Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Park Saddle Horse Company records, 1915-1947
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Park Saddle Horse Company (Mont.)
- Title
- Park Saddle Horse Company records
- Dates
- 1915-1947 (inclusive)19151947
- Quantity
- 8 linear feet of shelf space
- Collection Number
- MC 148 (collection)
- Summary
- The Park Saddle Horse Company, owned by Wilbur N. Noffsinger and later by George W. Noffsinger, was a concession in Glacier National Park, Montana. Records (1915-1947) include financial and horse-raising records, subject files, organizational papers, diaries (1933-1947) of George Noffsinger; and subgroups for the W.N. Noffsinger Company, the Big Draw Land and Stock Company, and the Big Draw Sheep Company.
- Repository
-
Montana Historical Society, Library & Archives
Montana Historical Society Research Center Archives
225 North Roberts
PO Box 201201
Helena MT
59620-1201
Telephone: 4064442681
Fax: 4064445297
mhslibrary@mt.gov - Access Restrictions
-
Collection open for research.
- Languages
- English
- Sponsor
- Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Historical NoteReturn to Top
The Park Saddle Horse Company was founded June 1, 1915, by Wilbur N. Noffsinger, a Kalispell, Montana, lawyer and banker, and Hans Walchli, his law partner, to provide a saddle horse concession in Glacier National Park. Prior to the formation of this company, and continuing into the first year of its existence, the U.S. National Park Service had licensed individual horse operators with little coordination of services or standardized prices.
On February 26, 1916, at the request of National Park Superintendent R.B. Marshall, Noffsinger called a meeting of all horse concessioners operating in Glacier. Noffsinger offered to increase the capitalization of the Park Saddle Horse Company and admit into the company the smaller operators, each receiving stock equal to the horses and equipment contributed. Although several of the independents resisted absorption, enough joined that capitalization was doubled from $25,000 to $50,000. The National Park Service signed an exclusive contract with the expanded Park Saddle Horse Company to provide horses, equipment, guides, and cooks for camping parties. The company was also granted the privileges of grazing horses and of building stables, tent camps, and lodges at various locations in the park.
From 1916 until W.N. Noffsinger's death on February 1, 1924, the Park Saddle Horse Company gradually expanded its services. Noffsinger's will divided his estate (which included 227 shares of the Park Saddle Horse Company as well as other companies and property) equally among his widow Lulu S. Noffsinger and his two children George W. Noffsinger and Leila M. Dieringer (later Buttleson). The heirs formed the W.N. Noffsinger Company and G.W. Noffsinger administered the estate's holdings. In 1944 a lengthy legal battle began between Noffsinger and his sister for control of W.N. Noffsinger Company. Under George Noffsinger's leadership the Park Saddle Horse Company's operation initiated the famous Northern Circle, a five-day horse pack trip into remote northern areas of Glacier Park, staying one night each at specially constructed permanent tent camps and chalets. At the height of its success the Park Saddle Horse Company owned 1000 horses and served nearly 10,000 tourists each year. However, the completion of the Going-to-the Sun road over Logan Pass in 1933 changed the nature of Glacier Park. Before the completion of this road the only way of seeing the most spectacular areas of the park was by horseback. Once tourists were able to get into the heart of the mountains in their cars, the attraction of horseback travel declined.
By 1940 the Park Saddle Horse Company was serving an average of 5000 customers a year. In 1942 the National Park Service decided to shut down all park concessions for the duration of the war. Unable to support his large horse herd for an undetermined period, Noffsinger sold the company's horses. In 1945 the company asked the Park Service to cancel the concession, thus ending the company's long association with Glacier Park.
George W. Noffsinger died on December 11, 1947.
In addition to the Park Saddle Horse Company, the Noffsinger family was also involved in stock raising. One firm owned by W.N. Noffsinger was the Big Draw Land and Stock Company founded in 1915 in Kalispell. The company originally raised cattle, but in 1922 the Angus McDonald sheep herd was purchased and the Big Draw Sheep Company was founded by W.N. Noffsinger, G.W. Noffsinger, and Ernest White. Both companies operated from the Bow and Arrow Ranch in Flathead County.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
This collection contains the records of Park Saddle Horse Company including George Noffsinger's diaries (1933-1947), miscellaneous financial and horse-raising records, subject files, and organizational papers (1915-1946). There are also subgroups for W.N. Noffsinger Company, Big Draw Land and Stock Company, and Big Draw Sheep Company.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Restrictions on Use
Researchers must use collection in accordance with the policies of the Montana Historical Society. The Society does not necessarily hold copyright to all materials in the collection. In some cases permission for use may require additional authorization from the copyright owners. For more information contact an archivist.
Preferred Citation
Item description and date. Collection Title. Collection Number. Box and Folder numbers. Montana Historical Society Research Center, Archives, Helena, Montana.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Arrangement
Arranged by subgroup and series. Some material housed in Manuscript Volumes. See inventory below for more information.
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection
Park Saddle Horse Company Return to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
General Correspondence |
||
Box/Folder | ||
1 / 1 | Miscellaneous (correspondents include The Secretary
of The Interior, Washington; The Department of the Interior, Washington; Director of
National Parks, Washington D.C.; Stephen T. Mather; Great Northern Railway Company;
George W. Noffsinger; William J. Dorrington; C.L. Heren; S.S. Gold; National Park
Service Glacier National Park; Charles J. Krsebel; Visual Education Service,
Incorporated; War Department; E.T. Scoyen; R.R. Vincent; Choate, Hall and Stewart;
Clara Marozik; Edna Sagert; Walchli and Korn; Glacier Park Company; Horace Marden
Albright; Howard H. Hays; Edwina Noffsinger) |
1919-1959 |
Diaries |
||
Box/Folder | ||
1 / 2-6 | George W. Noffsinger diary/notebooks (19 books) |
1933-1947 |
Financial Records |
||
Box/Folder | ||
2 / 1 | Accounts payable and accounts receivable ledger |
1922-1938 |
3 / 1-2 | Annual statements |
1917-1943 |
3 / 3-4 | Audit reports |
1916-1946 |
Volume | ||
1 | Camp collections |
circa 1925-1940 |
Box/Folder | ||
3 / 5 | Checkstubs |
1946-1949 |
3 / 6 | Daily statement of store sales |
1941 |
Volume | ||
2 | Disbursement register |
1925-1945 |
Box/Folder | ||
3 / 7 | Horse depreciation ledger |
1926-1931 |
3 / 7-8 | Horse depreciation ledgers |
1926-1943 |
3 / 9 | Income tax assessments RESTRICTED
|
1923-1925 |
3 / 10 | Journal of distribution of expenses and receipts |
1923-1925 |
4 / 1 | Journal |
1919 |
5 / 1-2 | Ledgers |
1917-1925 |
5 / 1-2 | Ledgers |
1917-1925 |
Volume | ||
4 | Ledger |
1920-1930 |
Box/Folder | ||
5 / 3 | Ledger of sales to employees |
1936-1938 |
6 / 1 | G.W. Noffsinger account analysis; salary |
1924-1945 |
6 / 2 | Reconcilement of accounts |
1926-1942 |
6 / 3 | Receipts; income and expense accounts;
miscellaneous |
1924-1944 |
Legal Documents |
||
Box/Folder | ||
6 / 4 | Contracts and service permits with Department of
the Interior |
1916-1926 |
Maps and Blueprints |
||
Box/Folder | ||
6 / 5 | List of maps and blueprints transferred to the
Library |
|
Organizational Records |
||
Box/Folder | ||
6 / 6 | Articles of incorporation; notices and minutes of
stockholder and director meetings |
1916, 1925, 1945-1946 |
Photographs and Printed Materials |
||
Box/Folder | ||
6 / 7 | List of photographs transferred to the Photo
Archives; list of printed materials transferred to the Library |
|
Subject Files |
||
Box/Folder | ||
6 / 8 | "Advertising" (articles; correspondence, etc.) |
1920 |
6 / 9 | "Advertising" (articles, and correspondence, etc.) |
circa 1929-1930 |
6 / 10 | Advertising brochures, calendar, stationery (-X6
Ranch) |
1937, undated |
6 / 12 | Camping trip itineraries and expense lists |
1922-1928 |
6 / 13 | "Compliments" (letters regarding service) |
1924-1941 |
6 / 14 | Horses bought from Chappel Brothers (includes
correspondence with C.D. and E.J. Drake, etc.) |
1929-1930 |
6 / 15 | Horses list by National Park Service |
1939-1941 |
6 / 16 | Independent operators bringing parties into park |
1919-1938 |
6 / 17 | Liability insurance |
1937-1940 |
7 / 1 | Loans and mortgages |
1930-1943 |
7 / 3 | Renewal of concession (correspondence) |
1940-1942 |
7 / 4 | Trail Riders of the Mountains, Glacier Chapter |
1937-1939 |
7 / 5 | Remount Stallion Program |
1927-1947 |
7 / 6 | Wintering of National Park Service stock |
1939-1941 |
Miscellany |
||
Box/Folder | ||
7 / 7-9 | Hourse stock records (A1-B110, C1-D29 and E1-G33) |
1927-1940 |
8 / 1-5 | Hourse stock records (H1-J54, K1-L54, P1-P89 and
R1-T3) |
1934-1946 |
8 / 6 | Instructions to employees |
undated |
8 / 7 | List of names |
undated |
8 / 8-9 | Personnel records (A-E and F-L) |
1937-1941 |
9 / 1-2 | Personnel records (M-R and S-Z) |
1937-1941 |
9 / 3 | Rocky Mountain Trail Ranch receipt book |
1937-1938 |
9 / 4 | Stationery for Kalispell National Bank, State Bank
of Somers, Dayton State Bank |
undated |
Clippings |
||
Box/Folder | ||
9 / 5 | Miscellaneous (including articles by Morton J.
Elrod, Hal G. Evarts, Ernie Pyle, and Frank J. and Katherine A. Taylor) |
1923-1977 |
Big Draw Land And Stock Company Return to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
General Correspondence |
||
Box/Folder | ||
9 / 6 | Miscellaneous (including correspondence from
Northern Montana Forestry Association; The State Bank of Somers; Allan Milne; Big
Draw Land and Stock Company; E.W. McDevitt; C.L. O'Connell; J.G. Edmiston; Louis
O'Connell) |
1938-1939 |
Financial Records |
||
Volume | ||
5 | Journal |
1921-1940 |
Box/Folder | ||
9 / 7 | Ledger and cash book |
1915-1917, 1925-1940 |
9 / 8 | Trial balance; tax receipts RESTRICTED
|
1930-1938 |
Legal Documents |
||
Box/Folder | ||
9 / 9 | Agreement and indenture with W.N. Noffsinger
Company; contract |
1937-1938, 1940 |
Organizational Records |
||
Box/Folder | ||
9 / 10 | Articles of incorporation; minutes |
1915-1940 |
9 / 11 | Stock certificate book |
1915-1925 |
Miscellany |
||
Box/Folder | ||
9 / 12 | Bow and Arrow Ranch sale brochure |
undated |
Big Draw Sheep Company Return to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Financial Records |
||
Box/Folder | ||
9 / 13 | Journal |
1925-1928 |
9 / 14 | Ledger |
1922-1928 |
Organizational Records |
||
Box/Folder | ||
10 / 1 | Articles of incorporation; by-laws; minutes |
1922-1928 |
10 / 2 | Stock certificate book |
1922-1927 |
10 / 2 | Stock certificate book |
1922-1927 |
W.n. Noffsinger Company Return to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
General Correspondence |
||
Box/Folder | ||
10 / 3-9 | G.W. Noffsinger |
1935-1947 |
10 / 10-12 | T.A. Thompson |
1945-1946 |
10 / 13 | Miscellaneous correspondents include George E.
Hurd; Douglas Wilson; J.N. Thelen; T.A. Thompson; Conrad Bjornlie |
1945 |
Court Papers |
||
Box/Folder | ||
10 / 15 | G.W. Noffsinger, et al. v. W.N. Noffsinger Company,
Leila Battleson, et al. (briefs, etc.) |
1945-1946 |
10 / 15 | G.W. Noffsinger, et al. v. W.N. Noffsinger Company,
Leila Battleson, et al. (testimony) |
1945-1946 |
10 / 16 | G.W. Noffsinger, et al. v. W.N. Noffsinger Company,
Leila Battleson, et al. (testimony) |
1945 |
10 / 17 | W.N. Noffsinger Company v. Leila M. Battleson
(briefs, transcript, etc.) |
1945 |
10 / 18 | Schnell, Receiver v. Leila M. Battleson v. G.W.
Noffsinger |
1946-1947 |
10 / 19 | Lawyers' notes; etc. |
1945-1946 |
10 / 20 | List of exhibits |
circa 1945 |
11 / 1 | Wilbur N. Noffsinger Estate inventory |
1925 |
11 / 2 | Lula S. Noffsinger Estate |
1943-1944 |
Financial Records |
||
Box/Folder | ||
11 / 3 | Audit reports |
1944-1945 |
11 / 4 | Checkstubs from receivership |
1946-1948 |
Volume | ||
6 | Ledger |
1925-1945 |
7 | Ledger for W.N. Noffsinger Estate |
1924-1936 |
Box/Folder | ||
11 / 6 | Miscellaneous |
circa 1945-1947 |
Legal Documents |
||
Box/Folder | ||
11 / 7 | Contracts; etc. |
1925-1944 |
Organizational Records |
||
Box/Folder | ||
11 / 8 | Articles of incorporation; minutes |
1925-1946 |
11 / 9 | Stock certificate book |
1925-1950 |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Camping
- Dude ranches
- Guides for hunters, fishermen, etc.
- Horse breeding
- Horse industry
- Horseback travel
- Land companies
- Parks
- Sheep ranches--Montana
Corporate Names
- Park Saddle Horse Company (Mont.) (creator)
Geographical Names
- Babb (Mont.)
- Glacier National Park (Mont.)
- Kalispell (Mont.)--Commerce