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Gallatin National Forest Ranger Log Books, 1906-1930

Overview of the Collection

Title
Gallatin National Forest Ranger Log Books
Dates
1906-1930
Quantity
.4 linear feet
Collection Number
Collection 685, MtBC, us (collection)
Summary
The Gallatin National Forest Ranger Log Books were created Michael Langohr, Fred E. Ainger, Cyrus L. Bryant, Fred G. Adams, Harrison M. Crane, W. W. Wetzel and L.H. McLean. The log books concern their daily activities both in the field and in the administrative offices. Locations mentioned include the upper Yellowstone River valley (especially including Tom Minor Basin), the Crazy Mountains, Martinsdale, Bozeman, Hyalite Mountains, Brackett Creek, and Trail Creek. Incidents described include forest fires, mining claim violations, and wildlife sightings.
Repository
Montana State University Library, Merrill G. Burlingame Special Collections
Montana State University-Bozeman Library
Merrill G Burlingame Special Collections
P.O. Box 173320
Bozeman, MT
59717-3320
Telephone: 4069944242
Fax: 4069942851
Access Restrictions

This collection is open for research.

Languages
English
Sponsor
Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities
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Historical Note

The Gallatin National Forest was established in 1899 as an administrative unit of the Northern Region of the United States Forest Service, initially under the auspices of the Department of the Interior. In 1905, the Forest Service was transferred to the Department of Agriculture. The total acreage in southwest Montana exceeded 1,800,000 by 1999, mostly located north and west of Yellowstone National Park in Carbon, Gallatin, Madison, Meagher, Park, and Sweet Grass counties. The first supervisor of the Gallatin National Forest was Michael Langohr, and other rangers operating in the early twentieth century included Fred E. Ainger, Cyrus L. Bryant, Fred G. Adams, Harrison M. Crane, W. W. Wetzel and L.H. McLean. Their duties included policing mineral and livestock lessees, combating forest fires, and protecting wildlife.

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Content Description

These log books were kept by all of the above mentioned rangers during the early twentieth century and concern their daily activities both in the field and in the administrative offices. Locations mentioned include the upper Yellowstone River valley (especially including Tom Minor Basin), the Crazy Mountains, Martinsdale, Bozeman, Hyalite Mountains, Brackett Creek, and Trail Creek. Incidents described include forest fires, mining claim violations, and wildlife sightings. The log books have been arranged in chronological order for volumes 1-24. Volumes 25 and 26 are out of sequence.

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Administrative Information

Acquisition Information

Twenty-four Log books kept by various rangers of the Gallatin National Forest were donated by the Museum of the Rockies on December 18, 2001 as part of collection 2130. They have been placed with two unidentified log books kept by Gallatin National Forest rangers donated by Merrill G. Burlingame in 1969.

Processing Note

This collection was processed 2009 May 27

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Detailed Description of the Collection

  • Description: Fred E. Ainger, Forest Ranger, Bozeman

    General patrol in the Gallatin National Forest; Gallatin Canyon, Hyalite, Trail Creek, etc.

    Dates: April 9, 1906-December 31, 1907
    Container: Box/Folder 1/1
  • Description: Fred E. Ainger
    Dates: January 1-July 20, 1908
    Container: Box/Folder 1/2
  • Description: Fred E. Ainger

    Good detail on ranger and ranch names as well as work inspected.

    Dates: July 21, 1908-February 28, 1909
    Container: Box/Folder 1/3
  • Description: Cyrus L. Bryant, Asst. Forest Ranger, Pine Creek

    East and West Boulder and Mission Creek out of Livingston.

    Dates: January 1-October 3, 1908
    Container: Box/Folder 1/4
  • Description: Fred G. Adams, Jardine

    West Boulder, Hellroaring, Jardine.

    Dates: June 1-October 15, 1908
    Container: Box/Folder 1/5
  • Description: Unidentified

    General office work in Livingston.

    Dates: February 1-August 17, 1909
    Container: Box/Folder 1/6
  • Description: Fred E. Ainger

    Detailed report on the Gallatin National Forest from Bozeman.

    Dates: March 1-November 14, 1909
    Container: Box/Folder 1/7
  • Description: Shorthand notebook

    Probably from Livingston office.

    Dates: March 16-November 20, 1909
    Container: Box/Folder 1/8
  • Description: Unidentified

    Patrols from Livingston office.

    Dates: September 9-June 30, 1909
    Container: Box/Folder 1/9
  • Description: Fred E. Ainger, Fridley

    Worked in Bozeman office: went to Fridley and patrolled with Deputy Forest Ranger A.S. Hapner. Later worked with Ranger H.A. Cleaveland on Bracket Creek. Detail excellent. Most of the patrols are from the Upper Yellowstone area.

    Dates: October 1, 1909-May 31, 1910
    Container: Box/Folder 1/10
  • Description: Several rangers seem to have logged in this book

    Patrols in Upper Yellowstone Deep Creek Ranger Station.

    Dates: April 10-September 30, 1910
    Container: Box/Folder 1/11
  • Description: Fred E. Ainger

    Patrols in Upper Yellowstone from base at Fridley.

    Dates: June 1-December 31, 1910
    Container: Box/Folder 1/12
  • Description: Joe Rink

    Patrols in Upper Yellowstone area.

    Dates: April 23-September 23, 1911
    Container: Box/Folder 1/13
  • Description: Harrison M. Crane-Pine Creek

    Worked with Rink; patrols in Upper Yellowstone. Much detail about threshing seed from pine cones. Handwriting looks as though these men wrote the unidentified logs.

    Dates: October 1, 1910-April 29, 1911
    Container: Box/Folder 1/14
  • Description: Harrison M. Crane, Assistant Forest Ranger, Melville

    Patrols out of Big Timber and Melville as on American Fork Creek.

    Dates: November 3, 1911-May 24, 1912
    Container: Box/Folder 1/15
  • Description: Fred E. Ainger

    Patrols of Upper Yellowstone, especially Minor.

    Dates: August 1, 1911-March 30, 1912
    Container: Box/Folder 1/16
  • Description: Fred E. Ainger

    Patrols of Upper Yellowstone: mostly worked in Bozeman on forest atlas corrections. Patrolled out of Big Creek Station. Frequent mention of Bottler's sheep.

    Dates: December 1, 1912-September 7, 1913
    Container: Box/Folder 1/17
  • Description: L.H. McLean. Forest Ranger

    Patrolled from Dome Mountain Ranger Station; worked in office at Big Creek Station.

    Dates: March 1-July 31, 1918
    Container: Box/Folder 1/18
  • Description: L.H. McLean

    Working in Upper Yellowstone. Little detail.

    Dates: August 1-December 31, 1918
    Container: Box/Folder 1/19
  • Description: L.H. McLean, Forest Guard

    Patrol of the Upper Yellowstone: some forest fire problems in late July. Little detail.

    Dates: June 23-October 4, 1919
    Container: Box/Folder 1/20
  • Description: Harrison M. Crane, Forest Ranger

    Work on Silver King mining claim trespass; Patrol of the Upper Yellowstone. Mention of elk conditions and insects in the timber.

    Dates: February 1-April 30, 1923
    Container: Box/Folder 1/21
  • Description: L.H. McLean, Forest Ranger. District 4

    Patrol of the Upper Yellowstone in winter.

    Dates: February 1-May 1, 1925
    Container: Box/Folder 1/22
  • Description: W.W. Wetzel, Forest Ranger, Emigrant

    Detail on routines near station.

    Dates: September 1-September 30, 1928
    Container: Box/Folder 1/23
  • Description: W.W. Wetzel

    Patrol of the Upper Yellowstone

    Dates: March 1-April 30, 1930
    Container: Box/Folder 1/24
  • Description: Unidentified

    Patrol of the Upper Yellowstone

    Dates: January 1-July 31, 1911
    Container: Box/Folder 1/25
  • Description: Harrison M. Crane

    Patrol of Crazy Mountains around Martinsdale.

    Dates: October 7, 1913-February 7, 1914
    Container: Box/Folder 1/26

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Animals-Montana-Gallatin National Forest
  • Forest fires-Montana-Gallatin National Forest
  • Forest rangers-Montana-Gallatin National Forest
  • Mining claims-Montana-Gallatin National Forest

Geographical Names

  • Gallatin National Forest (Mont.)

Form or Genre Terms

  • Logbooks-Montana-Gallatin National Forest

Other Creators

  • Personal Names

    • Adams, Fred G (creator)
    • Ainger, Fred E (creator)
    • Bryant, Cyrus L (creator)
    • Crane, Harrison M (creator)
    • McLean, L. H (creator)
    • Rink, Joe (creator)
    • Wetzel, W. W (creator)

    Corporate Names

    • United States-Forest Service (creator)
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