Montana Historical Society
Archives
RS 32_RS 496
Montana Carey Land Act Board
Montana Carey Land Act Board records
1897-1962
18 linear feet
This collection is a subgroup
(Board) of the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation records, RS
496. Please see the primary finding aid for more Montana Department of
Natural Resources and Conservation records. Records of the Montana Carey Land Act
Board (1903-1962) consist of correspondence, minutes, irrigation project files, contracts,
financial records, maps, and printed material.
18:5-6 (General
Correspondence, Financial); 31:11-1 (Legal, Maps, Minutes, Reports)
English
During the early years of the New Deal in the 1930s, water conservation funds became
available to the states from the federal government. To take advantage of this opportunity,
a special session of the Montana Legislative Assembly convened in late 1933 and created the
State Water Conservation Board to channel both state and federal money into small irrigation
projects. An individual farmer who wanted to build and irrigation facility petitioned the
Board and, if his proposal was accepted, the Board built the project and the farmer
reimbursed the state. By 1952, the State Water Conservation Board had built 173 projects
throughout the state.
In 1965, the Board assumed the functions of the State Engineer and the Carey Land Act
Board. In 1967, the Montana Water Resources Board was created to assume the duties of the
State Water Conservation Board, and to coordinate all water resource development programs
around the state. Other duties included the administration of weather modification laws and
the preparation of a comprehensive inventory of the state's water resources and a multiple
use water plan for the state.
In 1971, as part of the general reorganization of state government, the Water Resources
Board was abolished and its functions taken over in 1972 by the Water Resources Division of
the Department of Natural Resources and by the Board of Natural Resources and
Conservation.
The Carey Land Act Board was the successor to the State Arid Land Grant Commission [former
RS 31]. The Board was set up by the 1903 Legislative Assembly, after the Commission was
abolished. The bill authorized the Board to undertake projects for reclaiming land granted
to the state under the federal Carey Land Act of 1894. Initially the Board was restricted to
completing three projects begun by the Arid Land Grant Commission: District 1 near Billings,
District 2 near Big Timber, and District 4, known as the Dearborn Canal. The 1905
Legislative Assembly expanded the objectives of the Board, allowing it to undertake new
projects. Among these new projects were the Bynum Project, the Conrad-Valier Project, the
Teton Project, and numerous smaller projects. The Carey Land Act Board was abolished in 1965
and its duties transferred to the State Water Conservation Board.
This collection contains interoffice correspondence (1912-1959) among the Carey Land Act
Board, individual Board members, and the State Engineer; and general correspondence
(1903-1959) primarily with settlers and lease holders of Carey lands. Financial records
include receipts (1910-1959) for assignment fees, entry fees, and leases; a cash book
(1910-1959); and financial reports (1906-1918, 1941-1962) by the Board secretary and the
State Examiner. There is a minute book (1909-1959) plus a typed transcript of minutes
(1903-1909). Originals are in the State Arid Land Grant Commission Records [former RS
31].
Reports include biennial reports (1904, 1906, 1910) and a report (1941) to the Governor's
Committee on Reorganization and Economy. The bulk of the collection consists of subject
files (1903-1958) on Carey irrigation projects around the state. The files are not
consistent in documentation. Some of the smaller project files contain only a chronology of
the project; others (including the Big Timber Project, the Billings Project, the Bynum
Irrigation District, the Dearborn Canal, and the Valier Project) are extensive, including
detailed correspondence and reports on the building of the project and its eventual
disposition. Best documented is the Valier Project.
The collection is arrranged by series.
Collection is open for research.
Researchers must use collection in accordance with the policies of the Montana Historical
Society Library & Archives. The Library & Archives 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.
In 2024, the various collections of the Montana Department of Natural Resources and
Conservation were integrated under one collection identifier, RS 496, in order to help
facilitate access, reduce redundancy in the MTHS catalog, and to follow best archival
practices.
Collections from Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation's various
Divisions and Bureaus that were previously treated as separate entities are now integrated
into this collection, RS 496. Rather than reprocessing over 300
linear feet of DNRC materials, MTHS staff decided to keep the past arrangement of those
collections/finding aids, and provide access to them via links through the central finding
aid. This decision has allowed the MTHS archival staff to maintain intellectual control over
the collection, while removing the need to reprocess it. It also keeps State Agency finding
aids at manageable sizes. Please read the scope and content note carefully to determine if
this subgroup/sub-subgroup pertains to your research needs.
Item description and date. Collection Title. Collection Number. Box and Folder numbers.
Montana Historical Society Library & Archives, Helena, Montana.
Acquisition information available upon request
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the Montana Historical Society
Archives catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or places
should search under these terms.
Montana Carey Land Act
Board
Reclamation of land--Montana
Reclamation of land--Law and legislation--United
States
Montana
Water and Water
Rights
Land Use
Detailed Description of the Collection
General Correspondence
1 / 2
American Legion Yellowstone Post #4 (re acquisition of
land for a recreational lake)
1929-1939
1 / 3
A-B (includes Mrs. B.M. Atwell, Richard Aust, Arthur
Beeley, Big Timber Livestock Company, J.F. and Gwendolyn Bills)
1918-1959
1 / 4
Billings Bench Water Association
1920-1954
1 / 5
Billings Land and Irrigation Company (re sale of
lands)
1908-1909
1 / 6
John F. Bobsien
1930-1948
1 / 7
C (includes Charles W. Campbell, Jack Clark, Francis
F. Coffman, R.B. Coffman, H.W. Conrad)
1929-1953
1 / 8
Davis Family, Shepherd, Mont.
1936-1959
1 / 9
Louis Dousman
1943-1953
1 / 10
D-F (includes Perry Davis, D.W. Doyle, Fergus County
Land and Irrigation Company, John Folkerts)
1927-1958
1 / 11
First National Bank of Conrad / First National Live
Stock Loan Company, Conrad
1931-1937
1 / 12
Glass Brothers Land Company / Glass-Lindsay Land
Company (re leases and land entries on Big Timber Project)
1924-1956
1 / 13
G (includes L.A. Gardner, Grasshaven Ranches, Everett
Grigsby)
1924-1955
1 / 14
H (includes Gerald and Marie Habets, Earl Hamilton,
Elwood Hicks, Melvin N. Hoisness, Hollam Company, Orin G. Hughes)
1929-1959
1 / 15
I-J (includes Idaho Dept. of Reclamation, Art Jardine,
Thomas Johnson, Horace W. Judson, Henry Junior)
1926-1959
1 / 16
Ben Kreiger
1952-1959
1 / 17
K-L (includes August Keil, E.R. Kennedy, Peter Kiewit
Sons' Company, Arthur F. Lamey, Jr., Hjalmar B. Landoe, Stanley Lavold, Little
Missouri Land and Irrigation Company, J.A. and Addie D. Lowry)
1911-1959
1 / 18
Montana Attorney General (primarily opinions re work
of Board)
1909-1957
1 / 19
Montana (miscellaneous state agencies)
1908-1955
1 / 20
M (includes Marigold Livestock Company, Frank Metre,
George Moore; one map in oversize folder)
1924-1958
1 / 21
National Farm Loan Associations
1942-1944
1 / 22
N-O (includes Raymond T. Nagle, Frank G. Nelson, W.E.
Oleson)
1928-1946
1 / 23
Pondera County; Pondera County Abstract
Company
1926-1952
1 / 24
P-R (includes George D. Palin, Bernhard Pearson,
Pendroy National Farm Loan Association, Raymond Ries)
1918-1950
1 / 25
Sweet Grass County; Sweet Grass Canal and Reservoir
Company
1926-1944
1 / 26
S-T (includes Ben H. Schnepel, Joseph P. Seifert,
South Bench Irrigation Association, Chester L. Sporleder, James T. Stanford, J.A.
Swanson Agency)
1915-1962
1 / 27
United States General Land Office / Bureau of Land
Management
1903-1922, 1949
1 / 28
U-V (includes Rene Vandepopelier, Frank J. Van
Driest)
1925-1958
1 / 29-34
Valier-Montana Land and Water Company / The Valier
Company (re leases and land entries)
1922-1954
1 / 35
Van Doorne family
1926-1942
1 / 36
Whitmore family
1927-1941
1 / 37
W-Y (includes Alfred Wagner. John P. Wagner, George P.
Waller, Edward Warlick, H.O. Weddle, Peter Yegan, Jr.)
1908-1958
1 / 38
Yeager Family / Yeager Land and Livestock
Company
1936-1953
1 / 39
Yellowstone County (1 map in oversize
folder)
1914-1959
Financial Records
2 / 1
Banks: First National Bank and Trust Company (includes
bank book, bank statement, check register)
1931-1937
2 / 2
Banks: Montana Trust and Savings Bank (includes bank
books, bank statements, check registers, circular letter)
1914-1935
2 / 3
Banks: Union Bank and Trust Company (includes bank
books, bank statements, cancelled checks)
1906-1932
1
Cash book [1903-1910 are in State Arid Land Grant
Commission Records, RS 31]
1910-1959
2 / 4-5
Expenditure notebooks
1921-1941
2 / 6
Financial reports by Board Secretary
1906-1918
2 / 7
Financial reports by State Examiner
1941-1962
2 / 8
Receipts and disbursements journal
1909-1917
2 / 9-10
Receipts: assignment fees
1911-1948
2 / 11-13
Receipts: entry fees
1910-1953
2 / 14-15
Receipts: final proof fees
1913-1959
2 / 16-17
Receipts: leases
1934-1957
2 / 18-19
Receipts: patent fees
1912-1945
3 / 1-3
Receipts: State Treasurer
1903-1912, 1940-1957
3 / 4
Receipts: United States General Land
Office
1908-1909
Legal Documents
3 / 5-8
Applications and certificates: Valier
Company
1952-1955
Maps
3 / 9
List of maps and charts in oversize folder
undated
Minutes
3 / 10
Minutes [typed transcripts: originals in RS
31]
1903-1909
2
Minute book
1909-1953
3 / 11
Minutes: notes, agendas, transcripts of selected
meetings
1912-1953
3 / 12
Resolutions granting State Engineer authority to act
for Board
1909-1928
Reports
3 / 13
Biennial reports
1904-1910
3 / 14
Report to Governor's Committee on Reorganization and
Economy (includes history, functions, and organization of Board)
1941
3 / 15
Big Timber Project: chronology
1898-1916
3 / 16
Big Timber Project: correspondence
1909-1956
3 / 17
Big Timber Project: descriptions
undated
3 / 18
Big Timber Project: reports by C.S. Heidel, state
hydrographer and A.W. Mahan, state engineer
1911, 1916
3 / 19
Big Timber Project: miscellaneous (includes
prospectus, clipping, map in oversize folder)
undated
3 / 20
Billings Project: chronology
1897-1920
3 / 21-23
Billings Project: correspondence (includes 1 map in
oversize folder)
1905-1949
3 / 24
Billings Project: annual reports, legal documents,
lists of water users, maps
1903-1958
3 / 25
Billings Project: patents 3, 5, 6
[photonegatives]
1906-1916
3 / 26
Bynum Irrigation District: correspondence
1921-1927
3 / 27-28
Bynum Irrigation District: court papers (petitions for
establishment, elimination, and expansion of district with supporting
papers)
1920-1925
3 / 29
Bynum Irrigation District: legal documents
1925-1926
3 / 30
Bynum Irrigation District: reports by A.H. Mahon and
George Henry Ellis on water supply, and by R.H. Fifield on history, agricultural
conditions, irrigation plans, water supply, and operation of the Project (includes 16
charts in oversize folder)
1909-1924
3 / 31
Bynum Irrigation District: specifications, bids,
estimates, clippings (includes 1 chart in oversize folder)
1924-1926
3 / 32
Cove Irrigation District: description
circa 1937
3 / 33
Dearborn Canal: chronology, correspondence, financial
records
1899-1911
3 / 34
Dearborn Canal: minutes of meeting with Henry Semple
Ames
1904
3 / 35
Dearborn Canal: report of John W. Wade, state
engineer
1904
3 / 36
Flatwillow Project: chronology
1945-1946
3 / 37
Flatwillow Project: correspondence (Fergus County Land
and Irrigation Company, David Hilger, United States Reclamation Service)
1913-1921
3 / 38
Flatwillow Project: legal documents
1917
3 / 39
Franklin Irrigation District: chronology
1910-1912
3 / 40
Franklin Irrigation District: report by
Gerharz-Jaqueth Engineering Company
1923
3 / 41
Little Missouri Project: chronology,
correspondence
1910-1927
3 / 42
Musselshell Project: chronology
1909-1914
3 / 43
Red Rock Project: chronology
1910-1912
3 / 44
Ruby River Project: chronology
1910-1914
3 / 45
Teton Project: chronology, correspondence
1909-1921
3 / 46
Toole County Irrigation District: report by
Gerharz-Jaqueth Engineering Company
1922
4 / 1
Valier Project: chronology
1908-1921
4 / 2-5
Valier Project: correspondence
1909-1953
4 / 6
Valier Project: court papers (In the matter of the
Valier-Montana Land and Water Company petition, order, and decree)
1943-1944
4 / 7
Valier Project: court papers (U.S. vs. Canal
Investment Company chronology and notes)
1905-1907
4 / 8
Valier Project: court papers (Valier Company vs. Carey
Land Act Board and Pondera Canal and Reservoir Company complaint and U.S. Supreme
Court transcript)
1947-1950
4 / 9
Valier Project: financial records
1919-1924
4 / 10
Valier Project: inventory of personal property owned
by The Valier Company
1953
4 / 11
Valier Project: legal documents
1909-1952
4 / 12
Valier Project: lists of leases, land sales,
etc.
1913-1952
4 / 13
Valier Project: maps and charts (some in oversize
folder)
1917,1951
4 / 14
Valier Project: memoranda, notes, lists of documents,
etc.
1913-1949
4 / 15
Valier Project: minutes of Pondera Canal Company,
Conrad Land and Water Company, Pondera County Canal and Reservoir Company, Carey Land
Act Board [copies]
1908-1953
4 / 16
Valier Project: petitions and applications
1912-1953
5 / 1-5
Valier Project: reports of Valier Land and Water
Company Engineering Dept.
1920-1925
5 / 6-9
Valier Project: reports of Valier Land and Water
Company Maintenance Dept.
1920-1925
5 / 10-15
Valier Project: reports of Valier Land and Water
Company Operations Dept.
1919-1924
5 / 16
Map: Conrad Land and Water Company’s Irrigation
Project, Teton County
1911
5 / 17
Map: Orthophoto Mosaic of Colstrip Transmission
Project, Range 4 West Mineral Claims
1973
5 / 18
Ownership Maps, J.A. Tidyman
1948
5 / 1
Valier Project/Billings Project/Big Timber:
Segregation Lists
undated
6 / 1
Valier Project: report by MacMillan and
Hawley
1926
6 / 2
Valier Project: report by J.S. James, state
engineer
1930
6 / 3
Valier Project: report by E.M. Tice
[drafts]
1940
6 / 4
Valier Project: report by Oscar E. Moberg,
engineer
1949
6 / 5
Valier Project: report by Oscar E. Moberg
[summary]
1949
6 / 6
Valier Project: report analysis by George
Ebner
1950
6 / 7
Valier Project: reports by Fred E. Buck, state
engineer
1951,1953
6 / 8
Valier Project: rules and regulations
1915,1918
6 / 9
Valier Project: water supply statistics
1917-1948
6 / 10
Inventory of office equipment
1906
6 / 11
"Laws of Montana Governing Irrigation
Districts"
1934
6 / 12
Lists of land sales and leases
1907-1956
6 / 13
Lists of petroleum reserves
1915-1917
6 / 14
Notes on case of H.F. McFarlin (re land
entry)
1943-1954
6 / 15
Notices, resolutions, etc.
1906-1959
6 / 16
Rules and regulations
1909-1951
6 / 17
Sample forms, legal documents and stationery [see also
oversize vols. 3-5 ]
undated
Reports
7 / 1-8
Big Timber Project - Land Lists, Relinquishments,
Field Notes
1898-1932
7/9-16
Big Timber Project – Field Notes, Case Files,
Geological Surveys, Agreements, Arid Land Grant Commission, Notice of Appropriations,
Proposal Agreements, Bonds, Miscellaneous
1897-1916
7/18-22
Big Timber Project – Applications for Entry. No. 1 –
No. 81
1910-1943
7/23-26
Billings Project: Land Lists, Segregation Lists,
Correspondence, Reports, Bills, Contracts, Bonds, Financial Records, Discarded Plans,
Miscellaneous
1897-1948
8/1-2
Billings Project: Land Lists – No. 1, 2, 3, and
7
1901-1914
8/3
Billings Project: Billings Land and Irrigation;
Letters; Reports; Notices; Bills; Estimate for Reclamation
1897-1904
8/4
Billings Project: Billings Land and Irrigation,
Contract and Modification
1903-1906
8/5
Billings Project: Sale of Bonds
1897-1898
8/6
Bridger Project: Billings Land and Irrigation,
Specifications–Reinforced Headgate Concrete, Financial
1897-1911
8/7
Billings Project: Petitions for Land South of the
Yellowstone, Unsold Land, Map
1911-1914
8/8
Billings Project: Billings Land and Irrigation
Co.
1908-1915
8/9-16
Billings Project: Applications for Entry, No.
1-149
1904-1952
8/17-18
Billings Project: Land Ownership Cards
1920
8/19
Billings Project: Certification
1912-1920
8/20
Billings Project: District 3
Specifications
undated
8/21-23
Dearborn Project: Lists No. 5 and 6 – Contracts,
Agreements, Reports, Opinions, Forms, Supreme Court Decisions, Petitions,
Miscellaneous
1942
9/1
Flathead Project: Parker Report, Storage Regulation,
Columbia Basin Project [Includes Maps]
1926
9/2-3
Franklin Project: List No. 15, No. 20
1910-1925
9/4-6
Little Missouri River Project: List No. 22,
Miscellaneous
1912-1926
9/7-9
Musselshell Project: List No. 13 [Includes
Maps]
1909-1914
9/10
Pondera County Project: By Laws of Pondera County
Canal and Reservoir Company
1927
9/11-16
Pondera County Project: Lease No. 1-No.
112
1927-1955
9/17
Red Rock Project: East Bench Irrigation
District
1925-1926
9/18
Ruby River Project: List No. 16
1910-1914
9/20
Ruby River Project: Field Notes
1910-1912
9/21
Ruby River Project:
1911-1948
10/1-3
Teton Project: List No. 10 – Field Notes, Articles of
Incorporation, Weed Report, Affidavit
1909-1919
10/4
Toole County: Toole County Irrigation District –
Report and Plans [Includes Maps]
1908-1922
10/5
Toole County: Various Vouchers and
Certificates
1912-1937
10/6
Conrad Land and Water: Lists and Field Notes – No. 8
and No. 12
1901-1909
10/7
Conrad Land and Water: Water Rights and
Supply
1911-1917
10/8
Valier Project: Contracts
1913
10/9
Valier Project: George Henry Ellis Diaries,
Correspondence, Notes
1912-1923
10/10-12
Valier Project: Lists 8, 12, 14 – Field Notes,
Petitions, Letters, Notes, Schedules
1909-1914
10/13
Valier Project: Valier Montana Land and Water Company
– Bonds
1909-1913
10/14
Valier Project: No. 14 – Lists and Field
Notes
1909
10/15-17
Valier Project: Valier Montana Land and Water Company
– Bonds
1912-1914
10/18
Valier Project: Certificate of Locations
1910-1952
10/19
Valier Project: Miscellaneous, Dartmouth/Conrad Land
and Water
1909-1921
10/20
Valier Project: Miscellaneous
1913-1948
10/21
Valier Project: Record of Water Delivery
1912
10/22
Valier Project: Conrad Land and Water, Revised List
No. 12, List No. 14 Field Notes
1911-1912
10/23
Valier Project: Conrad Land and Water
1911
10/24
Valier Project: Lists 8, 12, 14 – Ford, Bacon,
Ditches, Patents, Misc.
1912-1916
10/25
Valier Project: Conrad Land and Water Co. – List 8,
Relinquishment
1908
10/26
Valier Project: Dartmouth/Conrad Land and Water –
State Arid Land Grant, Sun River Canal System
1903-1921
10/27
Valier Project: Application for Patent
1918-1921
10/28
Valier Project: Correspondence/Teton
1919-1927
10/29
Valier Project: Valier Law Suit (vs. State of
Montana)
1947-1948
11/1
Valier Project: Various Projects, John Schrotenboer,
Valier, Big Timber
1938-1944
11/2
Valier Project: Includes Index to Applications for
Entry
1929-1930
11/3
Valier Project: Canals [Includes Maps]
undated
11/4-5
Valier Project: Birch Creek Project/ “B”
Canal
1907-1912
11/6-7
Valier Project: Lake Francis Dam Project
1909-1914
11/8
Valier Project: Swift Dam
1912-1915
11/9
Valier Project: Surveys, Rating Curves – Valier
Canal
1915-1941
11/10-13
Valier Project: Miscellaneous, Correspondence,
Legal
1909-1911
11/14
Valier Project: Miscellaneous, Maps, Correspondence,
Hearing, Canals
1911-1936
11/15
Valier Project: Maps, Elevations, Water
Appropriations, Project Charts, Rainfall Charts, Drill Locations, Right-of-Ways,
Ditches
1912-1915
11/16-18
Valier Project: Valier Maps
1912-1917
11/19
Valier Project: Bond
1915
12/1-2
Valier Project: Miscellaneous
1911-1925
12/3
Valier Project: Maps
1912-1921
12/4-13
Valier Project: Applications for Entry, No. 1- No.
110
1909-1915
13/1-4
Valier Project: Applications for Entry, No. 111- No.
154
1909-1915
13/5-8
Valier Project: Certificates of Locations
1909-1917
13/9
Valier Project: Valier Co. vs. Carey Land Act Board,
Contract Report, Report on Valier Project Irrigation Project
1926-1950
13/10
Valier Project: Report of the President-Valier Montana
Land and Water Co., Analysis Report of Fred Buck-State Engineer Based on the
Inspection of the Valier Project By Oscar Moberg
1941-1950
13/11
Valier Project: District 4, Applications for Land,
Arid Land Grant Commission
1903-1904
13/12
Minutes of Arid Land Grant Commission: Opinions of
Attorney General and of Chief Justice
1897
13/13
Articles of Agreement Between US Government and State
of Montana
1914
13/14
Correspondence, Maps
1971-1976
13/15
Columbia River Basin Project
1907-1927
13/16
Valier Project: Correspondence, District No.
4
1898-1904
13/17
Valier Project: Correspondence, Legislation, “Recent
Developments”
1979
13/18
Segregation Lists, No. 23, Hazelbaker, Beaverhead
Project
1914
13/19
State Engineer, Miscellaneous Reports
1911
13/20
Department of Interior, Definition of “Actual
Settler”
undated
13/21
Various Reports, Specifications for Dams, Billings,
Milk River, Teton Cooperative Reservoir, Sun River Project, Gibson,
Flathead
1907-1914
13/22
Various Reports: Legislative,
Miscellaneous
1935-1936
13/23
Water Resources, Branch Wells
1916-1917
14/1
Correspondence, Images of Swift Dam Area After June
1964 Floods, State Examiner Report, Water Irrigation Project/Reports, Maps
1959-1969
14/2
Miscellaneous Correspondence, Boundaries, Maps, Lands
Loaned, Rules and Regulations, Preliminary Report on the Crow Creek Irrigation
Project, Purchased Lands, Statement Presented to Calvin Coolidge-Aug 30, 1927
Concerning Columbia River Basin
1919-1927
14/3
Clippings
1921-1922
14/4-17
Valier Project: Applications for Entry, No.
155-275
1909-1912
Box 15 (18 folders)
Valier Project: Applications for Entry, No.
276-460
circa 1912-1916
Box 16 (18 folders)
Valier Project: Applications for Entry, No. 470 – 649.
circa 1916-1920
Box 17 (20 folders
Valier Project: Applications for Entry, No.
650-799
circa 1918-1942