Crazy Mountains, Montana from 1900 to 2000
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FROM THE OLD TO NEW WEST: CHANGES IN LANDOWNERSHIP AND LAND USE IN THE CRAZY MOUNTAINS, MONTANA FROM 1900 TO 2000. by Kimiko Jean-Lena Nygaard A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Earth Sciences MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY Bozeman, Montana January 2009 ©COPYRIGHT by Kimiko Jean-Lena Nygaard 2009 All Rights Reserved ii APPROVAL of a thesis submitted by Kimiko Jean-Lena Nygaard This thesis has been read by each member of the thesis committee and has been found to be satisfactory regarding content, English usage, format, citation, bibliographic style, and consistency, and is ready for submission to the Division of Graduate Education. Dr. William Wyckoff Approved for the Department of Earth Sciences Dr. Stephan Custer Approved for the Division of Graduate Education Dr. Carl A. Fox iii STATEMENT OF PERMISSION TO USE In presenting this thesis in partial fulfillment of the requirements for a master‟s degree at Montana State University, I agree that the Library shall make it available to borrowers under rules of the Library. If I have indicated my intention to copyright this thesis by including a copyright notice page, copying is allowable only for scholarly purposes, consistent with “fair use” as prescribed in the U.S. Copyright Law. Requests for permission for extended quotation from or reproduction of this thesis in whole or in parts may be granted only by the copyright holder. Kimiko Jean-Lena Nygaard January 2008 iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank my mentor and advisor, Dr. William Wyckoff for his unwavering support and enthusiasm. His patience and advice over the years has continually given me encouragement throughout my graduate education. In addition, I would like to thank the professors who have guided the course of my research including Dr. Kathy Hansen, Dr. Joe Ashley, and Stuart Challender. In particular, thank you to my incredibly supportive network of friends and family, including my Mother, Father, Tyler Nygaard, and Bradley Barrett. v TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION ……………………………………………………………… 1 Research Objectives …………………………………………………………….. 3 Regional and Historical Setting ……………………………………………........ 6 Conceptual Framework ………………………………….…………………..… 12 Methods and Sources ………………………………………………………..… 26 2. LANDSCAPES OF THE OLD WEST, 1900-1950………………………….… 33 Pre-1900 Setting ………………………………………………….………....…. 33 Broader Context of Settlement, 1900-1950 ……………………….…………… 46 Case Studies …………………………………...………………….…………… 77 Site Descriptions …...………………………….………………….……………. 77 Landownership Chronology, 1900-1950 ………………………….…………… 80 Site 1 …………………………………………………….……………... 80 Site 2 …………………………………………………….…………....... 82 Site 3 ……………………………………………………….…………... 84 Evolving Landscapes and Land Use Patterns, 1900-1950 ……………………... 86 Site 1 …………………………………………………….…………...… 87 Site 2 …………………………………………………….…………...… 93 Site 3 …………………………………………………….…………...… 96 3. LANDSCAPES IN TRANSITION, 1951-1980 …………………………...… 100 Broader Context of New West Settlement …………..………………………... 100 Driving forces ………………………………………………………… 102 Enabling forces ……………………………………………………….. 113 Shaping forces ....……………………………………...……………… 115 Case Studies ………………………………………………………....……...… 129 Landownership Chronology, 1951-1980 …………………………………....... 130 Site 1 ………………………………………………………………….. 130 Site 2 ………………………………………………………………...... 133 Site 3 ………………………………………………………………….. 135 Evolving Landscapes and Land Use Patterns, 1951-1980 ……………………. 136 Site 1 ………………………………………………………………….. 137 Site 2 ………………………………………………………………….. 144 Site 3 ………………………………………………………………….. 147 4. LANDSCAPES OF THE NEW WEST, 1981-2000 …………………………. 151 vi Broader Context of Modernity …………………………………………………151 TABLE OF CONTENTS- CONTINUED Case Studies ………………………………………………………....……...… 187 Landownership Chronology, 1981-2000 …………………………………....... 188 Site 1 ………………………………………………………………….. 188 Site 2 ………………………………………………………………...... 188 Site 3 ………………………………………………………………….. 191 Evolving Landscapes and Land Use Patterns, 1981-2000 ……………………. 192 Site 1 ………………………………………………………………….. 193 Site 2 ………………………………………………………………….. 203 Site 3 ………………………………………………………………….. 206 5. PLACE PERCEPTIONS IN THE CRAZY MOUNTAINS………………..… 219 Questions and Responses …………………………………………………....... 224 6. CONCLUSION ……………………………………………………………… 237 Case Studies ………….....………………..………………………....……...… 239 Site 1 ………………………………………………………………….. 239 Site 2 ………………………………………………………………...... 242 Site 3 ………………………………………………………………….. 243 The Crazy Mountains in the Twenty-First Century ………………...… 245 REFERENCES CITED ………………………………………………………….... 249 vii LIST OF FIGURES Figure Page 1. Crazy Mountains, Gallatin National Forest, Montana…………………..………… 1 2. Site Areas 1, 2, and 3 locator map, Crazy Mountains …………....………………. 4 3. Crazy Peak, Gallatin National Forest ………...…..….....….…….……………….. 7 4. Crazy Mountain region reference map …...……….…...…..……………….…….. 8 5. Early migrations into Crazy Mountain region ..…...…………....……………...... 10 6. Chief Plenty-Coup, Absaroka tribal leader ….……………….………………….. 11 7. Early mining in Big Timber Canyon ….…………………...…….…...…….....… 35 8. Map of early communities and main railroad lines, late 1870s-1910 ….……….. 37 9. Big Timber woolen mills, Sweet Grass County, 1900 …..………..…....……….. 38 10 First Northern Pacific Railroad depot, Livingston, 1898 ….….…...…….……… 39 11 Early Livingston, 1898 ….……...……………………………………….…….… 40 12. Checkerboard forest resulting from Northern Pacific Land Grant, 1864 …......… 41 13. Distribution of early landownership, Crazy Mountains, 1900 ………......….…... 43 14. U.S. Geological Survey, Yellowstone National Park, 1878 ….………………..... 44 15. Sweet Grass drainage, circa: early 1900s …..……...…..……………...………… 45 16. Homestead entries in Montana, 1885-1920 ….…...…………...……..…...……... 50 17. Logging in the Sweet Grass drainage, 1909 ….………...………..……......…….. 52 18. Relative value of sheep and cattle prices, per head, 1900-1950 ….……...……… 54 19. Sheep population for Park and Sweet Grass counties, 1900-1950 ….…...…........ 55 20. Cattle population for Park and Sweet Grass counties, 1900-1950 ….…........…... 56 viii LIST OF FIGURES CONTINUED Figure Page 21. Distribution of grazing allotments, 1906 ….………..………………..………...… 61 22. Sheep herder in Big Timber Canyon, Big Timber Allotment, circa: 1930s …….. 62 23. Northern Pacific Railroad promotional material, circa: 1920s ….…………….…. 65 24. Dude ranching promotional photo, Dot S Dot Ranch, circa: 1920s …….……….. 66 25. Value of wheat in Montana, price per bushel, 1900-1950 ………………………. 67 26. Amount of federal relief money received by Park and Sweet Grass counties, 1930-1940 ….…………………………………………...……………….……..… 71 27. Population of Park and Sweet Grass counties, 1900-1950 …..…………..….….... 74 28. Location of Site Areas and primary features in southern Crazy Mountains ….… 79 29. Distribution of landownership in Site 1, 1900-1950 …..…….……….....…….... 81 30. Distribution of landownership in Site 2, 1900-1950 …..……….….…...…..….... 83 31. Distribution of landownership in Site 3, 1900-1950 …..……….…..…...……..... 85 32. Transhumance grazing, Crazy Mountains, circa: 1930s …………………............ 87 33. Grazing allotments included in Site 1 ………………………………………….... 88 34. Big Timber drainage, located in Site 1, 1921 ……………….………………...… 91 35. Lazy K Bar, Site 1, early 1920s ……………………………...………………..… 91 36. Horseback riding, Lazy K Bar …………………………………………………... 92 37. Calf roping, Lazy K Bar ………………………………….……………………... 92 38. Grazing allotments included in Site 2 ………………………………………….... 95 39. Haying operations near Site 2, early 1900s ……………….………..………….... 96 ix LIST OF FIGURES CONTINUED Figure Page 40. Traditional ranching landscape in Site 3 ……………………………………….... 97 41. Grazing allotments located in and near Site 3 ………………………………….... 98 42. Montana‟s population, 1900-1980 ……………………………...…………….... 103 43. Population in Park and Sweet Grass counties, 1900-1980 ………..……..…….. 104 44. Employment by industry in Park County, 1950-1980 ……………..…..………. 107 45. Last Northern Pacific Railroad train to leave Livingston, 1970 ……...……....... 108 46. Employment by industry in Sweet Grass County, 1950-1980 …………..……... 110 47. Average farmland values in Park and Sweet Grass counties, 1950-1980 ……... 118 48. Average size of farms in Park and Sweet Grass counties, 1920-1980 ……….... 119 49. Average number of farms in Park and Sweet Grass counties, 1910-1980 ….…. 120 50. Number of well permits granted within Crazy Mountain region, 1910-1980 …. 121 51. Distribution of landownership in Site 1, 1950-1980 ………………...…….….. 131 52. Historical land exchanges in Crazy Mountains, 1940-1975 …………………… 133 53. Distribution of landownership in Site 2, 1950-1980 …………………………... 134 54. Distribution of landownership in Site 3, 1950-1980 …………………………... 136 55. Common noxious weeds in Site 1 and in Crazy Mountain region …………….. 139 56. Horseback riding to Twin Lakes, Big Timber Canyon, 1970s ……………….... 142 57. Map of main trail systems and campgrounds in Crazy Mountains …………..... 144 58. Aerial photograph of logged areas in Site 2, 1960-1970 …...………………...... 147 59. Cattle grazing in Site 3, 1976 ………………………………………………….. 148 x LIST OF FIGURES CONTINUED Figure Page 60. Population growth by region and state, 1990-2000 ……………………………. 153 61. Montana‟s population, 1900-2000 ……………………………………………... 154 62. Population in Park and Sweet Grass counties, 1900-2000 …………………...... 156 63. Number of well permits granted within Crazy Mountain region, 1910-2000 …. 158 64. Commodified viewshed in the Mountainous West, 1990s ..………………….... 160 65. Employment by industry in Park