Grinnell  (L)  and  Allen  (R),  and  sweeps  on  down 
Swiftcurrent  Valley  to  the  plains.  West,  the  Livingston  Range  stretches  northward 
in  a  great  arc  from  Lake  McDonald,  visible  betwen  Mount  Cannon  (L)  and  Heav- 
ens Peak  (R),  to  the  cloud-streaked  Canadian  Rockies. 

A  dim  continuation  of  the  path  goes  to  a  second  saddle,  1  m.,  which  affords  a 
closer  view  of  the  awesome  upper  cliffs  of  Mount  Gould. 

At  1  m.  on  the  main  trail  is  a  trail  junction. 

Right  here  on  a  spur  trail  to  GOING-TO-THE-SUN  HIGHWAY,  3  m.  (see 
Park  Tour  1). 

The  main  trail  winds  around  projecting  buttresses  just  under  the  high 
cliffs  of  the  GARDEN  WALL  (L).  Many  little  streams  formed  by  melt- 
ing ice  and  snow  trickle  across  it.  There  are  occasional  short  stretches  of 
difficult  ledge  trail  above  a  precipice.  Along  these  places  the  outside  edge 
is  guarded  by  a  low  retaining  wall,  and  the  inside  face  has  been  blasted 
out  to  make  travel  safe. 

Alpine  flowers  of  many  colors  border  the  path;  in  alternate  years  the 
creamy  plumes  of  beargrass  feather  the  slopes.  This  area  is  the  home  pas- 
ture of  a  small  band  of  mountain  sheep  separated  from  the  large  herd  that 
winters  about  Many  Glacier;  they  are  sometimes  seen  both  above  and 
below  the  trail. 

HAYSTACK  BUTTE  (7,405  alt.)  is  a  low,  bare  summit  directly  ahead. 
At  4  m.  the  trail  mounts  the  ridge  that  ties  it  to  the  Garden  Wall.  Pollock 
Mountain  (9,211  alt.)  is  the  high  point  of  the  wall  ahead  (L). 

Heavens  Peak  (8,994  alt.),  nearest  (R)  across  McDonald  Valley, 
thrusts  a  gleaming  snowy  summit  above  the  heavy  forest  of  its  lower 
slopes  (see  Park  Tour  I).  Mount  Oberlin  (8,100  alt.),  not  high  but  spec- 
tacular, is  R.  of  Logan  Pass  ahead.  Just  before  the  pass  is  reached,  the  trail 
is  rather  difficult  for  a  considerable  distance. 

LOGAN  PASS,  8  m.  (6,654  alt.)  (see  Park  Tour  1),  is  crossed  by 
Going-to-the-Sun  Highway. 


Trail  Tour  8 


Avalanche  Creek  Campground  to  Avalanche  Lake ;  3  m. 
There  are  only  three  short  climbs  on  this  easy  trail. 

East  of  AVALANCHE  CREEK  CAMPGROUND,  0  m.  (see  Park  Tour  1)  the 
trail  follows  AVALANCHE  CREEK,  a  foaming  torrent,  full  of  whirl- 
pools, that  has  cut  a  deep,  winding  gorge  through  red  argillite,  and 
scoured  out  many  potholes  in  its  bed.  The  banks  of  the  gorge,  continually 
bathed  with  mist,  are  covered  with  thick,  emerald-green  moss;  the  over- 


408  TOURS 

hanging  hemlocks  and  cedars  are  festooned  with  goatsbeard  lichen.  The 
gorge  is  the  home  of  the  water  ouzel,  which  flies  about  in  the  spray  and 
dives  under  water  for  food. 

The  trail  passes  through  a  mixed  forest  that  contains  some  of  the 
largest  trees  in  the  park.  Rugged  MOUNT  CANNON  (L)  was  called 
Goat  Mountain  by  pioneers.  In  1901,  when  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Walter  Cannon 
of  Boston  visited  the  park,  Charles  Howe,  an  old  settler,  told  them  that 
Goat  Mountain  had  never  been  climbed,  and  promised  that  it  would  be 
named  for  Mrs.  Cannon  if  she  climbed  it.  The  Cannons  accepted  the  chal- 
lenge, set  out  with  a  guide  and  pack  outfit,  reached  the  top  (8,460  alt. ),  and 
erected  a  cairn  there.  Later  they  met  a  U.  S.  Geological  Survey  party,  and 
reported  their  exploit.  Thus  Mount  Cannon  was  named  for  the  first 
woman  to  climb  a  major  peak  in  the  park — and  incidentally  for  her  hus- 
band. 

Mounts  Brown  (8,541  alt.)  and  Edwards  (9,055  alt.)  are  R.  A  sharp 
low  peak  between  them  is  called  the  Little  Matterhorn. 

AVALANCHE  LAKE,  3.5  m.,  has  milky  water  heavily  impregnated 
with  glacial  scourings ;  it  should  be  drunk  only  sparingly.  The  view  from 
the  foot  of  the  lake  includes  a  perfect  glacial  cirque,  with  four  cascades 
from  Sperry  Glacier  plunging  over  its  i,5OO-foot  wall.  Vegetation  in  the 
basin  is  dense,  and  in  late  July  huckleberries  are  abundant  a  little  way 
from  the  trail. 


<<<<<<<<< 


Trail  Tour  9 

Lake  McDonald  Hotel  to  Mount  Brown;  6.5  m. 

Between  LAKE  McDONALD,  0  m.,  and  CRYSTAL  FORD,  1.5  m. 
(see  Park  Tour  1),  this  tour  and  Trail  Tour  1  are  united  (see  Trail  Tour 
1,  Sec.  d). 

Above  Crystal  Ford  the  Mount  Brown  trail  goes  L.  through  thin  forest, 
predominantly  larch,  with  heavy  undergrowth  of  beargrass  and  huckle- 
berry bushes. 

At  2  m.  is  a  trail  junction. 

Right  on  a  park  trail  to  LOWER  SNYDER  LAKE,  3  m.  SNYDER  BASIN  is  a 
compound  cirque,  and  the  wall  above  the  lower  lake  is  only  400  to  500  feet  high. 
There  is  no  trail  to  the  upper  lake,  but  it  is  not  a  very  difficult  scramble  up  the 
talus  slope  to  the  second  level.  UPPER  SNYDER  LAKE  is  larger  and  entirely  in  the 

The  main  trail  turns  R.  up  the  mountain  at  2.1  m.  The  ascent  is  a  long, 
steady  grind  with  little  variation  in  the  gradient  of  the  trail,  which  mounts 
the  south  ridge  by  many  switch-backs.  As  the  trail  winds  over  the  ridge, 


TRAIL   TOUR    IO  409 

Lake  McDonald  below  is  occasionally  seen.  Snyder  Basin  and  a  score  of 
peaks  are  R.  The  three  most  prominent  are  Edwards  Mountain  (9,055 
alt),  Gunsight  (9,250  alt),  and  Jackson  (10,023  alt). 

The  trail  continues  across  open,  flowery  parks  and  swings  L.  up  the 
last  ridge. 

The  LOOKOUT  STATION,  5  m.,  is  on  the  lower  summit  of  MOUNT 
BROWN  (8,541  alt.).  Nine-tenths  of  the  park  peaks  are  visible  from 
here;  as  one  climber  wrote  in  the  register  the  view  includes  "more  scenery 
than  there  seems  to  be  any  use  for."  The  attendant  will  explain  the  use  of 
instruments  for  spotting  and  locating  smoke. 

The  UPPER  SUMMIT,  6.5  m.t  about  500  feet  higher,  can  be  scaled  only 
by  skilled  and  well-equipped  climbers. 


Trail  Tour  10 


Logan  Pass  to  Hidden  Lake ;  2  m. 

This  easy  trail  branches  south  from  Going-to-the-Sun  Highway,  0  m. 
(see  Park  Tour  1),  at  LOGAN  PASS  (see  Park  Tour  1)  and  winds  across 
terraces  of  the  HANGING  GARDENS,  which  early  in  the  season  are 
rather  wet  in  some  places.  At  1  m.  the  trail  climbs  the  lateral  moraine  of 
a  glacier  invisible  from  the  trail. 

Right,  climbing  at  any  convenient  point,  to  CLEMENTS  GLACIER,  0.1  m.  This 
tiny  remnant,  hardly  more  than  a  hundred  acres  in  extent,  is  sometimes  called  Mu- 
seum Glacier,  because  it  exhibits  the  principal  features  of  larger  ice  fields  in  its 
crevasses,  caves,  and  moraines. 

The  Hidden  Lake  trail  runs  through  a  low,  grassy  pass  between  an 
unnamed  elevation  (L)  and  Clements  Mountain  (R).  It  ends  at  the  edge 
of  precipitous  cliffs,  2  m. 

HIDDEN  LAKE,  500  feet  below,  occupies  a  cirque  only  recently  evacu- 
ated by  ice.  Its  blue  is  reminiscent  of  that  in  the  paintings  of  Maxfield 
Parrish. 

The  only  way  to  get  down  to  it  is  to  circle  far  R.  along  the  steep  slope 
of  Clements  Mountain  and  follow  one  of  the  small  watercourses  that  go 
down  to  enter  the  lake  near  its  outlet. 

Trout  planted  in  the  lake  a  few  years  ago  have  accustomed  themselves 
to  subsisting  on  its  minute  water  life,  and  usually  refuse  the  offerings  of 
the  most  ingenious  fisherman.  Rarely  is  one  caught.  The  usual  weight  is 
5  or  6  pounds. 

The  mountain  beyond  the  lake,  named  by  old  timers,  is  SHEPHERDS 
PEAK  (8,740  alt.).  Goats  clamber  along  its  ledges. 


•«««<<<<<«•&»>>>>>>>>>>>>»» 

PART   IV 

Appendices 


Montana  Glossary 


Badlands — Barren  lands,  with  fantastically  eroded  horizontal  strata. 
Bedding  ground — Sheltered  place  where  stock  beds  down  at  night,  usually  in 

a  ravine  or  a  clump  of  brush. 
Bench— Plain,  rising  above  lowland.  Where  bench  succeeds  bench  over  vast 

areas,  they  are  numbered:  first  bench,  second  bench,  etc.  Some  are  named: 

Plentywood  Bench,  for  example. 
Between  hay  and  grass — In  difficult  times,  as  in  early  spring,  when  hay  is 

gone  and  grass  has  not  come  up. 
Biddy — Aged  and  toothless  ewe. 
Biddy  bridle — Old-fashioned  bridle  with  "blinders." 
Bonanza — A  rich  vein  of  ore,  or  any  easy  source  of  wealth. 
Boothill — Cemetery  where  pioneers  who  died  "with  their  boots  on"  were 

buried. 

Box  canyon — A  canyon  closed  at  one  end  by  high  cliffs. 
Brains,  the — Engineers;  white-collar  workers. 
Brand  blotting — Making  a  brand  indistinct  and  alterable  by  applying  heat 

through  a  wet  sack  or  blanket. 
Bronc — Unbroken  horse;  broken,  but  wild,  horse. 
Bronc  buster — Rider  who  specializes  in  breaking  wild  horses. 
Broomtail — Range  or  scrub  horse  of  doubtful  value. 
Bucking  rolls — Leather  pads  on  the  pommel  that  enable  a  rider  to  clamp  his 

knees  to  the  saddle. 

Buffalo  chips — Dried  buffalo  or  livestock  manure  used  for  fuel. 
Buffalo  wallow — Depression  where  buffalo  rolled  in  the  dust. 
Bulldog — To  throw  a  steer  by  leaping  from  the  saddle,  grasping  his  horns, 

and  twisting  his  neck. 

Bull-mooser — Drill  used  in  sinking  shafts  and  winzes. 
Bullwhacker — Driver  of  oxen. 
Bum  lamb — Lamb  which  has  lost  its  mother  and  wanders  about  trying  to  get 

food  from  other  ewes. 
Butte — A  conspicuous  hill  or  mountain,  usually  a  hard  core  left  standing  in 

an  area  reduced  by  erosion. 
Buzzard  head — Mean-tempered  range  horse. 
Buzzies — Stoping-machine  drills. 
Cavvy — Herd  of  horses  (from  Spanish  caballada). 
Cayuse — Horse  of  doubtful  lineage,  usually  an  Indian  pony. 
Cedar  breaks — Broken  land  overgrown  with  scrub  cedar. 
Chaps — Leather  or  goatskin  riding  pants  worn  for  protection  from  cold  or 

whipping  brush  growth.  Originally  chaparajos. 
Chinook — A  warm  southwest  wind  that  removes  snow  in  winter. 

413 


414  MONTANA   GLOSSARY 

Circle Area  a  roundup  rider  must  inspect  in  a  day.  Several  men  riding 

separate  circles  cover  the  range  thoroughly. 

Close  herdin' — Cheek- to- cheek  dancing. 

Corral — Livestock  pen  of  poles  or  boards. 

Coulee — A  small  valley  in  prairie  country. 

Cow  puncher — Ranch  hand.  In  Montana  the  term  is  preferred  to  "cowboy," 
which  is  regarded  as  slightly  less  virile. 

Crazy  as  a  sheepherder — (Cattlemen's  expression.) 

Crow  hop — Straight  jump  made  by  a  bucking  horse,  especially  in  leaving  the 
chute  (at  a  rodeo). 

Cutting  horse — Quick  horse,  good  at  cutting  out. 

Cut  out — To  separate  (an  anhnal)  from  the  herd. 

Ditch  rider — Irrigation  patrolman  who  turns  water  into  laterals  and  watches 
for  breaks  in  ditch  banks. 

Dogies — Cattle;  sometimes  motherless  calves. 

Drift  fence — Fence  set  up  to  stop  straying  livestock. 

Drop  band — Band  of  ewes  being  lambed  in  the  spring. 

Dry,  the — Room  where  miners  change  clothing  after  work. 

Dry  band — Band  of  sheep  without  lambs  or  gravid  ewes. 

Dust,  the — Silicosis,  caused  by  breathing  dust  in  mines. 

Duster — Dry  oil  well. 

Fan  the  hammer — To  fire  rapidly  with  a  single-action  revolver  on  which  the 
trigger  catch  has  been  filed  down.  The  gun  was  held  in  the  right  hand,  the 
hammer  drawn  back  and  released  with  the  heel  of  the  left. 

Father  up  the  herd — To  get  the  herd  bedded  down  at  night. 

Feel  one's  oats — To  get  cocky. 

Filly — Unmarried  woman. 

Fool — Person  of  more  than  ordinary  aptitude;  as  "a  ridin'  fool"  for  an  un- 
commonly good  rider. 

Fool  brand — Brand  too  complicated  to  be  described  by  a  brief  name. 

Fork  a  horse — To  mount. 

Go  into  the  hills — To  start  on  a  prospecting  expedition. 

Go  on  top — To  come  out  of  a  mine. 

Hardrocker — Quartz  miner;  miner  who  digs  ore  out  of  rock. 

Hell-for-leather — In  great  haste.  "Ridin'  hell-for-leather"  suggests  very  hard 
use  of  leather  (i.e.,  whip). 

Hill  rat — Prospector. 

Hog  leg — Six-shooter  in  a  holster  (from  its  form). 

Hombre — Man  (Spanish);  pronounced  "umber"  in  Montana. 

"It's  deep  enough  for  me" — Miner's  notice  to  employer.  Miners  superstitiously 
avoid  making  such  statements  as  "I'm  quitting,"  or  "This  is  my  last  shift." 

Rack— Saddle. 

Lamb  licker — Sheepman  (derisive),  from  a  ewe's  habit  of  licking  a  newborn 

•  |  O 

lamb. 
Lariat — Light,  strong  rope  with  a  running  noose,  used  for  catching  and  tying 

livestock. 

Larrup — To  strike,  thrash. 
Larrupin'  truck — "Great  stuff." 


MONTANA   GLOSSARY  415 

Lasso — Lariat;  also  (v.)  to  catch  with  a  lariat. 

Line  fence — Dividing  fence  between  range  outfits. 

Lobo — Wolf  that  hunts  alone.  Hence,  a  solitary  person. 

Loco — Poisonous  weed  that  destroys  muscular  control;  also  (adj.)  crazy,  and 

(v. )  to  craze. 

Lone  ranger — Unmarried  man. 
Long,  the  (or  long  steel) — In  mining,  a  drill  used  to  finish  holes  to  a  depth  of 

5  to  7  ft. 

Long  yearling — Colt  or  calf  between  one  and  two  years  old. 
Loose  herdin' — Dancing  with  decorous  space  between  partners. 
N  ester — Homesteader. 

Nipper — Supplier  of  powder  and  sharp  steel  in  mines. 
On  the  prod — Out  of  sorts;  as,  a  cow  ready  to  use  her  horns. 
Peel  broncs — To  ride,  drive,  or  break  horses,  especially  with  free  use  of  the 

whip. 

Pile — To  throw.  "That  horse  piled  me." 
Plugger — Machine  for  drilling  boulders,  for  blasting. 
Pool  camp — Roundup  camp  of  several  ranches,  each  one's  interests  being  in 

the  hands  of  a  "rep"  (which  see). 
Pop — In  mining,  a  drilled  hole  less  than  2  ft.  deep. 
Pull  freight — To  go  away;  move  on. 
Pull  leather — To  hold  on  to  the  saddle  in  riding  a  bucking  horse.  In  rodeos  it 

disqualifies  the  rider.  Hence,  to  reach  for  support  (in  argument  and  the 

like). 

Put  a  loop  on — To  lasso. 

Rattle  one's  hocks — To  get  going;  to  move  along. 
Rep — Representative;  roundup  hand  who  looks  after  the  stock  of  a  particular 

ranch  in  pool  camp. 

Ride  the  owlhoot  trail — To  ride  at  night  (as  an  outlaw). 
Ridin'  herd  on  (a  woman} — Courting. 
Ridge  runner — Wild  horse  which  keeps  to  a  ridge  or  high  point  to  watch  for 

danger  and  warn  the  herd. 

Road  agent — Old-time  robber  of  stage  route  travelers. 
Roll  your  bed! — "You're  fired." 
Rope — To  lasso.  The  favorite  Montana  term. 

Roundup — Periodic  gathering  of  range  cattle  for  branding  and  the  like. 
Running  iron — Straight  iron  without  a  brand  design,  with  which  any  brand 

can  be  applied. 

Rustle — To  make  one's  way.  To  obtain;  as  food,  wood,  water.  To  steal  (live- 
stock). To  ask  for  a  job. 
Sack  out — To  break  a  shying  horse  by  tying  him  up  and  throwing  sacks  at 

him  until  he  no  longer  shies. 
Salivate — To  "liquidate";  to  shoot  full  of  holes. 
Savvy— To  understand  (Spanish,  sabe};  also  (n.)  knowledge,  grasp.  "He's 

got  lots  of  savvy." 
Shifter — Boss  of  a  shift  in  a  mine. 
Show  daylight — In  bronc  busting,  to  let  light  show  between  man  and  saddle; 

a  usual  preliminary  to  being  "piled." 


416  MONTANA  GLOSSARY 

Slick  ear — Animal  without  earmark. 

Slicker — Unbranded  animal. 

Slow  elk — Beef  butchered  without  the  owner's  knowledge. 

Sodbuster — Homesteader. 

Soogan — Quilt,  blanket. 

Sourdough — Bread  leavened  with  sponge  from  a  previous  baking. 

Stampede — Properly,   the  disorderly  running  away   of  a   herd  of  animals. 

Loosely,  any  confused  activity. 
Steel — Mine  drills  generally. 

Stray — Animal  off  its  home  range;  hence,  a  stranger. 
String — Saddle  horses  kept  for  the  use  of  a  single  rider. 
Sunfish — To  buck  with  a  sidewise,  writhing  motion  or  by  rapidly  lowering  and 

lifting  the  shoulders. 

Swing  team — Any  pair  between  leaders  and  wheelers  in  a  multiple  team. 
Tally — Time  to  go  off  shift  (miner's  slang). 
"Tap  'er  light" — Parting  admonition  among  miners. 
Throw  a  wide  loop — To  be  careless  as  to  whose  stock  one  ropes;  to  take  more 

than  one's  share  of  anything. 
Tin  pants — Heavy,  stiff,  waterproof  garment  worn  by  woodsmen.  "Stand  your 

tin  pants  in  the  corner." 
Tommy-knocker — Ghost  of  a  man  killed  in  a  mine.  Miners  say  he  returns  to 

work  the  shift  on  which  he  was  killed.  They  thus  explain  the  creaking  of 

timbers  and  similar  sounds. 

Top  a  horse — To  ride  an  unbroken  horse,  partly  taming  him. 
Top  hand — First-rate  cowpuncher. 
Top  railer — Person  who  sits  on  the  top  rail  of  a  corral  and  advises  the  men 

who  do  the  work  and  take  the  chances.  The  back-seat  driver  of  range  land. 
Vented  brand — Brand  blotted  out  before  witnesses,  when  the  legal  ownership 

of  an  animal  is  changed. 

War  bag — Bag  containing  a  cowpuncher's  personal  effects. 
Woolies — Sheep. 
Wrangler — Herder  in  charge  of  saddle  stock. 


Chronology 


1743        The  Verendryes,  presumably  traversing  southeastern  Montana,  sight 

what  they  call  the  "shining  mountains." 
1749         The  elder  Verendrye  dies;  sons  are  deprived  of  their  grants;  French 

and  Indian  War  puts  an  end  to  all  expeditions  of  discovery. 
1763        New  France  passes  into  British  hands;  Louisiana  (reaching  to  the 

Rockies),  into  control  of  Spain. 

1804  March  9.  Montana  east  of  the  Rockies  becomes  part  of  the  United 
States  through  transfer  from  France  of  Upper  Louisiana,  carrying 
out  terms  of  the  Louisiana  Purchase  of  1803. 

May  14.  Captain  Meriwether  Lewis  and  William  Clark  set  out  from 
St.  Louis  to  explore  the  region. 

1805  Sacajawea,  Indian  wife  of  the  French-Canadian  trapper  Charbon- 
neau,  joins  Lewis  and  Clark  at  the  Mandan  villages  as  interpreter. 
April  26.  Lewis  and  Clark  reach  the  mouth  of  the  Yellowstone;  June 
14,  Great  Falls;  July  19,  Gates  of  the  Mountains;  July  25,  Three 
Forks;  August  12,  Lemhi  Pass,  where  Captain  Lewis  passes  over  the 
Continental  Divide  and  they  meet  the  Shoshone;  and  September  11, 
Lolo  Pass  on  the  future  State  Line. 

Francois  Larocque,  first  white  man  on  lower  Yellowstone. 

1806  June  29.  Lewis  and  Clark,  returning  from  the  Pacific,  reach  Travel- 
ers' Rest  near  mouth  of  Lolo  Creek;  then  next  day  divide  the  expedi- 
tion to  explore  vast  areas  before  their  reunion  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Yellowstone,  August  12. 

September  23.  Lewis  and  Clark  arrive  at  St.  Louis. 

1807  Manuel  Lisa  establishes  first  trading  post  in  Montana  at  junction  of 
Big  Horn  and  Yellowstone  Rivers. 

John  Colter,  a  veteran  of  the  Lewis  and  Clark  Expedition  working 
for  Lisa,  crosses  Yellowstone  Park,  a  region  known  for  years  there- 
after as  Colter's  Hell. 

1809  David   Thompson,    for   the   North- West   Company,   builds   Salish 
House  near  present  site  of  Thompson  Falls;  makes  expedition  into 
Flathead  Region. 

1810  Killing  of  twenty  men  by  Indians  leads  to  abandonment  of  the  new 
post  at  Three  Forks  established  by  Menard  and  Henry. 

1811  Manuel  Lisa's  post  abandoned  because  of  Indian  troubles. 

1822  Andrew  Henry  builds  a  trading  post  on  the  Yellowstone  for  Gen. 
William  H.  Ashley  of  St.  Louis. 

1823  In  spring,  while  traveling  up  the  Missouri,  Henry  is  attacked  by 
Blackfeet  near  Great  Falls,  and  forced  to  turn  back. 

417 


418  CHRONOLOGY 

1824        Alexander  Ross  and  party  travel  through  Hell  Gate  Canyon  near  site 

of  Missoula. 
1828        Kenneth  McKenzie  builds  for  the  American  Fur  Company  a  trading 

post,  Fort  Floyd,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Yellowstone  near  the  site  of 

Fort  Henry.  Fort  Floyd  later  became  Fort  Union. 

1831  Flathead  delegation  visits  St.  Louis,  asking  for  missionaries  to  teach 
them  Christianity. 

1832  Fort  Piegan  established  near  mouth  of  Marias  River. 

Fort  McKenzie  built  on  Marias  River  following  abandonment  and 

burning  of  Fort  Piegan. 

First  steamboat,  the  Yellowstone,  reaches  Fort  Union;  among  the 

passengers  is  George  Catlin,  famous  painter. 

Alexander  Culbertson  arrives  at  Fort  Union. 

1833  Prince  Maximilian  of  Wied-Neuwied  arrives  at  Fort  Union  on  the 
Assiniboine,  American  Fur  Company  steamer. 

1835        Flatheads  again  ask  for  missionaries. 

Fort  Van  Buren,  second  American  Fur  Company  post,  established  on 
the  Yellowstone  near  the  mouth  of  the  Tongue. 

1839  Third  Flathead  request  for  missionaries. 

1840  Father  de  Smet,  after  celebrating  mass  with  Flatheads  in  Wyoming, 
travels  north  with  them  into  Gallatin  Valley. 

1841  September  24.  Father  de  Smet  founds  St.  Mary's  Mission  near  present 
site  of  Stevensville  in  the  Bitterroot  Valley. 

1842  In  spring  Father  de  Smet  plants  first  Montana  crops — wheat,  oats 
and  potatoes — at  St.  Mary's  Mission. 

1843  John  James  Audubon,  famous  naturalist,  visits  Fort  Union. 

Fort  McKenzie  burns.  Fort  Chardon,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Judith, 
and  Fort  Sarpy,  25  miles  below  the  mouth  of  the  Tongue,  built  by 
American  Fur  Company. 

1845  Father  Ravalli  sets  up  first  Montana  gristmill  at  St.  Mary's  Mission. 

1846  American  Fur  Company  builds  Fort  Lewis  {see  below}  near  mouth 
of  Marias  River. 

Northwest  Montana  becomes  United  States  territory  by  treaty  with 
England  fixing  international  boundary  at  forty-ninth  parallel. 
1850        Major  John  Owen  establishes  Fort  Owen  in  the  Bitterroot  Valley 
at  the  site  of  St.  Mary's  Mission. 

Fort  Lewis  rebuilt  and  rechristened  Fort  Benton  by  Major  Alex- 
ander Culbertson. 
Steamboat  El  Paso  reaches  mouth  of  Milk  River. 

1852  Francois  Finlay,  known  as  Benetsee,   finds  gold  on  what  is   now 
Gold  Creek,  between  Garrison  and  Drummond. 

1853  Gov.  Isaac  I.  Stevens  explores  a  route  across  Montana  for  a  railroad 
from  St.  Paul  to  the  Pacific. 

John  Grant  brings  in  the  first  considerable  herd  of  cattle,  most  of 
it  picked  up  along  the  Oregon  Trail 


CHRONOLOGY  419 

1854  Father   Hoecken   founds   St.   Ignatius   Mission   in   Mission   Valley. 
Sir  St.  George  Gore,  Irish  sportsman,  and  large  party  arrive  in 
Montana. 

1855  Governor  Stevens  signs  treaties  with  the  Salish  Indians  at  Council 
Grove,  near  the  mouth  of  the  Bitterroot  River,  and  with  the  Black- 
feet,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Judith  River. 

St.  George  Gore  and  party,  with  Jim  Bridger  as  guide,  explore  and 
hunt  in  the  Powder  River  region. 

1858  Mullan  Wagon  Road  from  Fort  Benton  to  Walla  Walla,  Wash- 
ington, begun. 

The  Stuart  party  finds  gold  on  Gold  Creek,  near  site  of  Finlay's 
earlier  discovery. 

1859  July  2.  Stern-wheeler  Chippewa  is  first  steamboat  at  Fort  Benton; 
Key  West  arrives  a  few  hours  later. 

1862  Gold  rush  to  Bannack,  when  John  White  and  William  Eads  find 
placer  deposits. 

Mullan  Wagon  Road  is  completed. 

September  26.   Capt.  John  Fisk's  expedition  of  100   men  and   30 

women  and  children  from  Minnesota,  arrives  at  Gold  Creek. 

1863  May   28.   Gold   discovered  in  Alder  Gulch,   near  present  site  of 
Virginia  City,  by  Edgar-Fairweather  party. 

Idaho  Territory  organized,  including  Montana. 

1863-64  December  20-February  5.  Hanging,  by  Bannack  and  Virginia  City 
vigilantes,   of   twenty- four   outlaws,    including   the   sheriff,    Henry 
Plummer,  and  two  deputies;  eight  others  banished.  Prisoners  admit 
murdering  102  persons  in  Montana. 
First  schools  started  at  Bannack  and  Virginia  City. 

1864  May  26.  Montana  Territory  created;  Bannack,  first  capital. 

G.  O.  Humphreys  and  William  Allison  stake  out  first  claims  on 

Butte  Hill. 

July  14.  Gold  discovered  in  Last  Chance  Gulch,  present  site  of 

Helena. 

Montana  Post,  first  important  newspaper  in  the  Territory,  is  started 

at  Virginia  City. 

December  12.  First  Territorial  legislature  meets  at  Bannack. 

Placer  discovery  in  Confederate  Gulch. 

John  M.  Bozeman  leads  first  wagon  train  over  Bozeman  Trail,  a 

cut-off  to  Montana  gold  camps  from  Fort  Laramie  on  the  Oregon 

Trail. 

1865  February  2.  Montana  Historical  Society  incorporated. 
February  5.  Original  nine  counties  of  Montana  established. 
February  7.  Virginia  City  becomes  Territorial  capital. 

Placer  gold  mining  at  its  height;  sensational  recoveries  in  Confed- 
erate Gulch. 

1866  Acting  Gov.  Thomas  Francis  Meagher  drowned  at  Fort  Benton. 
Indian  troubles  bring  about  establishment  of  Fort  C.  F.  Smith  to 
protect  Bozeman  Trail. 


420  CHRONOLOGY 

Nelson  Story  trails  in  first  herd  of  cattle  from  Texas. 

First  constitutional  convention  at  Helena. 

First  National  Bank  of  Helena  is  first  bank  in  Montana. 

1867  Fort  Shaw  established  on  Sun  River  to  protect  Mullan  Road;  Fort 
Ellis,  near  present  site  of  Bozeman. 

John  M.  Bozeman  killed  by  Piegans  near  Livingston. 
August  2.  Helena  Herald  first  issued. 

1868  Fort  C.  F.  Smith  and  Bozeman  Trail  abandoned  to  placate  Indians. 

1869  Camp  Baker  (later  Fort  Logan)  established  in  Big  Belt  Mountains, 
east  of  Helena. 

Fort  Benton  taken  over  by  United  States  Government. 

1870  Piegan  War;  Baker  massacre  of  non-combatant  Indians. 
Population  (U.  S.  Census),  20,595. 

1871  February  10.  David  D.  Carpenter  receives  patent  on  first  homestead 
entry  filed  at  Helena  Land  Office  (August  1,  1868). 

1872  Congress  creates  Yellowstone  National  Park. 

1874  First  shipment  of  Montana  cattle  to  the  East  made  from  Ogden, 
Utah,  by  James  Forbes;  the  stock  had  been  driven  south  from  the 
range  of  Conrad  Kohrs  on  Sun  River. 

1875  Seat  of  government  moved  from  Virginia  City  to  Helena. 

Rich  silver  strike  made  at  Butte  by  William  Farlin.  W.  A.  Clark 
begins  development  of  Travonia  mine,  and  Marcus  Daly  arrives 
from  Salt  Lake  City. 

June.  General  Forsythe,  under  orders  from  General  Sheridan,  ex- 
plores Yellowstone  region. 

1876  June  17.  Battle  of  the  Rosebud;  the  Sioux,  under  Crazy  Horse,  de- 
feat General  Crook. 

June  25.  Battle  of  the  Little  Big  Horn;  General  Custer  and  five 
troops  of  the  7th  U.  S.  Cavalry  cut  off  and  killed  by  Sioux.  (His- 
torians differ  as  to  number  killed,  estimates  varying  from  208  to 
277.) 

Gen.  Nelson  A.  Miles  establishes  Fort  Keogh,  the  beginning  of 
Miles  City,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Tongue  River. 

1877  Miles  campaigns  successfully  against  Sioux  and  Cheyenne. 

Nez  Perce  War.  August  9,  Chief  Joseph  defeats  General  Gibbon  at 
the  Battle  of  the  Big  Hole. 

October  8.  Surrender  of  Chief  Joseph  in  the  Bear  Paw  Mountains. 
Fort  Missoula,  west  of  the  Rockies,  and  Fort  Custer,  near  the  mouth 
of  the  Big  Horn,  are  established. 

1879  Fort  Assiniboine  Military  Reservation  south  of  Havre  established. 

1880  Utah  &  Northern  completed  to  Dillon. 
Fort  Maginnis  in  Judith  Basin. 

Silver  surpasses  gold.  Montana  mines  have  produced  more  than 

$200,000,000. 

Population,  39,159. 

1881  Northern  Pacific  Railway  enters  Montana  from  the  east. 


CHRONOLOGY  421 

Marcus  Daly  begins  copper  mining  at  Butte. 
Helena  incorporated  as  a  city. 

1882  Fort  Benton  abandoned  as  a  military  post,  marking  decline  of  fear 
of  Indians. 

Paris  Gibson  files  on  site  of  Great  Falls.  Billings,  Livingston,  Lewis- 
town,  and  other  town  sites  laid  out. 
Utah  and  Northern  completed  to  Garrison. 

1883  Henry  Villard,  president  of  the  Northern  Pacific  Ry.,  drives  last 
spike  in  ceremony  at  Gold  Creek. 

1884  Last  of  the  buffalo.  Extension  of  the  cattle  industry.  Stockmen  fight 
organized  cattle  thieves. 

January  14-February  9.  Second  constitutional  convention  at  Helena; 
November  4,  constitution  ratified,  and  Congress  asked  to  admit 
Montana  as  a  State. 

July  28.  Montana  Stockgrowers  Association  organized  at  Miles  City, 
with  Theodore  Roosevelt  as  a  charter  member. 

1885  Billings  and  Missoula  incorporated  as  cities. 

1887  Hard  winter  starts  decline  of  cattle  industry;  worst  storm,  January 
28-30. 

Legislature  provides  for  observance  of  Arbor  Day. 
James  J.  Hill's  construction  crews  lay  tracks  of  St.  Paul,  Minne- 
apolis &  Manitoba  R.R.  at  record  speed. 

1888  Coal  mining  begins  in  Cascade  County. 
Great  Falls  incorporated  as  a  city. 

1889  Montana  Central  Railroad  completed  to  Butte. 
July  4.  Third  constitutional  convention  at  Helena. 
October  1.  New  constitution  ratified. 

November  8.  President  Harrison's  proclamation  announces  admis- 
sion of  Montana  into  Union  as  a  State. 
November  23.  First  State  legislature  convenes  at  Helena. 

1890  Great  Northern  builds  west  from  Havre  through  Marias  Pass.  End 
of  steamboat  traffic  on  the  Missouri  in  Montana. 
Hydroelectric  plant  and  smelter  established  at  Great  Falls. 
Population,  142,924. 

1892  Great  Northern  Railway  completed  through  State. 
Fort  Shaw  abandoned  as  a  military  post. 

1893  Legislature  establishes  State  University  at  Missoula,  State  College 
at  Bozeman,  Montana  School  of  Mines  at  Butte,  and  State  Normal 
College  at  Dillon. 

September  15.  Montana  State  College  opens  at  Bozeman. 
Five  new  counties  created. 

1894  Helena  wins  capital  election  in  competition  with  Anaconda. 
Chicago,  Burlington  &  Quincy  R.R.  completed  to  Billings. 

1895  University  of  Montana  opens  at  Missoula. 
The  bitterroot  selected  as  the  State  flower. 

Montana  Trades  and  Labor  Council  organized  at  Butte. 


422  CHRONOLOGY 

Blackfeet  sell  their  mountain  lands  to  the  Government. 

1896  BJackfeet  and  Fort  Belknap  reservations  open  to  settlement. 
Silver  mining  declines;  copper  mining  increases. 

1897  State  Normal  College  opens  at  Dillon. 

1898  July  18.  First  Montana  Infantry  leaves  for  Philippines. 

1899  July  4.  Cornerstone  of  capitol  at  Helena  laid. 
State  Board  of  Agriculture  created. 

W.  A.  Clark's  senatorial  campaign. 

1900  Montana  School  of  Mines  opens  in  Butte. 
Great  expansion  in  sheep  industry. 
November  12.  Marcus  Daly  dies  in  New  York. 
Population,  243,329. 

1902         Homestead  entries  for  dry-land  farms  increase. 
Fort  Custer  abandoned. 

1906  Chicago,  Milwaukee,  St.  Paul  and  Pacific  R.R.  enters  Montana. 

1907  Coal  mining  begins  in  Musselshell  field  at  Roundup. 

1908  C.  M.  St.  P.  and  P.  R.R.  is  completed  across  Montana. 
Great  Northern  builds  from  Great  Falls  to  Billings. 
Billings  Polytechnic  Institute  is  founded. 

1909  Mount  St.  Charles  (later  Carroll)  College  established  at  Helena. 

1910  Glacier  National  Park  created. 
Population,  376,053. 

1911  Fort  Assiniboine  abandoned  as  a  military  post. 

1913  Highway  Commission  created. 
Natural  gas  discovered  near  Glendive. 

1914  July-December.  Decline  of  labor  unions  and  establishment  of  open 
shop  in  Butte  mines. 

1915  Price  of  farm  land  increases  because  of  European  War. 
Bumper  wheat  crop  harvested. 

Oil  discovered  in  Elkhorn  Basin. 

Workmen's  Compensation  Act  passed  by  legislature. 

1916  Another  record  wheat  crop  harvested. 
Copper  mining  has  its  greatest  year. 

Second  Montana  Infantry  serves  on  Mexican  border. 
Jeannette  Rankin,  first  Congresswoman,  elected. 

1917  Second  Montana  Infantry  goes  overseas. 

Drought  begins,  causing  collapse  of  homestead  boom. 

1919  Horse  raising  profitable  due  to  war  demand. 

1920  Cat  Creek  oil  field  discovered. 

Falling  land  prices  in  fourth  year  of  drought  ruin  many  farmers. 
Population,  548,889. 

1921  Newly  created  State  Highway  Commission  plans  better  roads.  First 
gasoline  tax  enacted. 

Good  crop  year. 


CHRONOLOGY  423 

1923  Open  pit  mining  with  power  machinery  at  Colstrip,  Rosebud  County, 
produces  50  tons  of  coal  per  man  daily. 

Kevin- Sunburst  oil  field  discovered. 
Legislature  enacts  Old  Age  Pension  Law. 

1924  Fort  Keogh  abandoned  as  a  military  post. 
Good  crop  year. 

1926  Heirs  of  W.  A.  Clark  sell  Butte  properties  to  Anaconda  Copper 
Mining  Company. 

1927  Gasoline  tax  increased. 
Bumper  grain  crop. 

1928  Bumper  grain  crop. 

1929  Beginning  of  another  series  of  drought  years. 

1930  Population,  537,606. 

1931  General  drought  brings  desolation  to  eastern  Montana. 
Cut  Bank  gas  and  oil  field  discovered. 

1933  Named  Attorney  General  in  Roosevelt  Cabinet,  Senator  Thomas  J. 
Walsh,  first  Montanan  appointed  to  a  Cabinet  post,  dies  before  tak- 
ing office. 

Montana  ratifies  repeal  of  prohibition;  Liquor  Control  Board  set  up 
for  sale  of  liquor  by  State. 

1934  Construction  work  begins  at  Fort  Peck  Dam. 

Great  activity  in  road  building.  Tourist  traffic  increases. 

State  Planning  Board  created. 

May-September.  Miners  on  strike  at  Butte;  closed  shop  restored. 

1935  Helena  damaged  by  a  series  of  earthquakes. 
Montana  Highway  Patrol  organized. 

1936  Revival  in  business,  but  drought  continues. 

Great  activity  in  metal  mining  districts,  especially  at  Butte,  Helena, 
and  Philipsburg. 

1937  Copper  mines  at  Butte  and  reduction  plants  at  Anaconda  and  Great 
Falls  operate  at  capacity. 

Legislature  enacts  law  permitting  sale  of  liquor  by  licensed  retailers. 
Shortage  of  hydroelectric  power  due  to  low  water  in  Montana  rivers. 

1938  Custer  Creek  crash,  night  of  June  18-19.  Cloudburst  floods  creek, 
and  carries  away  bridge.  Milwaukee  R.R.  express,  the  Olympian, 
plunges  into  creek.  More  than  40  killed,  and  80  injured. 


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314  p.  front.,  plates,  ports.,  facsims. 

Greenfield,  Thomas  L.  Montana  in  Rotogravure.  San  Francisco,  Pacific  Roto- 
gravure Co.,  1930.  72  p.  illus. 

Grimsby,  Oscar  Melvin  P.  The  Contribution  of  Scandinavian  and  Germanic 
People  to  the  Development  of  Montana.  Missoula,  University  of  Montana, 
1926.  144  p.  (M.  A.  thesis) 

Hamilton,  William  T.  My  Sixty  Years  on  the  Plains  Trapping,  Trading  and 
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rapher and  explorer  of  the  same  company,  1799-1814.  Ed.  by  Elliott  Coues. 
3  v.  New  York,  F.  P.  Harper,  1897.  front,  maps. 

Hosmer,  J.  Allen.  "A  Trip  to  the  States  in  1865."  Frontier,  Jan.  1932,  v.  12: 
149-172.  A  reprint  of  the  diary  of  the  16-year-old  son  of  Montana's  first 
Territorial  chief  justice,  Judge  Hezekiah  L.  Hosmer.  Ed.  with  foreword  by 
Edith  M.  Duncan. 

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Jones,  Marcus  E.  Montana  Botany  Notes.  Missoula,  1910.  75  p.  illus.,  plates. 
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frontier  warfare  in  the  late  1870's. 
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Paul,  D.   D.  Merrill,   1893.  485  p.  front.,  ports.  Accepted  authority  on 

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1936.  104  p.   (Montana.  Agricultural  Experiment  Station.  Bulletin  325.) 
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Russell,  Charles  M.  Good  Medicine;  Memories  of  the  Real  West.  With  an 
introduction  by  Will  Rogers  and  a  biographical  note  by  Nancy  C.  Russell. 
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of  Russell  illus.  by  himself. 

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bon's Engagement  with  Nez  Perce  Indians  in  the  Big  Hole  valley,  Mon- 
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1889.  120  p.  front.,  plates,  port. 

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tenden  and  Alfred  Talbot  Richardson.  New  York,  F.  P.  Harper,  1905. 
4.  v.  fronts.,  plates,  ports.,  map.  Invaluable  records  bearing  on  the  early 
history  of  Montana. 

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Govt.  Print.  Off.,  1921.  203  p.  plates.  (Smithsonian  Institution.  U.  S.  Na- 
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the  years  1916-19  by  Daniel  Harrington  and  A.  J.  Langa.  Washington, 
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Govt.  Print.  Off.,  1925.  27  p.  illus.,  plates. 

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Montana.  Washington,  Govt.  Print.  Off.,  1912.  256  p.  (U.  S.  Geological 
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charts,  tables. 

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Press  Print.  Co.,  1935.  373  p.  front.,  illus.,  tables,  charts,  maps,  bibliog- 
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(For  novelists  and  poets  who  have  written  about  Montana,  see  essay  THE 
ARTS.) 


Index 


Absarokee,  196 

Absorption  plant,  85,  236 

Admission  to  Union,  50 

Agriculture,  60-67 

Airlines,  95 

Akhaina,  238 

Alberton,  214 

Alder,  359 

Alder  Gulch,  46,  359 

Alee,  298 

Algeria  Shrine  Temple,   166 

Allen,  Dr.  W.  A.,  105 

Allison,  William,  47,  138 

Alzada,  323 

Amalgamated  Company,  51 

Amblystoma  tigrinum,  22 

American  Federation  of  Labor,  71,  77 

American  Fur  Company,  42 

American  Labor  Union,  69,  70 

American  Legion  Health  Pool,  230 

American  Museum  of  Natural  History,  13 

Amethysts,  270 

Anaconda,  368 

Anceney,  Charles  L.,  275 

Angela,  321 

Angel  Point  Lookout,  295-96 

Antelopes,  267 

Apgar,  390 

Apgar,  Dimon,  390 

Archer,  225-26 

Architecture,   111-12 

Area  of  State,  9 

Arlee,  299 

Armington,  269 

Armstead,  292 

Arrastra,  79,  287 

Arsenic,  82-83 

Art  Center,  110,  140 

Art    Museum,    Montana    State    University, 

178 

Asbestos,  84 
Ashland,  323 
Ashley,  243 

Ashley,  William  H.,  41 
Atherton,  Gertrude,   105 
Atwater,  Mary,   108 
Audubon,  John  James,  224 
Augusta,  267 
Austin,  221 
Avon,  222 
Axolotl,  22 

Babb,  265 

Babson,  Naomi  Lane,  105 

Badlands,  314,  365 

Badnyak,  58 

Bainville,  223 

Baker,  364 

Baldwin,  Maj.,  382 


Bannack,  46,  96,  291 

Barber,  329 

Barnes-King,  256 

Barrette,  Louis,  215 

Barrows,  A.  R.,  254 

Barrows,  John  R.,  106,  254 

Barry,  D.  F.,   190 

Bascom,  327 

Baseball,  124 

Basin,  288 

Basketball,  124 

Battrick,  257 

Baylor,  319 

Beachley,  Silas,   150 

Bear  Looking  Up,  299 

Bearmouth,  208,  210 

Bearpaw,  Battle  of,  49 

Bears,  20 

Beartown,  210 

Beaverhead  Rock,  358 

Beebe,  322 

Bees,  21,  267-68 

Beetles,  21,  24 

Belgrade,  203 

Belknap,  336,  337 

Belt,  268-69 

Belton,  240 

Benetsee,  44 

Bentonite,  84 

Berries,  16,  64 

Big  Arm,  296 

Big  Face,  299 

Bigfork,  242 

Big  Hole  Battlefield  National  Monument, 

304 

Big  Hole,  Battle  of,  49 
Big  Horn,   192 
Bighorn  sheep,  260 
Big  Sandy,  351 
Big  Springs,  256 
Big  Timber,   196 
Billings,   127-34 
Bing  Kong  Tong,  138 
Biological  Experiment  Station,  242-43 
Birney,  Hoffman,  102 
Bissel,  G.  G.,  361 
Bitterroot,   16 

Bitterroot  Stock  Farm,  302 
Bitterroot  Valley,  300 
Black  Eagle,  353 
Blackfoot  Valley,  305 
Elaine,  358 

Blumenthal,  Albert,  105 
Bonner,  311 
Bonner  House,  180 
Boothill  Cemeteries:  Billings,  133;  Saltese, 

217;  Virginia  City,  363 
Boston  and  Montana  Mining  Co.,  269 
Boulder,  287 


430 


INDEX 


Boulder  Ridge,  394 

Bower,  B.  M.,   105,  351 

Box  Elder,  350 

Boyd,  342 

Boyes,  323 

Bozeman,  201 

Bozeman,  John  M.,  48,  198,  201 

Brady,  283 

Braley,  Berton,  105 

Branding,  275-76 

Bridger,  339 

Bridger,  Jim,  41,  42,  150,  201,  224,  339 

Brinig,  Myron,    103-04 

Broadus,  323 

Broadwater,  C.  A.,  150,  220 

Broadwater  Resort,  220-21 

Brockton,  226 

Brockway,  314 

Brooks,  Thomas,  206 

Browning,  237 

Browning  Junction,  239 

Browns,  289 

Buchanan,  John,  115 

Bucket  of  Blood,  200 

Buell,  Lt.  Col.  George  P.,  260-61 

Buffalo,  20,  32 

Bull  Head  Lodge,  390 

Bullock,  Seth,   128 

Bummer  Dan's  Bar,  363 

Bureau  of  Mines,  U.S.,  75 

Butte,  136-47 

Butte  Hill,  288 

Butte  Male  Chorus,   138 

Butte  Mine  Workers'  Union,  72 

Butte  Miners'  Union,   68-69,   70,   71,   72 

Butte  Mines  Band,   110 

Buttes:  Anvil,  186;  Beartooth,  345;  Belt, 
268;  Black,  278;  Cannonball,  364; 
Chalk,  366;  Coffin,  331;  Crown, 
267;  Gold,  281;  Gordon,  331; 
Home  Creek,  323;  Hungry  Joe, 
187;  Klan,  196;  Middle,  281; 
Piney,  320;  Priest,  267;  Scoffin, 
266;  Signal,  223;  Smoky,  316, 
321;  Snake,  247;  Square,  251, 
267,  284;  West,  280 

Butte  Trades  and  Labor  Council,  68 

Bynum,  266 

Bynum,  Donald  L.,  273 

Cabin  City,  216 

Cabinet  Gorge,  335 

Cabinet  National  Forest,  216,  335 

Cabinet  Primitive  Area,  246 

Cable,  372 

Cactus,   16 

Cadmium,  82 

Calamity  Jane,  194,  200  "* 

Calcite,  84 

Callaway,  Judge  Lew,  102 

Camas  Prairie,  299 

Cameahwait,  39,  292 

Camel  pack  trains,  216 

Camel's  Hump,  216 

Cameron,  355 

Camp  Baker,  272 

Campbell,  Gordon,  235 

Camping,  117,  118 

Camps  Pass,  323 


Canary,  Martha  J.,  194,  200 

Cannery   (Billings),  85,  86 

Cannon,  Walter,  408 

Cantonment  Jordan,  216 

Canyon  Creek,  306 

Canyons:  Bad  Rock,  242;  Beaverhead, 
292;  Big  Belt,  285;  Big  Horn, 
260;  Bridger,  203;  Daisy  Dean, 
331;  Hell  Gate,  172,  173,  212; 
Meriwether,  286;  Monarch,  269; 
Rock  Creek,  343;  Tenmile,  222 

Carsley,  George  H.,  112 

Cascade,  285 

Castner,  John,  269 

Cat  Creek  oil  field,  254,  257,  316 

Cathedral  Wall,  406 

Cattle,  60,  66 

Cattle  ranches,  275 

Cedar  Creek  anticline,  30 

Cement,  84 

Centerville,  144 

Central  Montana  R.R.,  92-93,  253,  255, 
330 

Chariot,  Chief,  298 

Cheese  factories,  86 

Cherry  Regatta,  296 

Chester,  234 

Chicago,  Burlington  &  Quincy  Railroad, 
93-94 

Chicago,  Milwaukee,  St.  Paul  &  Pacific 
R.R.,  92-93,  330 

Chico,  273 

Chief  Mountain  International  Highway, 
265 

Chinatown,   Butte,   141 

Chinee  Grade,  210 

Chinook,  232 

Chinook  wind,  258 

Choteau,  266-7 

Chouteau,  Pierre,  Jr.,  266 

Christadora,  Charles,    133 

Christmas  trees,  88 

Churches  (see  Religion) 

Cinnabar,  274 

Circle,  314 

Citadel,  241 

Civilian  Conservation  Corps,  23,  300 

Civil  Works  Administration,   165 

Clancey,  287 

Clark,  W.  A.,  47,  51-52,  74,  80,  116 

Clark,  W.  A.  House,  140,  208 

Clark,  William  38-40,  160,  251,  275 

Clarke,  John,  108,  240 

Clearwater,  308 

Climate,  10 

Clinton,  212 

Clydepark,  272 

Coal,  29,  84-85 

Coalwood,  322 

Coates,  Grace  Stone,  103-4,  331 

Coburn,  Wallace,  230 

Coburn,  Walt,  230 

Cochrane,  C.  N.,  103 

Cohagen,  321 

Collections:  Almquist  Firearms,  330;  Fos- 
sils, 326;  Gold  Nuggets,  209; 
Harding  Indian  Relics,  200;  S.  E. 
Johns,  243;  La  Brie  Arrowheads, 


INDEX 


Collections  (Continued) 

330-  Larimer's  Agates,  187;  Dell 
Lewis,  187;  Original  Russell 
Paintings,  153;  F.  A.  Robbms, 
244;  Smithers  Historical  Photo- 
graphs, 140 

Colstrip,   192 

Colter,  John,  40 

Columbia  Falls,  242 

Columbus,  196 

Columbus  Hospital,   153 

Coming  Day,  231  .      . 

Committee  for  Industrial  Organization,  77 

Compensation  Act,   100 

Comstock,  Henry  T.  P.,  201 

Concord  coaches,  90 

Cones,  E.  C,  103 

Confederate  Gulch,  47,  219,  220 

Conrad,  282 

Conservation,  26-30,  61-62 

Constitution,  State,  50 

Contact,    197 

Cooke,  346 

Cooperative  insurance  fund,    100 

Copper,  29,  80,  82 

Copper  Reduction  Works,  353 

Copperopolis,  332 

Coram,  241 

Corbin,  287 

Coriacan  Defile,  214,  299-300 

Coulson,   129 

Council  Grove,  214 

Cracking  plant,  85 

Craig,   285 

Craig,  Oscar  J.,   175 

Crazy  Horse,   48 

Creeks:  Avalanche,  407;  Bear,  240;  Big 
Dry,  320;  Camas,  391;  Cayuse, 
215;  Cedar,  215;  Cut  Bank,  237; 
Gold,  256;  Grasshopper,  291; 
Hungry  Horse,  241;  Libby,  244; 
Little  Dry,  315;  Lunch,  395;  Para- 
dise, 403;  Rattlesnake,  173;  Rock, 
303;  Silver  Bow,  136,  207. 

Creighton,  John  A.,   115 

Creston,   242 

Crops,   62 

Crow  Rock,  321 

Cruse,  Thomas,   168,  305 

Crystal  Cave,  256 

Culbertson,   224 

Culbertson,  Alexander,  42,  43,  44,  224 

Curry,  Harvey   (Kid),  249 

Curry,  Johnny,  249 

Curry,  Loney,  249 

Custer,  193 

Custer,  Gen.  George  A.,  48,  263 

Custer  Battle,  48 

Custer  Battlefield  National  Cemetery,  263 

Custer  National  Forest,  323 

Cutter's  Last  Stand,   109 

Cut  Bank,  236 

Cut  Bank  oil  and  gas  field,  236 

Daggett,  Chris,  217 
Dagmar,  224 
Dairying,  66 
Daisy  Notch,  331 


Daly,  Marcus,  51,  52,  80,  116,  138,  302, 

369,  370 
Dams:    Black   Eagle,    156;    Flathead,   296; 

Fort     Peck,     324,     326;     Hebgen, 

356;    Holter,    285;    Morony,    354; 

Volta,  353 
Darby,  303 
Darling,  Lucia,  96 
Davidson,  320 

David  Thompson  Monument,   335 
Dayton,  295 
Deadman's  Basin,  329 
Deborgia,  216 
DeCamp,  Ralph,   109 
Deer,   18 
Deer  Lodge,  208 
Deer  Lodge  National  Forest,  372 
Deer  Lodge  Valley,  204 
Dell,  292 
Delphia,  328 
Demersville,  243 

_Dempsey-Gibbons  fight,  124,  236 
Dend  Pond,  303 
Dermacentor  andersoni,  21 
Desmet,  214 

De  Smet,  Father  Pierre  Jean,  44,  96,  99, 
203,  216,  224,  297,  302,  357, 
378 

De  Smet  Tree,  260 
Devils  Basin,  257 
Devil's  Pocket,  329 
Devil's  Slide,  273-74 
Diamond  City,  219 
Dick  the  Diver,  91 
Dillard,  Shelby  E.,  116 
Dillon,  290 
Dillon,  Sidney,  290 
Dimsdale,  Thomas  J.,  96 
Dinosaurs,   326 
Divide,  289 
Dixon,  334 
Dodson,  230 
Dolomite,  84 
Donaldson,  Jessie,    105 
Dooley's  Landing,  243 
Drummond,  210 
Dryland  farming,  61,  367 
Dunlap,  Kate,   96 
Dunne,  Bill,   116 
Dupuyer,  266 
Durfee,  Comdr,  E.  H.,  325 
Dutch  Colony,  282 
Dutton,  283 

Eads,  William,  46 

Earthquakes,   56,   165 

East  Helena,  220 

Eaton,  Dr.  Ernest  T.,  98 

Eaton,  Lewis  T.,  98 

Eberschweiler,   Father   Frederick  H.,   248 

Eckert,  Stacy,  252 

Edgar,  338 

Edgar,  Henry,  103,  360 

Edgerton,  Sidney,  47,  291 

Education,  96-98;  adult,  98;  county  high 
schools  established,  97;  first  school 
district,  97;  Indian  boarding  school, 


INDEX 


Education  (Continued) 

96-97;  Montana  Education  Associa- 
tion, 98;  school  census,  98;  secon- 
dary institutions,  97;  State  Board  of 
Education  created,  97;  Superintend- 
ent of  Public  Instruction,  97;  Ter- 
ritorial Teachers'  Association,  98 
Colleges:  Carroll,  98,  166;  Intermoun- 
tain  Union,  98;  Montana  Collegiate 
Institute,  97;  Montana  Wesleyan, 
97-98;  Mount  St.  Charles,  98 
Miscellaneous  schools:  Billings  Polytech- 
nic Institute,  98,  134;  Great  Falls 
High  School,  153;  Sacred  Heart 
Academy,  180;  St.  Francis  Xavier 
Parochial  School,  180;  St.  Mary's 
Institute,  98;  Ursuline  Academy, 
153 

State  University,  174,  175,  178,  179; 
Eastern  Montana  State  Normal 
School,  132;  Montana  School  of 
Mines,  144;  Montana  State  College, 
202;  Montana  State  Normal  Col- 
lege, 290,  291;  Northern  Montana 
College,  253 

Edwards,  316 

Eggs,  66 

Ekalaka,   366 

Electrolytic  copper  refinery,  80 

Eliel,  Lambert,  290 

Elk,   18 

Elkhorn,  288 

Elk   Lodge,    214 

Elk  Park,  241,  288 

Ellis-Madison  contact,  282 

Elliston,  222 

Emigrant  Fish  Hatchery,  273 

Emigrant  Gulch,  273 

Ennis,  355 

Essex,  240 

Ettien,  Jim,  252 

Eunson,  Dale,  105 

Eureka,  245,  293 

Evans  House,  368 

Evaro,  299 

Fairfield,  267 

Fair-view,  312 

Fairweather,  Bill,  360,  363 

Fallen,  188 

Fallen,  Charles    (Rattlesnake  Jake),  255 

Farlin,  William,  47,  80,  138 

Farmer-Labor  Party,  225 

Farm  products,  62 

Farm  tenancy,  62 

Fauna,  18,  22 

Federal  Art  Project,   141 

Feldspar,  270 

Fergus,  James,  256 

Fetterman,  Col.  William  T.,  260 

Findon,  331 

Finlay,  Francois,  44 

Finlay,  Jacques,  333 

Finn,  222 

Fir,  Douglas,  23 

First  State  capitol,  291 

Fish  hatcheries,   18 

Fishing,    119,   120 

Fitzgerald,  Harriet  L.,  105 


Flathead  Gorge,  296 

Flathead  National  Forest,  241,  242,  310 

Flathead  Valley,  243,  298 

Flora,   14,   18 

Florence,  301 

Flour  gold,  269 

Flour  mills,   15,  61,  86 

Floweree,  D.  A.  G.,  256 

Flyinn,  259 

Football,   124 

Forage  grass,   17 

Forest  City,  215 

Forest  fires,  24 

Forest  ranger,  277 

Forests,  22-25 

Forsyth,  192 

Fort  Benton,  351 

Fortine,  294 

Fort  Keogh  Military  Reservation,   190 

Fort  Peck,  324,  325 

Forts:  Assiniboine,  350;  Benton,  43,  352; 
Buford,  224;  Custer,  48,  260,  261; 
Ellis,  202;  Fizzle,  301;  Floyd,  42, 
223,  224;  Harrison,  220;  Henry, 
41;  Keogh,  48,  191;  Lewis,  43, 
255;  Logan,  271,  272;  Lucky,  248; 
Maginnis,  256;  Manuel,  40;  Mc- 
Leod,  281;  Missoula,  49,  174,  300; 
Musselshell,  316;  Owen,  43,  302; 
Piegan,  351;  Ramon,  40;  Reed's, 
255;  Shaw,  267,  268;  C.  F.  Smith, 
48,  260;  Union,  42,  223,  224,  226, 

Fossil  areas,  282,  329-30 

Fossil  hunting,   122 

Fox,   342 

Foxtail,   17 

Frazer,  229 

Freighting,  89 

French-Canadians,  214 

Frenchtown,  59,  214 

Fresno,  234 

Froid,  224 

Fromberg,    338 

Frontier  and  Midland,  8,  102,  106,  175 

Fruits,  64 

Fuels,  mineral,  84-85 

Fur-bearing  animals,   18 

Fur  farms,  86-88 

Gage,  328 

Galata,   234-35 

Galbraith,   327 

Galen,  208 

Gall,  Chief,  226 

Gallatin  City,  203 

Gallatin  Gateway,  276 

Gallatin  Gateway  Inn,  276 

Gallatin-Madison  Divide,  278 

Gallatin  National  Forest,  200 

Gallatin  Valley,  251,  275 

Game  animals,  18 

Game  birds,    18 

Game  preserves,   25 

Garden  produce,  64 

Garden  Wall,  387,  405,  406,  407 

Gardiner,  274 

Gardiner,  Johnston,  274 

Garneill,  253,  254 


INDEX 


Garnet,  210 

Garnets,  84 

Garrison,  210,  222 

Garry o wen,  263 

Gas  fields,  29 

Gasoline,  85 

Gates  of  the  Mountains,  286 

Gauche,  Chief,  226 

Gems,  84 

Geology,  11-12 

George,  James,   273 

Georgetown,  372 

Gerry,  Agnes,  105,  337 

Geyser,  251 

Ghost  Cave,  259 

Giant  Springs,  156 

Gibbon,  Gen.  John,  49,  193,  268,  304 

Gibson,  Paris,  150 

Gilbert,  Cass,  112,  170 

Gilford,  234 

Giltedge,  256 

Giorda,  Father,  99 

Glacier  National  Park,  375-410 

campgrounds:  Avalanche  Creek  388, 
407;  Lower  Kintla  Lake,  391; 
Sprague  Creek,  388 

chalets:   Going-to-the-Sun,  386;  Granite 
Park,    397,    406;    St.    Mary,    384; 
Sperry,  398;  Two  Medicine,  392 
fauna,  384 
geology,  382 
glaciers,  387 
headquarters,  390 
history,  382 

hotels:    Glacier   Park,    240;    Lake    Mc- 
Donald,  388;   Many  Glacier,   394 
mountains,  378 
Glacier  Park  Station,  240 
Glaciers:    Blackfeet,   400;   Clements,   409; 
Grasshopper,    348;    Grinnell,    396, 
405,  406;  Iceberg,  406;  McDonald, 
297;   Sperry,   399,   408;   Swiftcur- 
rent,  397 
Glasgow,  229 
Glasscock,  C.  B.,  105 
Glen,  242,  290 
Glendive,  186-87 
Going-to-the-Sun  Highway,   241 
Gold  Creek,  210 
Gold,  79 
Gold  dredge,  286 
Golf,  124 

Gordon,  Taylor,  105,  111,  271 
Gore,  Sir  St.  George,  43,  186 
Grain,  63 

Granger,  Walter,  330 
Granite,  374 
Granite   (rock),  84 
Granite  Butte  Lookout,  306-7 
Grant,  John  F.,  50,  209 
Graphite,  84 
Grass  Range,  251,  257 
Grass  Valley,  214 
Graves,  Whiskey  Bill,  213 
Grayling,  19 

Grayling  Post  Office,  356 
Grazing,  25 
Great  Falls,  148,  157 
Great  Northern  Ry.,  92 


Great  Plains,  283 
Greenfield  Bench,  267 
Greenhorn  Gulch,  221 
Greenough,  311 
Greenough,  T.  L.,  311 
Greycliff,  196 
Grinnell,  George  B.,  401 
Growing  season,  10 
Gumbo,  27 
Gypsum,  84 

Hall,  374 

Hamilton,  302 

Hammond,  323 

Handicrafts,   106,   108 

Hanging  Gardens,   387,  403,  409 

Hangman's  Tree,  358 

Hanover  Gypsum  and  Cement  Plant,  256 

Happy  Inn,  244 

Hardin,  259-60 

Harding  Way,  206 

Harlem,  231-32 

Harlow,  Richard,  93,  330 

Harlowton,   329-30 

Harrison,  355 

Hart,  William  S.,  133 

Hassell,  219 

Hathaway,   191 

Havre,  233 

Haxby,  319 

Hay,  63 

Hayfield  fight,  260 

Hays,  247 

Heath,  256 

Hedges,  Judge  Cornelius,  97 

Heinze,  F.  Augustus,   51,  69,  70 

Helena,   158-71 

Helena  Valley,  286 

Hell  Gate  Ronde,  174,  213 

Helmville,  222,  308 

Henry,  Andrew,  41,  42 

Higgins,  C.  P.,  174,  213 

Highland  City,  207 

High-line,  the,  223 

Hiking,   122 

Hill,  James  J.,  92,  150,  382 

Hill,  Walter,   273 

Hingham,  234 

Hinsdale,   229 

History,  38-56 

Hobson,  252 

Hoecken,  Father  Adrian,  44,  267,  297 

Hogan,  D.  J.,  267 

Hogmanay,   152 

Homesteaders,  60 

Hoplitosaurus,  13 

Horse  abattoir,  188-89 

Horses,  66 

Horsethief  Cache,  194 

Hosmer,  John  Allen,  102-3 

Hot  Springs,  334 

Hot  Springs:  Alhambra,  287;  Anderson, 
197;  Barkell,  357;  Boulder,  287, 
288;  Bozeman,  276;  Chico,  273; 
Corwin,  273;  Elkhorn,  291;  Greg, 
son,  207;  Hunter's,  198;  Lolo,  214, 
301;  Medicine,  304;  Mont  Aqua, 
342;  Nimrod,  212;  Pipestone,  206; 
Potosi,  355;  Quinn's,  334;  Sleep- 


INDEX 


Hot  Springs  (Continued) 

ing  Child,  303;  Sun  River  Medi- 
cine, 267;  Thompson,  355;  Zieg- 
ler's,  290 

Howard,  Gen.,  303 

Howe,  Charles,  408 

Hoyt,  Ovando,  308 

Hudson  Bay  Divide,  265,  281 

Hudson's  Bay  Company,  40,  243 

Huffman,  L.  A.,  109,  190 

Hughesville,  269 

Humphrey,  G.  O.,  47,  138 

Hunting,   120 

Huntley,  193 

Huntley  Project,  53,  65 

Hutchins,  356 

Hysham,  192 

Ijkalaka,  366 

Immigrants,  57 

Indians,  31-37 

ceremonies  and  dances:  blue- jay,  299; 
burial,  262-63;  camas  feast,  299; 
marriage,  263;  medicine  lodge,  34, 
238;  sun,  34,  228,  231,  war,  299 
miscellaneous:  artifacts,  32;  buffalo,  31- 
33;  "coup",  34;  dress,  32;  food, 
33,  handicrafts,  106;  Medicine 
Tree,  303;  pipes,  32;  piskuns,  31, 
203;  Reorganization  Act,  237,  299; 
societies,  33,  238,  262;  tepee  rings, 
31,  266;  tepees,  31;  treaties,  47, 

reservations:  Blackfeet,  237-39;  Crow, 
261-63;  Flathead,  297;  Fort  Bel- 
knap,  231-32,  247;  Fort  Peck,  226- 
228;  Jocko,  214,  297,  298;  Rocky 
Boy,  231,  350-51;  Tongue  River, 
191-92 

tribes:  Arapaho,  34,  35;  Assiniboine,  35, 
226,  231,  315;  Bannack,  37; 
Blackfeet,  35,  265,  315;  Bloods, 
35,  238,  248;  Cheyenne,  35,  191- 
192,  259,  263;  Chippewa,  37,  231, 
350;  Colville,  37;  Cree,  37,  231, 
350;  Crow,  35,  259,  260,  262-64, 
315;  Flathead,  35,  214,  244,  296, 
297-99,  303;  Gros  Ventre,  35,  231, 
248,  315;  Hidatsa,  35;  Hunkpapa, 
325;  Kalispel,  35,  297-98;  Koo- 
tenai,  37,  244,  297;  Minnataree, 
35;  Nez  Perce,  37,  49,  275; 
Ootlashoots,  297;  Pend  d'Oreille, 
37,  298;  Piegan,  35,  238;  Pikuni, 
35,  238;  Rocky  Boy,  37;  Salish, 
35-36,  214,  296-99,  303;  Sheepeat- 
ers,  297;  Shoshone,  35;  Sioux,  35, 
226,  259,  260,  263,  275;  Spokan, 

Industrial  Workers  of  the  World,  70,  72- 

73,  74-75 
Industry,   79-88 
Ingomar,  327 
Inscription  Cave,  259 
Insects,  21,   24 
Intake,   314 

International  Sheep  Shearers  Union,  77 
International    Union    of    Mine,    Mill    and 
Smelter  Workers,  74,  76,  78 


Inverness,  234 
Irrigation,  28,  53,  64-65 
Ives,  George,  46,  359,  362 

James,  Will,  103-4,  109-10,  259 
"Jawbone  Line",  92-93,  255,  330 

efferson  City,  287 

ennings,  244 

ew  Jake,  249 

ohnson,  "Liver-eating",  252 

oliet,  342 

ordan,  320 

ordan,  Arthur,  320 

oseph,  Chief,  49,  232,  279-80,  301,  303, 

338,  346 
Judith  Basin,  251 
Judith  Gap,  254 
Julebokker,  58 
Julotta,  58 
Junction,  193 

Kalispell,  243,  295 

Kearn,  John,  207 

Keewatin  ice  sheet,  281 

Kelly,  Luther  S.,  106 

Kempton,  Berny,   188 

Kendall,  256 

Kevin,  282 

Kevin-Sunburst  oil  field,  235-36,  281 

Keystone  Gold  Mining  Co.,  245 

Kinnikinnick,   16 

Kipp,  James,  282 

Klein,  258 

Kohrs,  Conrad,   50,  256 

Koo-koo-sint  Ridge,  336 

Kootenai  Ceremonial  Sweat  Baths,  246 

Kootenai  Gorge,  246 

Kootenai  National  Forest,  244 

Koriaka,   300 

Kremlin,  234 

Kuppens,  Father  99 


Labor,  68-78 

Lady  Silver,  252 

Lady  Snowdrift,  251-52 

Laird,  "Cap"  Eli,  309 

Lakes:  Alva,  309;  Avalanche,  408;  Baker, 
364;  Beartooth,  345;  Elaine,  242; 
Bowdoin,  230;  Bowman,  391; 
Browns,  289,  308;  Bull,  246; 
Clearwater,  299;  Cliff,  356;  Cobalt, 
403;  Crossley,  406;  Crystal,  244; 
Deer  Creek,  277;  Dickey,  294; 
Echo,  242,  373;  Elbow,  309;  Eliza- 
beth, 405,  406;  Ellen  Wilson,  400; 
Ennis,  355;  Fish,  294;  Flathead, 
242,  295;  Francis,  282;  Frozen, 
344;  Georgetown,  372;  Glen,  294; 
Golden  Trout,  277;  Gravelly  Range, 
306;  Greenfield,  267;  Grinnell, 
405;  Gunsight,  400;  Hebgen,  356; 
Hidden,  277,  387,  409;  Holland, 
309,  310;  Holter,  285;  Howe, 
391;  Iceberg,  406;  Inez,  309;  Is- 
land, 244;  John's,  398;  Josephine, 
405;  Lindberg,  309;  Little  Bitter- 
root,  244;  Loon,  244;  Lost,  386; 
Lower  Snyder,  408;  Lower  Two 
Medicine,  240,  392;  Mary  Ronan, 


INDEX 


Lakes  (Continued) 

296;  McDonald,  297,  388;  Mc- 
Gregor, 244;  Medicine,  224;  Mur- 
phy, 294;  Nansen,  399;  Peary, 
399;  Placid,  308;  Ptarmigan,  405; 
Rainy,  309;  Red  Rock,  292;  Rock 
Creek,  212;  St.  Mary's,  297;  Sal- 
mon, 308;  Savage,  246;  Seeley, 
309;  Silver,  372;  Smith,  308;  Still- 
water,  294;  Sure  Shot,  355;  Swan, 
310;  Swiftcurrent,  394;  Thompson, 
244;  Trout,  241;  Twin,  344;  Two 
Medicine,  240;  Upper  St.  Mary, 
384,  386;  Upper  Snyder,  408; 
Upper  Two  Medicine,  403;  White- 
fish,  295;  Winona,  391. 

Lakeside,  295 

Lakeview,  244,  292 

Lame  Deer,   191,  323 

Landusky,  248 

Landusky,  Powell   ("Pike"),  248-49 

Langford,  Nathaniel  P.,   103 

Lanthier,  B.,  215 

Larch,  western,  23 

Laredo,  350 

Larocque,  Francois,  39,  323 

Last  Chance  Gulch,  46,  160 

Last  of  the  Five  Thousand,  331 

Laurel,  194,  196 

Laurin,    358 

Lavina,  328 

"Law  of  the  apex",  51 

Laws,  State,  54 

Lead,  82 

Lefse,    58 

Leggat   Hotel,    141 

Lewis,  Capt.  Meriwether,  38-40,  149,  173, 
229,  282,  292 

Lewis  and  Clark  Cavern,  204 

Lewis  and  Clark  County  Court  House,  166 

Lewis  and  Clark  expedition,  38-40,  286, 
289 

Lewistown,   254-55 

Libby,  244 

Libraries,  public:  Butte,  141;  Great  Falls, 
152;  Helena,  165;  Libby,  244; 
Missoula,  180;  Parmly  Billings 
Memorial,  132 

Montana  State  University,   178 
State  Historical,   170 

Lignite,  29 

Lima,  292 

Lime,    84 

Lincoln,  307 

Linderman,  Frank  Bird,  103-4,  296 

Lindsay,   314 

Lisa,  Manuel,  40 

Lismas  Ferry,   319 

Literature,   102-6 

Little,  Frank,  74 

Little  Prickly  Pear  Valley,  306 

Livestock,    66 

Livingston,  199,  272 

Lodge  Grass,  263-64 

Logan,  203 

Log  houses,  114 

Lolo,  301 

Lolo  National  Forest,   301 

Loma,  351 


Lone  Wolf,  110 
Lothair,  234 
Louisville,  215 
Lowie,  Robert  H.,   105 
Lowry,  268 
Loy,  Myrna,  218 
Lumber  milling,  86 
Lump  City,   287 
Lupine,   1 8 
Lutfisk,   58 

MacDonald,  Alexander,  222 

MacLane,  Mary,  103 

Madison  limestone,  281 

Maginnis,  Maj.  Martin,  256 

Magpies,  20 

Maguire,  John,  141,  260 

Maguire  Opera  House,  141 

Maiden,   256 

Mallette,  Joe,  250 

Malta,  230 

Manganese,  83 

Manhattan,  203 

Manner,  M.  M.,  115 

Marble,  288 

Marcus  Daly  estate,  302 

Marcus  Daly  statue,   140 

Margaret  Hotel,   311 

Marine  Fossils,  270 

Marion,  244 

Marquis,  Dr.  Thomas  B.,  105 

Martinsdale,  331 

Masquers,  Montana,  111,  175 

Marysville,  305 

Matte,  80 

Maury,  Lowndes,  Jr.,   Ill 

Mavericks,   275 

Maxville,  374 

Mayville,  215 

McAdow,  Perry,  256 

McAllister,   355 

McDonald,  Angus,  243,  334 

McGee  Meadows,  391 

McGinnis,  David  R.,  234-35 

McGivern,  Ed.,   255 

McKenzie,  Kenneth,  42,  224 

McNamara's   Landing,    311 

McNickle,  D'Arcy,  105 

Meaderville,   144,   145,  288 

Meagher,  Gen.  Thomas  Francis,  170,  270- 

Medicine  Lake,   224 

Medicine  Rocks,  365 

Melrose,  289 

Melstone,   327 

Melville,  330 

Mencken,  H.  L.,  103 

Menetrey,  Father,  297 

Mengarini,  Father,  99 

Merriam,  H.  G.,   106,   175 

Mesopust,    58 

Metals,  29 

Methane  gas,  85 

Midland  Empire  Fair  Grounds,   133 

Miles,  Gen.  Nelson  A.,  49,  189,  232,  324 

Miles  City,  189-90 

Milk  River  Valley,  230 

Miller,  Max,   105 

Mill  Iron,  366 


INDEX 


Milltown,  212 

Mine  protective  devices,  75 

Miners,  Chinese,  215 

Miners,  Cornish,  138 

Miners'  courts,  47 

Mines:  Alabama,  249;  Aha,  287;  Asbestos, 
277;  Atlantic  Cable,  372;  Bachelor, 
306;  Bald  Butte,  306;  Bell  Boy, 
305,  306;  Bertha,  287;  Block  P, 
269;  Buckeye,  287;  Cornet,  288; 
Drumlummon,  305;  Empire,  305; 
Florence,  270;  Gloster,  305;  Gold 
Coin,  372;  Golden  Messenger,  79; 
Gpuld,  306;  Granite  Bimetallic, 
374;  Granite  Mountain,  51;  Gray 
Eagle,  288;  Gregory,  287;  Hope, 
374;  Iron  Mountain,  215;  Jay 
Gould,  306;  Jib,  288;  Leonard,  51, 
146;  Little  Ben,  79;  Liverpool, 
287;  Michael  Davitt,  51;  Montana 
Lead,  222;  Mount  Washington, 
287;  Ninah,  287;  North  Gould, 
306;  Penobscot,  305;  Piegan,  305; 
Porphyry  Dike,  222;  Red  Rock, 
301;  Republic,  258;  Rochester  M 
and  I,  270;  Ruby  Gulch,  249,  250; 
Shannon,  305,  306;  Silver  Dyke, 
270;  Snowstorm,  246;  Speculator, 
73;  Steward,  137;  Travonia,  47; 
West  Belmont,  305;  Yogo  Sap- 
phire, 252. 

Mining,  placer,  79 

Missoula,   172-82 

Missoula  Valley,  300 

Missouri  Fur  Company,  203 

Moiese,  333 

Monarch,  269 

Monida,  292 

Monroe,  Hugh,  378 

Montana  Bar,  219 

Montana  Cattle  Co.,  329 

Montana  Central  Ry.,  92 

Montana  City,  286-87 

Montana  Club,   165 

Montana,  Marie,   111 

Montana  Relief  Commission,  243 

Montana  School  for  the  Feeble-Minded, 
287 

Montana  State  Planning  Board,   100 

Montana  Stock  Growers'  Association,  50, 
255 

Montana  Territory,  47 

Montana  Western  Ry.,  282 

Moore,  252 

Morrison   Cave,   204 

Mosby,  316 

Moss  agates,  84 

Motor  boat  racing,  123 

Motor  freight,  95 

Mountain   climbing,    120-21 

Mountain  goats,  20 

Mountain  Passes:  Bozeman,  200;  Flesher, 
306;  Gibbon's,  304;  Glidden,  337; 
Gunsight,  400;  Logan,  387;  Lolo, 
301;  Lookout,  217;  MacDonald, 
222;  Marias,  240,  378,  382;  Piegan, 
396;  Pipestone,  93,  204;  Raynolds, 
356;  Skalkaho,  303;  Stemple,  305. 


306;  Swiftcurrent,  397;  Targee, 
279;  Two  Medicine,  403. 

Mountain  Peaks:  Allen,  394;  Altyn,  394, 
405;  Appekunny,  394;  Appistoki, 
402;  Ascension,  171,  286;  Berray, 
246;  Beehive,  277;  Big  Butte,  136, 
206;  Bison,  222,  401;  Blackmore, 
201;  Blue  Hill,  313;  Brown,  397, 
408,  409;  Burnt  Hill,  368;  Cannon, 
387,  408;  Chief,  237,  265,  393; 
Cinnabar,  273;  Como,  301;  Cowan, 
200;  Crow  Test,  200;  Despair,  404; 
Divide,  386;  Edwards,  395,  398, 
408,  409;  Elkhorn,  288;  Ellsworth, 
402;  Emigrant,  200,  273;  E-Tam- 
A-Na,  299;  Evans,  207;  Flattop, 
397;  Fusillade,  395,  401;  Gable, 
406;  Goat,  386,  408;  Going-to- 
the-Sun,  386,  395;  Gould,  394, 
405,  407;.Granite,  344,  348;  Great 
Northern,  241;  Grinnell,  394,  405; 
Grizzly,  245,  402;  Gunsight,  397, 
409;  Harding,  297;  Haystack  Butte, 
387,  406,  407;  Heavens,  387,  407; 
Helen,  402;  Helena,  171,  220; 
Henkel,  394,  405;  Huckleberry, 
390;  Index,  344;  Jackson,  395, 
400,  409;  Jumbo,  182,  213,  300; 
Keeler,  246;  King's  Hill,  270; 
Kintla,  391;  Kootenai,  386;  Little 
Chief,  386;  Lincoln,  398;  Lolo, 
300;  Looking  Glass  Hill,  240; 
Lone,  278;  Little  Matterhorn,  408; 
McDonald,  297,  334;  Merritt,  405, 
406;  Neihart  Baldy,  270;  Oberlin, 
407;  Old  Baldy,  200;  Peabody, 
291;  Parke,  391;  Piegan,  387,  395; 
Pilot,  344;  Point,  394;  Pollock, 
407;  Poorman,  293;  Powell,  209; 
Pumpelly  Pillar,  402;  Rainbow, 
391;  Red,  222;  Red  Eagle,  386; 
Reynolds,  395;  Rising  Wolf,  240, 
392,  393;  Rockwell,  393,  402; 
St.  Nicholas,  403;  St.  Patrick's  Nob, 
334;  Sentinel,  213,  300;  Seward, 
406;  Sheepshead,  296;  Sheperds, 
409;  Sherbourne,  393;  Silver  Run, 
342;  Singleshot,  386;  Sinopah,  393, 
402;  Siyeh,  394;  Square,  391; 
Squaw,  172,  214;  Sphinx,  355; 
Swiftcurrent,  394,  397;  Trapper's, 
303;  Triple  Divide,  393;  White- 
fish,  294,  386;  Wilbur,  394,  405, 
406;  Wilson,  277. 

Mountain  Ranges:  Absaroka,  196,  272,  273; 
Anaconda,  207,  372;  Bearpaws,  251; 
Big  Belt,  218,  305;  Big  Horn,  259, 
340;  Big  Snowy,  252;  Bitterroot, 
172,  300;  Bull,  251,  328,  358; 
Cabinet,  240,  242,  334,  335;  Cas- 
tle, 332;  Coeur  d'Alene,  335; 
Crazy,  331;  Elkhorn,  220;  Gravelly, 
354;  Highwood,  251,  352;  Judith, 
251,  317;  Little  Belt,  251;  Little 
Rocky,  247,  251;  Livingston,  397, 
407;  Madison,  354;  Mission,  295, 
296,  334;  Moccasin,  252;  Purcell, 
245;  Ruby,  358;  Sapphire,  172, 
210,  300;  Swan,  242,  243,  295; 


INDEX 


Mountain  Ranges  (Continued) 

Tobacco   Root,    354,    357;    White- 
fish,  243;  Wolf,  264;  Yakt,  245. 

Mount  Brown  Lookout  Station,  409 

Mueller,  Frederick,   146 

Mullan,  John,  43,  216 

Mullan  Wagon  Road,  174,  208,  209-10, 
216,  267 

Murphy,  John  T.,  256,  329 

Music,  110-11 

Musselshell,  327 

Musselshell   Crossing,   327-28 

Musselshell  Valley,  327 

Nash,  Prof.  Willis  G.,  201 

Nashua,  229 

National  Bison  Range,  20,  299,  333 

National  Forests,  22 

Natural  Bridge,  248 

Natural  gas,  85 

Negroes,   57-58 

Neihart,  270 

Neihardt,  J.  L.,  270 

Neihardt,  John  G.,  270 

Neill,  Garnet,  253 

Nevada,  359 

New  Ice  Cave,  254 

Newspapers:  Butte  Daily  Bulletin,  116; 
Cedar  Creek  Pioneer,  115;  Daily 
Missoulian,  115;  Helena  Herald, 
115;  Independent,  115;  Jordan 
Tribune,  320;  Lewistown  Radiator, 
115;  Livingston  Enterprise,  116; 
Montana  Democrat,  115;  Montana 
Free  Press,  116;  Montana  Post,  115; 
New  Northwest,  115;  News  Letter, 
115;  Producer's  News,  225;  Rocky 
Mountain  Gazette,  115;  Shelby 
Promoter,  235;  Vociferator,  116 

New  Year,  256 

Nonmetals,  84 

Norris,   355 

Northern  Pacific  Demonstration  Farm,  305 

Northern  Pacific  Ry.,  90-91,  174 

Northern  Rocky  Mountain  Forest  and 
Range  Experiment  Station,  25 

North  Garneill,  253 

North  Montana  Fair  Grounds,  156 

North- West  Company,  40,  243 

Nowlan,  Capt.  H.  L.,  263 

Noxon,  337 

Nyack,  240 

O'Fallon,  Benjamin,   188 

Ohio  Dan,  91 

Oil,  85 

Oil  fields,   30 

Oil  refineries,  85 

Oil   Refinery    (Great   Falls),    156 

Oimoen,  Casper,  123 

Old  Bedford  Mill,  219 

Old  Ice  Cave,  254 

Old  Snowdrift,  251-52 

Opheim,  318 

Orchestras,   110 

Ordean  Hotel,  215 

Ore,  29 

Oregon  Short  Line,  90,  292 

Orman,    Bob,   248 


Orr,  W.  C,  256 

Oswego,   228 

Ovando,  308 

Owen,  Edward   (Longhair),  255 

Owen,  Maj.   John,    302 

Pablo,    296 

Pablo,  Michael,  296 

Packer's  Meadow,  216 

Painted  Rocks,  295 

Painting,  108-10 

Paleontology,   12-13 

Palladino,  Father,  99 

Paradise,  334 

Pardee,  215 

Paris,  314 

Park,  Capt.  Dangerfield,  256 

Park  City,  196 

Parker,  218 

Parks:  Beall,  202;  Columbia  Gardens,  147; 
Gibson,  156;  Great  Falls  Munic- 
ipal, 156;  Greenough,  181;  Hill, 
166;  Knights  of  Columbus,  243; 
Leon,  188;  Lewis  and  Clark,  354; 
Miles,  200;  Montana  Power,  182; 
Riverside,  191,  338;  Sacajawea, 
200;  Thompson,  206;  Washoe,  371 

Paxson,  E.  S.,  109,  169 

Peck,  Col.  Campbell  K.,  325 

Pedretti,  Charles  A.,  170 

Pelicans,  20 

Pendroy,  266 

Perma,  334 

Philipsburg,  373-74 

Phosphate,   84 

Phosphate  Mill,  210 

Picture  writing,  279 

Pine  butterfly,  21 

Pine,  22,  23 

Pioneer,  210 

Placer  gold,  269,  281 

Placer  Hotel,  171 

Plains,  335 

Plaster,   84 

Plenty  Coups,  Cmef,  259,  261 

Plentywood,   224-25 

Plevna,   366 

Plummer,  Henry,  46,  213,  256,  291,  358, 
360 

Poindexter,  P.  H.,  256 

Point,  Father,  99 

Polaznik,  58 

Poison,  296 

Pompey's  Pillar,   193 

Pony,  355 

Poplar,  226 

Population,    53 

Porter's  Corners,  373 

Potatoes,  64 

Potomac,  311 

Poultry,  66 

Power,  283 

Power  plants,  86 

Prando,  Father,  260 

Precipitating  plant,   146 

Precipitation,    10 

Predatory  animals,  18,  20 

Preston  Meadows,  395 

Prickly  Pear  Divide,  287 


INDEX 


Prickly  Pear  Valley,  158,  286 
Primitive  areas,   118-19 
Projects,  Federal,  56 
Prospecting,    122-23 
Pryor,  259 
Ptarmigan  Wall,  405 
Ptilodus  montanus,  330 
Pumpelly,  Prof.  Ralph,  402 

Quee,   18 

Quivey,  Addison,  129 

Racial  elements,  57 

Racine  de  tabac,  18,  357 

Radersburg,   218 

Radio  Stations:  KFBB  (Great  Falls),  148; 
KGCX  (Wolf  Point),  228;  KGEZ 
(Kalispell),  244;  KGHL  (Bill- 
ings), 127;  KGIR  (Butte),  136; 
KGVO  (Missoula),  172;  KPFA 
(Helena),  158 

Rainbow  Slide,  406 

Ralston,  Mary,   305 

Ranches:  Anceney,  275;  Bair,  331;  Circle 
Home,  31.4;  D  R,  193;  Dunlap, 
256;  Flying  D,  275;  George  Sin- 
ton,  203;  Gordon's,  309;  Green- 
ough,  343;  Kremer  Stock,  330,  331; 
Neill,  254;  O'Brien,  313;  One 
Hundred  and  One,  365;  Pierre 
Wibaux,  186;  Ralston,  289;  Rocky 
Mountain  Trail,  393;  Seventy-nine, 
329;  Thomas  Campbell's,  261; 
Wallis  Huidekoper,  331;  Will 
James,  259 

Range  Rider  of  the  Yellowstone,  133 

Rankin  House,  180 

Rankin,  Jeanette,   54,  74,   181 

Rattlesnake  Pit,  282 

Rattlesnakes,  22 

Ravalli,  299 

Ravalli,  Father  Anthony,  44,  99,  108,  299 

Raymer,  Robert  G.,  103 

Recreation,  117-24 

Red  Cloud,  Chief,  260 

Red  Eagle,  240 

Red  Lodge,  342 

Red  Lodge-Cooke  Highway,  341,   343-46 

Red  Lodge  Municipal  Tourist  Park,   342 

Red  Rock,  292 

Reduction  plant,  80 

Reed,  Maj.  A.  S.,  255 

Reedpoint,    196 

Regattas,    124 

Reichle,   290 

Reiss,  Weinold,  110 

Religion,   99-100 

churches:  Presbyterian  (Great  Falls), 
153;  St.  Anne's  Cathedral,  153;  St. 
Francis  Xavier,  180;  St.  Helena 
Roman  Catholic  Cathedral,  114, 
167;  St.  James  Pro-Cathedral,  165; 
Servian  Orthodox,  110 
denominations,  100;  membership,  100 
missionaries:  Jesuits,  99;  Mass  (first), 
260;  Protestants,  99;  Sisters  of 
Providence,  97;  Ursuline  Sisters, 
248,  260 

missions:     St.    Ignatius,    44,    297;     St. 
Mary's,    44,    96,    302;    St.    Paul's, 


248;    St.    Peter's,    267,    285;    St. 
Peter's-by-the-Rock,   44 

Reno,  Maj.  Marcus  A.,  48 

Reservoirs:  Chessman,  222;  Delphine,  332; 
Lima,  292;  Pablo,  296 

Resources,  natural,  26-30 

Rexford,  245 

Riding,    121-22 

Riebeling,   268 

Riel,  Louis,  285,  350 

Rimini,  222 

Ringling,  93,  272 

Rising  Wolf,  378 

Rivers:  Belly,  265;  Big  Hole,  289;  Big 
Horn,  193;  Clark  Fork  of  the 
Columbia,  10,  172,  209,  212,  333, 
336,  337;  Dearborn,  267;  Fisher, 
244;  Jefferson,  354,  357;  Jocko, 
333;  Kootenai,  245;  Little  Black- 
foot,  209,  222;  Madison,  354; 
Marias,  282,  351;  Middle  Fork  of 
the  Flathead,  240,  242;  Milk,  229; 
Missoula,  172;  Missouri,  9,  218; 
Musselshell,  258,  315,  327;  North 
Fork  of  the  Flathead,  242;  Powder, 
188,  367;  Ruby,  357;  St.  Regis, 
216;  South  Fork  of  the  Flathead, 
242,  405;  Swan,  296;  Teton,  283; 
Tongue,  190;  Wisdom,  289;  Yel- 
lowstone, 9 

Road  agents,  213 

Robbers'   Roost,  358 

Roberts,  342 

Rocker,  207 

Rock  Haven,  277 

Rock  Paintings,  292 

Rock   Springs,   321 

Rocky  Boy,  350 

Rocky  Mountain  Fur  Company,  41,  42 

Rocky  Mountain  spotted  fever,  21 

Rockvale,   338 

Rodeos,   123 

Ronan,  296 

Ronan,  Maj.  Peter,  297 

Roosevelt  Arch,  271 

Roosevelt  Drive,  207 

Roosevelt  International  Highway,   223 

Roosevelt,  Theodore,   186,  240,  255,  274 

Rose,  Edward,  41 

Rosebud,    191 

P.oss,  Alexander,  41 

Roundup,   257 

Roundups,  275-76 

Rubies,  84 

Ruby,  359 

Rudyard,  234 

Russell,  Charles  M.,  108-9,  169,  171,  230 
232,  251,  252,  285,  390 

Russell  Memorial  Museum,  108,  152 

Ryan,  John  D.,   150 

Ryegate,   328 

Sacajawea,  38,  39,  203,  358 
Saco,  230 
Sacrifice  Cliff,   134 
Saddle   making,    108 
Saddleries,   190 
Sagebrush,   16 
St.   Ignatius,   297 


INDEX 


St.  Jean  Baptiste  Society,  59 

St.  John's  Day,  59 

St.  Mary,  265,  384 

St.  Paul  Pass  Tunnel,  217 

St.   Regis,   215 

St.  Regis  Cut-off,  334 

St.  Vincent  Hospital-School,  132 

St.  Xavier,  260 

Sales,  Zach,   276 

Salesville,    276 

Salish  House,  335-36 

Saltese,   216 

Sanders,    192 

Sanders,  Helen  F.,   103 

Sanders,  Wilbur  F.,  115 

Sand  Springs,  316 

Sandstone,   84 

Sapphires,  84 

Savage,  314 

Savenac  Forest  Nursery,  25,  216 

Sawmill,  Bonner,  212,  311 

Sawmills,  86 

Scenic  Point,  401 

Schnitzler,  John  W.,  224 

Schultz,  Hart  Merriam,  110 

Schultz,  James  Willard,  104-5,  394 

Scobey,  226 

Seed  peas,  64 

Seed  pea  warehouses,  202 

See  'Em  Alive  Zoo,  342 

Seeley,  J.  B.,  309 

Seventynine,  329 

Seymour,  "French  Joe",  313-14 

Shaw,  Col.  Robert  G.,  268 

Shawmut,  329 

Shears,  George,  213 

Sheep,  66 

Sheep  shearing,   197-98 

Shelby,  124,  235,  282 

Shelby,  Peter  P.,  235 

Sheldon,  Alzada,  324 

Sheridan,  358 

Shope,  Irvin,   110 

Sidney,   312 

Silberling,  Albert,  330 

Silesia,  338 

Silver  City,  216,   305 

Silver  fox  farm,  247 

Silver  Gate,  348 

Silver  mining,  80 

Silver  Star,   357 

Simms,  268 

Simpson,   349 

Sinclair,  Bertha  Muzzey,   105 

Sitting  Bull,  190,  226 

Skinner,   Cyrus,   213 

Slag-fuming,  82 

Slarko  Veljacic,  58 

Slickears,   275 

Smelters,  East  Helena,   82,  220;  Washoe, 

53,  80,  371 
Snowflake   Springs,    278 
Snowshoe  Cliff,   278 
Snyder   Basin,   408 
Snyder,  George,   382 
Social  legislation,  53-54,  100 
Social  welfare,   100-1 
Sockeye  salmon,  20 
Sodbuster  tradition,  230 


Sod   houses,    112 
Soils,  26-27,  62 
Somers,  295 
Somers  hatchery,  19 
Southern  Cross,  372 
South  Garneill,  253 
Spawning  stations,    19 
Sperry,  Dr.  Lyman  B.,  382 
Spetlemen,  301 

Spotted  Bear  Game  Preserve,  241 
Springdale,  198 
Stagecoach,  90 
Stampedes,  276 
Stanford,  251 
State  board  of  health,  101 
State  Capitol,   168 
State  Game  Farm,  208 
State  Hospital  for  Insane,  208 
State  Orphans  Home,  358 
State  Penitentiary,  208 
State  School  for  the  Deaf  and  Blind,   153 
State  Tuberculosis  Sanitarium,  208 
Station  Creek  Fish  Hatchery,  243 
Steamboats,  89 
Stegosaurus,  13 
Stemple,  306 
Stevens,  Den,  252 

Stevens,  Isaac  I.,  43,  150,  214,  226 
Stevens,  John  F.,  92,  240,  382 
Stevenson,  Branson,  110 
Stevensville,  302 
Stipex,   314 
Stone,  Lou,  323 
Stone,  Melville  E.,  327 
Stonesville,   323-24 
Story,  Nelson,  50 
Stout,  Tom,    103 
Stripper  wells,  281 
Stryker  Ridge,  294 

Stuart,  Granville,  44,  46,   103,  210,  256 
Stuart,  James,  44,  46,  210 
Sugar  beets,  64 

Sugar   refineries:    Billings,    133;    Chinook, 
232;   Missoula,   213;    Sidney,    313 
Sugar  refining,  85 
Sula,  304 

Sulphur  deposits,  267 
Sumatra,    327 
Summit,  240 
Sunburst,  281 
Sunrift  Gorge,  386-87 
Sun  River,  267 
Sunset  Hills   Cemetery,  201 
Superior,  215 
Swan  River  Gorge,  310 
Sweetgrass,  280 

Sweetgrass  Arch,  29,  235,  266 
Sweetgrass  Hills,  280-81 
Swimming,    122 
Sylvanite,  245 

Taft,   217 

Tamarack,   23 

Tennis,    124 

Territorial  Legislature,  47 

Terry,  188 

Terry,  Gen.,  263 

Theater,   111 

Thiebalt,  Nicholas,  361 


INDEX 


Thomas,  Henry,  44 

Thompson,  David,  40,  41,  103,  173,  243, 
246,  336 

Thompson  Falls,  336 

Thompson,  Francis  M.,  115 

Thompson   Museum,    362 

Thompson,  William  Boyce,  206,  362 

Three  Eagles,  299 

Three  Forks,  203 

Three  Forks  of  the  Missouri,  203 

Throssel,  Richard,  109 

Timber,  merchantable,  22 
.Topography,  9 

Toston,  218 

Townsend,   218 

Trachodon,    326 

Trails:  Carroll,  255;  Fort  Union,  312; 
Kootenai,  244,  333,  334,  337; 
Lakes,  368;  Old  Forts,  349;  Salt 
Lake,  292;  Swiftcurrent  Pass,  405; 
Tobacco  Plains,  243;  Vigilante, 
357,  359;  Whoop-up,  281;  Wild 
Horse,  349;  Yellowstone,  213,  215 

Transportation,  89-95 

Traveler's  Rest,  39 

Travertine,  84 

Travois,  89 

Treloar,  Samuel,  110 

Triceratops,  326 

Trout  Creek,  337 

Troy,  246 

Tucker,  Patrick  T.,  199 

Turkeys,  66-67 

Turkey  Track,  the,  280 

Tuttle,  Bishop  Daniel  S.,  99 

Twin  Bridges,  357 

Two  Dot,  331 

Two  Medicine  Ridge,  240 

Tyran  nosaurus ,    1 3 

Tyrrell,  J.  B.,   103 

Ubet,   253-54 

Ubet  and  Central  Montana  Pioneers'  Monu- 
ment, 253 

Ulm,  284 

Unionville,  171 

United  Mine  Workers,  69 

United  States  Forest  Service,  22,  173,  175 

United  States  Public  Health  Service  Lab- 
oratory, 302 

Urey,  Harold  C,  175 

Utah  and  Northern  R.  R.,  90-91,  290 

Utica,  252 

Valier,  282 

Vananda,   327 

Van  Norman,   315 

Van  Orsdel,  Rev.  W.  W.,   100 

Vaughn,  268,  283 

Vaughn,  Robert,  103,  130 

Verendryes,   38,  259 

Vermiculite,   84 

Verona,  351 

Victor,   302 

Victor,  Chief,  214,  298 

Vigilante   hangings,   362 

Vigilantes,   46,    213' 

Villard,  Oswald  Garrison,  91,  116 

Virgelle  Formation,   282 


Virginia  City,  46,  291,  360 
Volborg,   322 

Wade,  Decius  M.,  103 

Wagner,  Glendolin  Damon,  105 

Waite,  Ruth,  111 

Walker,  Mildred,   105 

Walkerville,    144-45 

Walsh,  Thomas  J.,   55 

Walton,  240 

War  orphan's  fund,  98 

Warmsprings,   208 

Warren,   340 

Washoe  smelter,  53,  80,  371 

Waterfalls:  Appistoki,  402;  Beartooth, 
3*45;  Crooked,  353;  Dawn  Mist, 
406;  Featherplume,  396;  Great 
Falls  of  the  Missouri,  353;  Koo- 
tenai, 246;  Logan,  388;  Morning 
Eagle,  396;  Ouzel,  278;  Rainbow, 
353;  Redrock,  396;  Skalkaho,  303; 
Trick,  392;  Twin,  402 

Water  power,  28 

Waterton  Lakes  National  Park,  378 

Weeds,  17 

West  Yellowstone,  279 

Western  Federation  of  Miners,  69,  70,  71, 
72,  74 

Wet  drilling,  81 

Wheat,  62 

Wheeler,    319 

Wheeler,  Burton  K.,  55 

Wheeler-Howard  Act,  228 

Whiskey  traders,  281 

Whitcomb,  Charles,  249 

White,  John,  46,  291 

White  Pine,  337 

White  Sulphur  Springs,  270 

White  trumpeter  swan,  292 

Whitefish,  294 

Whitehall,  206,  288 

Wibaux,   185-86 

Wibaux,  Pierre,  186 

Wickes,  287 

Wilborn,  306 

Wild  Horse  Island,  296 

Wild  Horse  Plains,   335 

Wilkes,   Capt.   Charles,    149 

Wilsall,   272 

Windham,   252 

Winnett,    317 

Winston,  220 

Winter  sports,  123 

Wire  mill,  80,  82 

Wister,  Owen,  103 

Wolf  Creek,   267 

Wolf  Point,  228 

Wood  ticks,  21 

Woodworth,  308 

Wool,  66 

Wool  warehouse,  290 

Worden,   193 

Worden  and  Co.,  213 

Worden,  Frank  L.,  174,  213 

Wyola,   264 

Yaak,  245 

Yankee  Jim  Canyon,   273 

Yegen,   317 


INDEX 

Yellowstone  (steamboat),  224  Zinc  recovery  plant,   220 

Yellowtail,  Robert,  262  Zonolite,   84 

Zortman,   249 

Zinc,  82  Zortman,   Pete,   249 

Zinc  oxide,  82  Zurich,  232 


MONTANA 


A  STATE  GUIDE  BOOK 


"Montana's  history  is  alive  with  action 
and  color,  a  drama  in  which  the  characters 
range  from  Indians  and  buckskin-clad  trap- 
pers to  copper  kings  and  skillful  modern 
politirians.  The  scene  shifts  from  lonely 
trading  posts  or  settlers'  cabins  to  roaring 
gold  camps;  conflict  sweeps  from  Indian 
battles  and  the  'war  of  the  copper  kings'  to 
the  dry-land  farmers'  grim  struggle  against 
the  elements." 

Montana  means  mountain,  and  the  visitor 
to  the  state  will  find  in  it  some  of  the  most 
magnificent  mountain  scenery  and  mountain 
sport  in  the  world.  Hunting,  fishing,  camp- 
ing, even  prospecting  for  gold  can  lure  the 
adventurous  into  Montana's  hills.  Glacier 
National  Park  is  perhaps  the  best  known 
sports  area  in  the  state  and  a  special  section 
of  the  book  is  devoted  to  tours  within  its 
borders.  But  there  are  hundreds  of  other  dis- 
tricts as  inviting. 

Montana,  however,  is  only  one-third 
mountainous  in  area,  and  the  endless  plains, 
with  their  great  stands  of  grain,  their  herds 
of  wandering  cattle,  their  large  cities  and 
towns,  are  as  much  a  part  of  the  true  per- 
sonality of  the  region  as  the  towering  peaks 
to  the  west. 

The  thoughtful  traveler,  and  the  native, 
more  closely  concerned,  will  find  in  the 
pages  of  this  guide  accounts  of  the  battles 
against  drought  and  blights,  the  wars  on 
forest  fires,  the  economic  situation  created 
by  the  huge  copper  mines  at  Butte,  and  the 
fascinating  story  of  a  frontier  land  settling 
down  into  ordered  and  prosperous  life  which 
will  excite  him  no  less  than  the  dramatic  and 
often  violent  history  of  the  state  and  the 
exalting  beauty  of  its  mountain  forests.