Montana State University Library, Merrill G. Burlingame
Special Collections
P.O. Box 173320
Bozeman, MT 59717-3320
United States
Phone (406) 994-4242
Fax (406) 994-2851
http://www.lib.montana.edu/archives/
University Archivist
spcoll@www.lib.montana.edu
Collection 0188, MtBC, us
Taylor, Olney.
Olney Taylor Diary
1882 March 20-1882 December 1
1 volume
The Olney Taylor Diary was kept Olney on his first trip to
Montana in 1882. The diary begins with his departure from Waterville, Maine on March 20 and
describes the train journey to Montana. On arrival in the Yellowstone Valley, Taylor
recorded his purchase of land from a neighbor on April 25 and kept daily entries thereafter.
Taylor's diary documents the building of his log home and outbuildings, the initial planting
of his first orchards, mentions several other area settlers, offers a description of local
weather conditions, and a very brief synopsis of his farming activities. Other papers in the
collection include some newspaper clippings and an original poem written on Montana State
Board of Horticulture stationery.
Collection materials are in English
Biographical Note
Olney Taylor came to Montana from Maine in 1882 where he settled on land near Park City in
the lower Yellowstone River valley. He established several fruit orchards, especially
experiencing success with apples. Taylor also served as a member of the Montana State Board
of Horticulture and wrote a report on fruit culture in the
First
Annual Report of the Montana Farmer's Institutes (Helena: Independent Publishing
Company, 1902), 189-194.
The Taylor papers consist of a small pocket diary kept by Olney on his first trip to
Montana in 1882. The diary begins with his departure from Waterville, Maine on March 20 and
describes the train journey to Montana. On arrival in the Yellowstone Valley, Taylor
recorded his purchase of land from a neighbor on April 25 and kept daily entries thereafter,
usually giving local weather conditions and a very brief synopsis of his farming activities.
Taylor's diary documents the building of his log home and outbuildings, the initial planting
of his first orchards, and mentions several other area settlers. Other papers in the
collection include some newspaper clippings and an original poem written on Montana State
Board of Horticulture stationery. A typed transcription of the diary is also available.
This collection is open for research.
The Olney Taylor diary was donated to Special Collections by Miss Emma L. Taylor of
Pasadena, California on September 15, 1964.
This collection was processed 2008 July 8
Taylor,
Olney-Diaries
Waterville (Me.)
Yellowstone River
Valley-History
Apple growers-Yellowstone River
Valley-Diaries
Apples-Yellowstone River Valley
Frontier and pioneer life-Yellowstone River
Valley
Fruit growers-Yellowstone River
Valley-Diaries
Orchards-Yellowstone River Valley
Overland journeys to Montana-Personal
narratives
Pioneers-Yellowstone River
Valley-Diaries
Railroad travel-United States
Diaries
Agriculture
Home and
Family
Overland Journeys
to the Northwestern United States
Pioneers
Montana
1/1
Diary
1882
1/2
Diary transcript
1/3
Clippings and poem