SEVENTY- FIVE YEARS OF CONSERVATION AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT HERITAGE THE PHILIPSBURG STORY A History of the Philipsburg Ranger District, 1905-1980 United States Forest Deerlodge Department of Service National Forest Agriculture THE PHILIPSBURG STORY A History of the Philipsburg Ranger District, 1905-1980 By Robert D. (Bob) Oakley USDA-Forest Service Volunteer Rl-81-12 August 1981 Deerlodge National Forest Philipsburg P.O. Box 400 Ranger District, Federal Building P.O. Box H Butte, Montana 59701 Philipsburg,Montana 59858 Dedication HOKON "Hoke" GROTBO This history of the Philipsburg Ranger District is dedicated to the memory of Hokon Grotbo, who served with the Forest Service for 38 years, 12 of which were on the Philipsburg Ranger District before his retirement in 1969. To have known "Hoke" was to like him. Contents Foreword Introduction Geographic and Place Names 1 Geological History 6 Georgetown Lake 7 City of Philipsburg 8 The Rock Creek Massacre of 1878 11 Grazing 23 Mining 30 Fire 32 Civilian Conservation Corps 36 History of the Flint Creek CCC Camp 37 Philipsburg District Rangers 43 C. K. Wyman 45 Charles E. Jarvis 46 Harry N. Morgan 47 Henry A. Kroger 56 Harold Townsend 61 Edwin T. Irvine 64 A. Price Townsend 66 H. R. Richards 76 S. L. McNelly 93 Stanley M. Lukens 96 Murray E. Skillman 137 Leon L. Lake 142 Elliott E. Redman 163 Raymond J. Bowers 181 Milton F. Phillip 184 Floyd E. Williams 189 Richard M. Venable 196 Foreword This history was developed from the files of the Philipsburg Mail, weekly newspaper in Philipsburg, Montana; an unpublished manuscript of the late Frances Harrington; from Forest Service records; memories of Forest Service employees; local resi­ dents; and hearsay. We are also deeply indebted to Mrs. Willard Bruns for the use of her photograph. The history was researched and written by Robert D. Oakley, Philipsburg. He prepared the history while working under the Older American Program on the Ranger District. Mr. Oakley, retired from the research and development industry, now makes his home in Philipsburg. This is a significant, interesting, and readable addition to Forest Service history and the rich heritage of the West. We are most grateful to Mr. Oakley and others who gave of their time, efforts, and contributions. It is hoped that The Philipsburg Story will be brought up to date in the future so that it will keep pace with the Forest history. Richard M. Venable, District Ranger Philipsburg Ranger District Philipsburg, Montana May 18, 1980 Introduction This history of the Philipsburg Ranger District begins with the town of Philipsburg, touches briefly on mining in the area, progresses from there to the establishment of the Forest Reserves and describes the background of the District through the stories of each Ranger who served this Deerlodge National Forest District of western Montana. National Forests date from 1897 when Congress authorized the President to set aside Forest Reserves for "securing favorable conditions of waterflows, and to furnish a continuous supply of timber for the use and necessities of citizens of the United States." An Act of February 1, 1905, transferred the old Forest Reserves from the Department of Interior of the Department of Agricul­ ture. On July 1, 1905, the Bureau of Forestry became the Forest Service and in 1907 the Forest Reserves were renamed National Forests. It is nearly impossible to identify the early day Ranger Districts or even to be sure when they were first established. President Theodore Roosevelt issued a proclamation October 3, 1905, establishing the Hell Gate Forest Reserve in western Montana. The proclamation described the boundaries as follows: Starting at a point near Turah on the main line of the Northern Pacific Railroad in Missoula County, the line runs southeast of Philipsburg taking in all of the county around Royal, Princeton, and Flint (Maxville). The line then runs to a point near Garrison, from thence southerly into Silver Bow County near Silver Bow Junction; thence east to a corner of the Bitterroot near Sula on Ross Fork Creek; thence north to a place of beginning. Most of the area of the Reserve, however, lies in Granite County and affects mostly the Flint Creek and Boulder Districts. The proclamation excepts from force and effect all lands included in the boundary of the Reserve which are embraced in any legal entry or covered by lawful filing which may have been made prior to the date of the issuance of the proclamation. A warning is also given to all persons not to make settlements on the land. The Reserve embraced 1,381,000 acres, including practically all of Granite County, except for the Flint Creek Valley. 1 The Deerlodge National Forest, established July 1, 1908, was created from parts of the Big Hole, Hell Gate, and Helena Chapter I National Forests. The Big Hole National Forest was established November 5, 1906; the Hell Gate National Forest, October 3, GEOGRAPHIC AND PLACE NAMES 1905; and the Helena National Forest, April 12, 1906. The Hell Gate and Big Hole National Forests ceased to exist July 1, 1908. The National Board of Geographical Names assigned names (September 10, 1909) to several strings of mountain ranges The Philipsburg Ranger District was created October 3, 1905, in Montana, including some in the Philipsburg area. as a part of the Hell Gate National Forest. It remained a part of that National Forest until 1908 when it was transferred The name Maywood has been given to a ridge to the Missoula National Forest. On January 9, 1931, the of mountains, about 3-1/2 miles long, situ­ Philipsburg and West Fork Ranger Districts became part of ated west of Princeton, in the Philipsburg the Deerlodge National Forest. The West Fork Ranger District Quadrangle, Granite County, Montana. was created in 1913. The Board has eliminated one of the "L's" The remainder of the Missoula National Forest was annexed from Philipsburg, Valley, and Quadrangle; to the Lolo National Forest, with headquarters in Missoula. it will hereafter be spelled with but one These National Forest consolidations were due chiefly to "L". economies necessary because of reduced appropriations. The West Fork and Philipsburg Ranger Districts were combined Another western Montana chain of mountains has been named into one 540,000-acre Ranger District when they became part Flint Creek Range. It is bounded on the west by a valley of the Deerlodge National Forest. that contains Flint Creek and Trout Creek. The chain is bounded on the north and east by the Clark Fork Valley of the Columbia. To the south it is bounded by the depression Over the years, National Forest administration has evolved from protection to multiple use resource management. Writing which contains Georgetown Lake and part of Warm Springs in the history of the Ranger District from the days of the Forest Granite County. Reserves to the present has been complicated because of the frequent changes in personnel and the death of many of the Topographic features played an important role in the naming veteran employees. of places in the Philipsburg area. Some place names are taken from animals and local people. Following is a resume of some of the names and locations in the Philipsburg area. We have attempted to preserve the colorful and rich history of the District by publishing these stories, anecdotes, and letters of retirees, oldtimers, and employees just as they wrote them or spoke of them. In this way the sights, sounds, Alder Gulch A small gulch on west side of and feel of the early era are better preserved and the char Upper Willow Creek named for the acter and personality of each employee are more accurately heavy growth of alders in and along presented. the creek. The area was mined to some extent, but never very We wish to thank each person who gave of his time, efforts, productive. and assistance in helping to make this history possible. Apache Gulch A small gulch on the east side of Upper Willow Creek, near its Robert D. Oakley mouth, is named after the trade June 15, 1980 name of a coffee used in the early days. Beaver Creek A small creek on Upper Willow Creek, across from Maloney Creek is named for numerous beaver dams near the mouth of the creek. There are several small lakes near the source. 3 2 Horse Canyon Gulch on Upper Willow Creek, formerly Black Pine & See chapter on Ranger Elliott E. Creek called Horse Gulch because of the Combination Redman. horses grazed here by John Duffy, an old settler. About 1912 Hans Edith Lake Small lake at head of the Middle Luthje, Sr., and Joe Antonich filed Fork of Rock Creek. It is named a water rights lawsuit and the name for Mrs. Edith Savage, who is was changed to Horse Canyon Creek. believed to be the first woman to visit the lake. Johnson Basin Small valley tributary to Foster Creek. Johnson had a mine and fur­ Emerine Peak Named for the man who took up the nace here in 1869-1870. and Gulch present American Gem ranch in 1910. Eiaastus Amerine was reported to Kaiser Lake Small lake at the head of Senate have been a deaf person who replied Creek. John and Herman Kaiser of to any salutation, "Oh, I'll take Philipsburg took an annual outing a whiskey." to the lake in the '80's. During one trip the entire camp burned Flint Creek Tributary to Clark Fork River; while they were out hunting. runs neajrly the full length of Granite County. It is believed Kent Peak Peak at the head of Ross Fork drain­ that the stream derived its name age.