Montana Historical Society Research
Center
Photograph Archives
225 N. Roberts
PO Box 201201
Helena MT 59620-1201
(406) 444-4739
photoarchives@mt.gov
Lot 032
Agriculture in Montana photograph
collection
1880s-1960s
9 boxes
1031 photographic prints
68 film negatives including 25 nitrate
negatives and 43 negatives made from loaned photographs
This collection consists of photographs taken of
Montana’s agricultural industry including views of gardens, orchards, grain crops
and livestock and views of people and equipment working in the industry and
structures found on ranches, farms and homesteads including houses, cabins, barns,
and outbuildings.
No textual or other language
materials are included in the collection.
Historical Note
Early agriculture in Montana was largely limited to supplying the markets of mining
towns in the territory’s southwestern valleys. From 1870 until 1900, farmers slowly
moved eastward and northward, but faced an arid climate, large open-range livestock
operations, and Indian reservations. At the start of the new century, the eastern
two-thirds of the state was wide open, but during the first decade advancements in
tools and machinery, the development of a dry farming system, and the availability
of large tracts of land through homestead legislation all gave rise to a great land
rush. The boom, 1909-1916, was fueled by a large-scale promotional campaign designed
by the Great Northern, Milwaukee and Northern Pacific railroads; by state agencies
such as the Bureau of Agriculture, Labor and Industry; and by local chambers of
commerce, banks, and newspapers in communities eager for growth and development.
The promotion was a success as prospective homesteaders traveled to Montana by train,
and the farming frontier began to move – to the “golden triangle” north of Great
Falls, to central Montana near Judith Basin, to northern and eastern sections of the
state, to the High Line area north of the Missouri River, and to the valleys and
plains along the Yellowstone River. Ample rainfall and high food prices during the
first years of the homestead boom brought prosperity to Montana’s farmers. As a
result, the number of farms and ranches nearly doubled between the years 1900 and
1910, to more than 26,000. The peak of the rush coincided with the U.S. entry into
WWI in 1917; the boom had essentially collapsed by 1920. Montana’s homesteaders were
the last wave of the U.S. agricultural frontier.
Another agricultural event in Montana early in the 20th century was the apple boom in
the Bitterroot Valley. It featured a land promotion scheme, construction of the
Bitterroot Valley Irrigation Canal, and planting of orchards, with financing coming
largely from eastern investors. Enticed by the promise of fertile land and good
climate for growing fruit trees, farmers purchased 10-acre tracts and came to the
valley from 1907 to 1911. The boom was mostly apples – Macintoshes – but cherries,
pears and plums were also planted. However, due to financial problems with
completing the Big Ditch and because blight destroyed much of the valley’s crop in
1913, the boom was short lived.
This collection includes views of gardens, grain crops, livestock, and orchards on
Montana ranches, farms and homesteads. In addition, there are numerous photos of
people working in the agriculture industry in the state using many types of
equipment including tractors, plows, combines and threshers. There are also
photographs of ranch, farm and homestead structures including houses, cabins, barns,
outbuildings, windmills and silos. The images are arranged into three series: Series
I. Montana Department of Agriculture (DOA) Publicity Division (MTDOA) Collection,
Series II. Montana Agricultural Photographs from Various Donors, and Series III.
Collections of Agricultural Photographs.
Series I includes photographs collected by the Publicity Division mainly for use in
its publications. The photographs in Series I and Series II are organized by
subjects including Garden Crops, Grain Production, Livestock Production, Orchards,
and Structures, and then by county. Series III contains photographs of a particular
ranch or homestead, a specific crop or orchard, or taken by a specific photographer
and is organized by these topics.
This artificial collection consists of photographs related to Montana’s agricultural
industry that were donated to Montana Historical Society in the years prior to 1974.
A large number of photos (310) was transferred from the Publicity Division of
Montana Department of Agriculture (MTDOA). The balance of the collection (788
photos) was received from individual donors and cultural organizations.
In some instances, a photograph was loaned to Montana Historical Society for copying
and a negative was created for the Photo Archives collection. Prints were made from
the negatives and are included in this collection. The copy negatives are the
vintage images for these loaned photographs.
If the name of the farm, ranch, homestead or photographer is known, it is given in
the descriptions below. If the date of the photo is known, it is provided.
Some of the photographs in this collection are attributed to specific photographers
or photographic studios and lists of these follow.
Montana photographers:
Ray Bell
L.G. Bigelow
J.O. Booen
John L. Breum
J.W. Britian
Charles S. Bull
O.C. Bundy
F.W. Byerly
George Carolus
S.J. Culbertson
Culver Studio
Asahel Curtis
Corliss Fairchild
L.A. Foster Photo Company
George Grant
Orlando Scott Goff
Great Falls Photo and View Company
Harley
Helmbrecht Studio
Heyn and Kelley
Heyn’s Elite Studio
George Jacobson
Emeroy Johnson
J.W. Johnson
Paul W. Kieser
Al Lucke
J.F. Lewis
R.H. Mattison
J.L. Ming
Ralph Morgan
W.J. Nankeman
Olson Photograph Company
Ernest Peterson
O.M. Salisbury
Albert Schlechten
Herman Schnitzmeyer
George F. Stannard
J.F. Watt
John A. White
C.A. Wiley
C.P. Winther
Other photographers:
H.L. Bolley
Livestock Photo Company of Chicago
Northern Pacific Railroad
There are three series in the collection: Series I. Montana Department of Agriculture
(DOA) Publicity Division (MTDOA) Collection – photographs collected by this division
and transferred to the historical society; Series II. Montana Agricultural
Photographs from Various Donors - photographs received from numerous other donors
sometime prior to 1974; and Series III. Collections of Agricultural Photographs –
photographs of a particular ranch or homestead, a specific crop or orchard, or taken
by a specific photographer.
Collection is open for research.
The Montana Historical Society is the owner of the materials in the Photograph
Archives collections and makes available reproductions for research, publication,
and other uses. Written permission must be obtained from the Photograph Archives
before any reproduction use. The Society does not necessarily hold copyright to all
of the materials in its collections. In some cases, permission for use may require
seeking additional authorization from the copyright owners.
Agriculture in Montana photograph collection. Lot 032. [Box, folder number, and
photograph number.] Montana Historical Society Photograph Archives, Helena,
Montana.
Acquisition information available upon request.
Agriculture
Crops
Gardens
Livestock
Orchards
Ranches
Farms
Montana
Photographs
Agriculture
Land Use
Montana
Detailed Description of the Collection
Series I
MONTANA DEPARTMENT OF
AGRICULTURE (DOA) PUBLICITY DIVISION COLLECTION
In 1909, the state legislature provided a publicity department for the Bureau
of Agriculture, Labor and Industry to collect, publish and distribute
reports on the resources of the state. The first publication of the new
department was entitled Montana, a booklet issued “for the purpose of
attracting to Montana desirable settlers for the millions of acres of good
agricultural land yet waiting for the plow.” The second edition of Montana
was issued in 1912. Because of the success of this publicity campaign, the
legislature created the Department of Agriculture and Publicity in 1913, and
the department continued to issue similar promotional publications in
subsequent years.
The publications presented “only the unvarnished truth, facts and figures
that cannot be successfully disputed” in order to advertise the state’s
“marvelous resources and attractions”. They also included photographs
showing the people who worked the land and the locations across the state
where they found opportunities to farm, ranch, practice horticulture, and
raise poultry, livestock, and dairy cattle.
The photographs in this series were transferred from MTDOA and some can be
found in its Publicity Division’s publications. The dated photographs are
from the period 1909 – 1930. Some images include a letter of the alphabet
and these photographs were used as the first letter of the text the
photograph was illustrating. For example, a photograph of a farmer standing
in a grain field was printed with a “W” which was used for the word “While”
at the beginning of a description of crop production.
The MTDOA images are arranged in subseries by subjects including Garden
Crops, Grain Production, Livestock Production, Orchards, and Structures, and
then by county. Any photograph that is not identified by location is
included in the Unknown Location folders at the end of each subseries.
Subseries 1
DOA GARDEN
CROPS
Crops including potatoes, celery, endive, strawberries, onions, lettuce,
sunflowers, cabbage, tomatoes, cucumbers, sugar beets, and some
unidentified garden crops. Arrangement is by county.
1/1
Cascade County
– blooming potato plants in a field with the Sun River in
background; garden on James Dennigan Ranch near Fort Shaw with house
and outbuildings (1911); field of potato plants. Custer County – State Industrial School in Miles City
garden, crops, trees and buildings; Beebe Community vegetable
exhibit at Eastern Montana Fair (1926); vegetable exhibit at Eastern
Montana Fair (1926). Dawson County – man
standing near a building holding a pole made of large potatoes
(1918; photo submitted by N.A. Boyts to C.D. Greenfield for Yearbook
of Montana). Fallon County – men in corn
and seed potato field.
1/2
Flathead County
– Herman Van Aken garden (Whitefish) including group
working in rows of strawberries; men hoeing celery and endive crops
(1927); family standing in field of lettuce; young girl and boy in
celery field with log pole structure in background; Herman Van Aken
and children with harvested celery and endive boxed for shipping.
Hori Ranch (Whitefish) field of cabbage and celery with barn and
silo in background.
1/3
Gallatin
County (photos taken by Albert Schlechten) – men, horse
teams and cultivating equipment in sunflower field; men standing in
pea field. Lincoln County – strawberries
displayed on plate (Libby). Phillips County
– men and dogs standing in potato field on Leo Geeting
Farm with hay stack in background (1927); men standing in cabbage
field on H. Siewing Farm with town buildings in background (1921).
Powder River County – garden with
rows of cabbage and other vegetables. Ravalli
County – men, women and children in field picking
strawberries (Bitterroot Valley) (taken by J.W. Johnson) (1925);
women and children in strawberry field with boxes of fruit (“T”
printed on photo); large garden planted in rows with barn, silo and
outbuildings (taken by J.W. Johnson) (1927); large garden planted in
rows with Hamilton Tourist Camp Ground sign and buildings; man
standing in row of tomato plants; garden crop exhibits at Ravalli
County Fair.
1/4
Sanders County
– men and horse team harvesting sunflowers near
Whitepine; men and boys in potato field; large potato raised by Mr.
Louby near Thompson. Stillwater County –
man standing in field of certified seed potato plants. Valley County – Thomas Green standing in
dry land corn and cucumber garden with buildings and windmill near
Glasgow. Yellowstone County – man
standing in field of sugar beets on C.O. Stone Ranch near
Ballantine, Huntley Project.
1/5
Unknown Location
– field of sugar beets and Milwaukee & Saint Paul
Railway car; dry land field planted in rows and farm
buildings.
Subseries 2
DOA GRAIN
PRODUCTION
Various grains being planted and harvested including wheat, barley,
alfalfa, timothy, corn, feterita, flax, oats, rye, and unidentified
crops. Farm equipment, both horse-drawn and mechanized, are shown.
1/6
Beaverhead County
– W.W. (Hap) Hawkins, Sr. standing by large stack of
filled grain sacks. Big Horn County – Tom
Campbell Farm – Aultman-Taylor gas engine tractors
pulling binders in grain field; line of Aultman-Taylor tractors
pulling plows in grain field (setting plowing record); tractor,
truck, automobile, horse-drawn wagons, threshing equipment and crew
in grain field; men and tractor pulling disc plows in field;
tractor, threshing equipment (labeled Holt), wagon and men working
in grain field; men with tractor pulling wagons hauling harvested
wheat.
1/7
Big Horn County –
Tom Campbell Farm – man with Holt Combine and 75 hp Holt
Crawler working in grain field; men with Case tractor pulling grain
train; line of tractors, men and equipment in grain field; men
working in field with 50’ wide double disc pulled by 120 hp Holt
Crawler; men on six 8-foot binders pulled by Holt Crawler working in
grain field; men working in grain field with tractors and
combines.
1/8
Broadwater County
– hay stack, cattle, house and outbuildings on Charles
Kenck Ranch near Winston; man with rifle standing in field behind
fence on Kenck Ranch. Carbon County –
harvested crop in field behind fence. Carter
County – exhibit of wheat shocks at Carter County Fair
(Ekalaka) (1922). Cascade County –
harvested grain shocks in field (“W” printed on photo); men and
woman with horse-drawn equipment in field harvesting crop near Belt;
man standing in field of dry spring wheat near Belt (1909); man
standing in corn field (taken by Heyn and Kelley); North Central
Montana Corn Show (November 1923) including exhibits of prize ears
of corn with sign “First National Bank of Great Falls
Special“.
1/9
Chouteau County
– E.L. McKeever with equipment harvesting grain crop on
J.C. Jensen Farm near Loma (1927); man, woman and automobile
standing in non-irrigated winter wheat field; field of harvested
grain shocks near Square Butte with hay stacks in background; field
of harvested wheat shocks (“H” printed on photo) (1922). Daniels County – harvested grain shocks in
field (“O” printed on photo). Dawson County
– woman and young boy standing in field of wheat near
Glendive (taken by L.A. Foster Photo Company) (1911); men standing
in oat and flax fields (taken by L.A. Foster Photo
Company).
1/10
Fallon County
– man and dog standing in field with harvested corn ears
and shocks (“W” printed on photo) (taken by J.O. Booen). Fergus County – man in automobile with
grain field in background (Cottonwood Valley, Judith Basin); men
standing on stacks of wheat sacks and horse-drawn wagons in field on
Otten Brothers Ranch (taken by J.F. Watt). Flathead County – men and woman standing in barley
field; horse-team and equipment harvesting barley (Pleasant Valley);
harvested wheat shocks in field with Columbia and Teakettle
mountains in background near Creston; man standing on box in
building next to a shock of oats; man standing on sidewalk holding
shocks of non-irrigated oats and timothy (taken by George F.
Stannard).
1/11
Gallatin
County (taken by Albert Schlechten) – two men on tractor
with binder in field near Bozeman; boys on horseback in field of
harvested wheat shocks; women standing in field of harvested wheat
shocks with mountains in background (Springhill area); men, boys,
tractor and horse-drawn binders working in field near Bozeman; field
of harvested wheat shocks and mountains in distance; men and
horse-drawn plows working in field (Gallatin Valley); field of
harvested wheat shocks with buildings at Montana State University in
background (1926); man, horse-drawn wagon and elevator unloading
wheat into granary; man standing in spring wheat field.
1/12
Gallatin
County (taken by Albert Schlechten) – views taken near
Anceny of man, woman and automobile standing in spring wheat field
with harvested shocks; men, woman and horse-drawn binder standing in
wheat field; and men with horse-drawn binders in field cutting
wheat. Glacier County – man with
horse-drawn binder working in grain field; man and boy standing in
harvested field with oat shocks. Golden Valley
County – man standing in corn field (“S” is printed on
photo).
1/13
Hill County
– views taken near Havre of man, two women and dog
standing in harvested grain field with horse-drawn binders on Harry
Rodgers Farm; man standing in spring wheat field holding child on
Windeaker Farm; men with horse team and equipment in dry land grain
field; and a group of men standing in a wheat field (caption “Havre
business men see encouraging crops on dry land farm”). Judith Basin County – men on tractor with
combine in grain field (1926); horse-drawn wagons in harvested wheat
field (1926); automobiles and tents surrounding field for farmers’
picnic (1914). Lake County – exhibit of
grain shocks (Mission Valley, Ronan) (taken by L.G. Bigelow); field
of harvested oat shocks with Mission Mountains visible; field of
harvested grain shocks with mountains near Arlee (taken by Emeroy
Johnson) (1926).
2/1
Lewis & Clark
County – two men in field of dry land barley near Wolf
Creek; partially plowed field in Spokane Bench near Helena with
hills in background. Lincoln County –
harvested hay crop in field with horse-drawn hay wagon on A.J. Purdy
Farm near Eureka. Madison County – field
of harvested grain shocks on G.E. Goble Ranch near Harrison; man
standing in harvested grain field on Lee Martin Ranch near Harrison.
McCone County – harvested alfalfa
field on Paul Schillinger Farm near Vida with house, windmill, and
outbuildings. Meagher County – field of
harvested grain shocks (Smith River Valley) (“A” is printed on
photo). Missoula County – man standing in
corn field on George F. Brooks Ranch (1916). Musselshell County – two men and horse-drawn binder
working in grain field. Park County –
field of harvested grain shocks with mountains in background (“I” Is
printed on photo); man standing in field of harvested grain shocks
(Shields River Valley).
2/2
Phillips County
– field of harvested wheat shocks on S.A. Simonson Farm
(near Whitewater) with barn and outbuildings (taken by Ray Bell)
(1928); field of corn plants; family including Doris McMillan
Bakkum, Dilbert McMillan, Gladys McMillan Campbell, Valda McMillan
Hanley and Ethel McMillan Erbacker standing in field of harvested
grain on McMillan Homestead near Dodson. Pondera
County – views taken near Conrad of men and women
standing in oat field with horse-drawn binder working in background
and a field of harvested grain shocks on James F. Sanders Ranch
(1915). Powder River County – woman
standing in oat and millet field with horse team (Otter Creek); John
Wight and woman standing in dry land alfalfa field (Bay Horse)
(1918); field of corn stalks on A. Jesse Ranch (1926).
2/3
Ravalli County
– exhibit of barley grown by L.E. Peterson (Victor); men
standing in grain field (Bitterroot Valley) (taken by J.W. Johnson)
(1927); men riding on tractor and equipment working in grain field
on Bitterroot Stock Farm; men, horse-drawn wagons and equipment
stacking alfalfa; man standing in timothy field (1919); large hay
stack in front of barn on J.O. Reed Farm near Hamilton. Richland County – wheat field on M. Olson
Farm near Sidney; man standing with corn stalks (“A” is printed on
photo). Roosevelt County – man standing
in grain field (“W” is printed on photo).
2/4
Rosebud County
– views taken near Vanada of man standing in feterita
(sorghum) field on F. W. Wright Farm; field of corn stalks (1927);
men, horse team, automobile and equipment stacking rye and heading
grain on I.F. Anderson Farm; field of harvested wheat shocks on
Frank Ballard Farm (1921); man standing in wheat field on C. M. Ask
Farm; men, tractor, automobile and equipment threshing grain and
field of harvested wheat shocks on George Kermode Farm (1922); field
of harvested winter wheat shocks on Hugh McCain Farm (c. 1923);
field of harvested wheat shocks on Ludwig Schmoller
Farm.
2/5
Sanders County
– men standing in irrigated oat field (Lonepine area).
Sheridan County – field of harvested wheat shocks. Stillwater County
– man, horse team and equipment mowing alfalfa field (“R” is printed
on photo); men standing in winter wheat field on Charles Mears Farm
(Lala Basin). Sweetgrass County – people and horse-drawn wagon in
field of harvested dry land wheat shocks on John Forster Farm near
Greycliff (1912). Teton County – I.C. Keister standing in spring
wheat field near Power (taken by Heyn & Kelley) (1922). Valley
County – views taken near Glasgow of a field of harvested flax
shocks and buildings on Albert Nelson Farm (1909); field of
harvested grain shocks (“O” is printed on photo); men with
automobile standing in wheat field on Peterson Farm (1921).
Yellowstone County – field of harvested wheat shocks (“A” is printed
on photo).
2/6
Unknown Location
– child standing in field of harvested grain shocks; man
standing with corn stalks; man with measuring pole standing in
non-irrigated clover field (1919); hay stacks and roofless wooden
structure; hay stacks and pickup field stacker; men standing in
timothy field (taken by Olson Photograph Company) (1910); stacks of
harvested grain; field of harvested wheat shocks “along the
Milwaukee Road”.
2/7
Unknown Location
– field of harvested grain shocks with hay stacks; field
of harvested wheat shocks with buildings and windmill; man in
horse-drawn buggy in grain field; man standing in wheat field (July
1910); men, tractor and equipment working in field; men with truck,
McCormick-Deering tractor and combine working in field; man with
tractor and equipment plowing a field (c. 1920s); man with tractor
and packer working in field (c. 1920s); men and horse-drawn
equipment working in field of harvested grain shocks and derrick
stacker (taken by H. Schnitzmeyer for Northern Pacific Railway);
harvested hay field with house, barn and outbuildings (taken by H.
Schnitzmeyer for Northern Pacific Railway); exhibit of Montana grain
(taken by Livestock Photo Company of Chicago) (c.
1920s).
Subseries 3
DOA LIVESTOCK
PRODUCTION
Pigs, horses, chickens and cattle.
2/8
Blaine County
– pigs and men in pen near Harlem. Carter County – pigs
eating corn ears near buildings (Ekalaka) (taken by J.F. Lewis).
Custer County – man and pig in enclosure with barn in background
near Miles City. Musselshell County – pigs feeding near a wagon
loaded with ears of corn (“C” is printed on photo). Ravalli County –
men, women and children exhibiting calves and cows with building,
tractor, automobiles and tents in background (taken by J.W. Johnson)
(1924). Wibaux County – pig standing in field with snow on the
ground; group of pigs and two horses feeding in front of log
structures (“O” is printed on photo).
2/9
Unknown Location
– man holding shovel standing with pigs; man holding
bucket standing near pigs and chickens; man standing with pigs
feeding at large trough; pigs in enclosure with straw shelter and
A-frame structures; pigs and piglets in pen, laying in straw, and
feeding at trough; pig eating grass in field; two men and horse
standing near pigs in enclosure.
Subseries 4
DOA
ORCHARDS
Apple, cherry and pear trees in various stages of growth including mature
trees in blossom and with fruit. Includes individuals working in the
orchards and harvesting the fruit.
2/10
Flathead County
– tree branch with a cluster of apples on A.B. Johnson
Orchard near Kalispell (taken by J.W. Britain); man picking fruit in
apple orchard; man standing in alfalfa planted in rows of blooming
fruit trees; fruit trees in bloom on Snow Orchard (Bigfork). Lincoln County – pear trees and log
building near Libby. Missoula County –
tree branch with cherries from Orchard Homes District.
2/11
Ravalli County
– fruit trees in bloom with mountains in distance
(Bitterroot Valley) (taken by J.W. Johnson) (1920s); men with
pressure spraying equipment in orchard (Bitterroot Valley); men and
women with MacIntosh apple trees and boxes full of apples; orchard
with trees in bloom (taken by R.H. McKay); men and tractors in front
of orchard (taken by J.W. Johnson) (1923); orchard with Blodgett
Canyon, Canyon Creek and mountains in the background near
Hamilton.
2/12
Sanders County
– trees with cherries and apples on Joe Weber Orchard
near Thompson; tree with pears on R.R. Ross Orchard near Thompson;
tree with pears on Munson Farm near Eddy. Unknown Location – fruit
trees in bloom and buildings; orchard in valley with buildings, snow
and mountains; silver cup trophy from Spokane Apple Show for “The
Best Box of McIntosh Apples” awarded to George H. Betzer
(1910).
Subseries 5
DOA
STRUCTURES
Houses, cabins, shacks, outbuildings, barns, windmills, corrals and other
structures on Montana ranches, farms and homesteads.
2/13
Big Horn County
– houses, outbuildings, and elevator on Antler Sheep
Company Ranch near Wyola. Broadwater County
– house, barn, silo and garden at A.B. Cook Ranch near
Townsend (taken by Albert Schlechten). Carbon
County – men and children hitting golf balls on lawn with
ranch house and outbuildings visible; farm house with apple orchard
on J.F. Kelley Ranch near Fromberg. Carter
County – man sitting in front of log building with sod
roof (caption on photo “wife wanted”); house, outbuildings and
garden in forest near Ekalaka. Cascade County
– men and women with house, barn, outbuildings, windmill
and horses in corral on J.F. Dealy Ranch (taken by Heyn &
Keeley); man standing with work horse and group on ranch house porch
with barn, outbuildings and automobile (“H.L. Jonas” is on mailbox)
near Great Falls; two-story house and barn on Preston Homestead (Sun
River Project). Custer County – dairy
barn, silo, outbuilding and wagon near Miles City; house, barn, road
and fence on N.W. Monte Ranch near Pumpkin Creek. Fergus County – ranch house, barns,
outbuildings, pond, and horses (1927).
2/14
Gallatin County
– threshing crew including Chris Visser, Menko Oykman,
Salo Ypma, Steve Veltkamp and dogs standing in front of building
(taken by Albert Schlechten). Hill County
– building in wheat field on Jestroh Brothers Ranch near
Havre. Judith Basin County – house, barn
and corral on Bulden Ranch near Utica; house, barn and outbuildings
on T.J. Lyons Farm near Windham; ranch house, fence and pond (“N” is
printed on photo). Lewis & Clark County
– buildings, river and mountains on Allan Ranch near
Augusta. Lincoln County – house, barn and
outbuildings near forest. Missoula County
– men on fence in front of log house with rock chimney on
Gordon Ranch (Holland Creek Valley). Phillips
County – farm house, barn, outbuildings, windmill,
granary and trees. Powder River County –
house, barn, outbuildings, cattle and men on horseback on Keller
Ranch (“W” is printed on photo).
2/15
Ravalli County
– views taken in 1922 in by J.W. Johnson of barn,
outbuildings and corral with house; house, barn, outbuildings, hedge
row and field on L.P. Hoover Farm; and men and wooden irrigation
aqueduct going through Bitterroot Valley; University Heights
Community central clubhouse near Darby (designed by Frank Lloyd
Wright) with men, horses, other buildings and McIntosh Morello
Orchards (later Como Orchard Company) (taken by J.W. Johnson) (1923,
1929); McIntosh Morello Orchard apple warehouse with automobile and
Northern Pacific freight car.
3/1
Richland County
– house, outbuildings, automobile and wagon on Hans
Nelson Farm near Sidney; house and barn with sign reading “Pioneer
Farm” on William Noteboom Farm near Fairview; house, barn,
outbuildings and windmill on M. Olson Farm near Sidney. Rosebud County – family standing in front
of cement house on Ludwig Schmoller Farm near Vananda. Sweetgrass County – family on porch of
house with antlers on roof on John Forster Farm near Greycliff.
Wheatland County – man and
horse-drawn wagon in front of house, barn, outbuildings and
equipment on sheep ranch at Musselshell Bottoms near
Shawmut.
3/2
Unknown Location – automobile in front
of house, outbuildings and silo with flag; house, barn (surrounded
with scaffolding), garden and fence; house, barn and outbuildings on
P.M. Spoelstas Farm with snow-covered mountains in distance (1909);
house, barn and outbuildings with mountains in background; two large
houses with brick chimneys; house, outbuilding and haystack; barn
and corral with pig; man on horse-drawn wagon loaded with
lumber.
Series II
MONTANA AGRICULTURAL
PHOTOGRAPHS FROM VARIOUS DONATIONS
The photographs in this series were received from various sources prior to
1974 and were organized in subseries by subjects including Garden Crops,
Grain Production, Livestock Production, Orchards, and Structures and then
arranged by county. The name of the photographer and the date of the photo
are noted if known.
Subseries 1
GARDEN
CROPS
Crops including potatoes, onions, cabbage, tobacco, strawberries, tomato,
squash, and sugar beets.
3/3
Cascade County
– views taken near Great Falls of onion plants in field;
garden with potato and cabbage plants and apple and plum trees on
McMillan Farm with barn (1909). Hill County
– men standing in field of potato plants on Grovedale
Dairy Farm near Havre. Liberty County –
men and dog standing with harvested potato crop on Alex Olsson Farm
near Joplin (c. 1912). Musselshell County
– men and a woman standing in field of cabbages on John
Ola Farm near Roundup (taken by Corliss Fairchild).
3/4
Ravalli County
– woman and children (one in stroller) with harvested
potato crop; man standing in field of potato plants (Bitterroot
Valley); potato plants growing in rows of young apple trees; men
working in field of onion sets, onions and onion seed; two young
girls with boxes of strawberries in strawberry field near Sunnyside
Orchards (1909); group of women and girls picking strawberries; man
standing with tobacco plants near Hamilton; “Tomato” Johnson
standing with large tomato plants (taken by O.M. Salisbury); field
of squash plants (taken for Northern Pacific Railway).
3/5
Richland County
– men standing in field of beet plants with horse-drawn
wagon and grain elevators. Yellowstone County
– man with horse-drawn wagon loaded with beets; men and
horse-drawn wagons filled with beets on ramp of beet dump near
Laurel (1910); man kneeling in field of harvested onions on Eiker
Ranch (Huntley Project). Unknown location
– field of potato plants with orchard and mountains in
distance.
Subseries 2
GRAIN
PRODUCTION
Various grains being planted and harvested including wheat, barley,
timothy, corn, flax, oats, millet and unidentified crops. Farm
equipment, both horse-drawn and mechanized, are shown.
3/6
Beaverhead County
– tractor, equipment, men and haystacks on Bar B Ranch
(Big Hole Basin) (1943). Blaine County –
men and horse-drawn equipment with large hay stack (Bear Paws) (c.
1910). Broadwater County – Ed Kasseden
and Peter George driving wagon pulled by six-mule team hauling wheat
on Peter Meloy Ranch. Carbon County –
men, horse-drawn wagon, stacker and hay stack near
Bridger.
3/7
Cascade County
– Paris Gibson in harvested field with grain shocks; men
and field of grain shocks (1901); harvested wheat field with grain
shocks near Great Falls; Pat O’Hara standing in oat field on J.B.
Long Farm near Geyser; men with tractor, horse-drawn wagons, and
threshing equipment (Sun River Bench) (1909); men standing in oat
field on Jones Ranch near Great Falls (July 1910); men standing in
harvested wheat field with grain shocks near Great Falls (taken by
Heyn’s Elite Studio); men in oxen-drawn wagon near Sun River (taken
by Great Falls Photo & View Company); men and horses with
overshot stacker and buck rake on Riverdale Stock Farm owned by
Henry H. Nelson.
3/8
Chouteau County
– men in automobile pulling a boy riding on a binder in
grain field near Fort Benton; Whitcraft hay crew on McNamara and
Marlow Ranch using horse-drawn mowers and dump rakes in field with
horses wearing protective blankets (c. 1912); men on horse-drawn
mowers in hay field on Whitcraft Ranch near Big Sandy with horses
wearing protective blankets. Daniels County
– Irv Galloway driving loaded horse-drawn hay wagon near
Flaxville (1914); man standing by early International Harvester
tractor in field near Flaxville. Dawson County
– family using home-made horse-powered thresher
(1909).
3/9
Fergus County
– men with Reeves steam tractor and threshing equipment
on Frank Strouf Ranch near Denton (c. 1900); men using Avery tractor
and steam plow and man driving a horse-drawn wagon on Gilsky
Brothers Farm near Hilger (taken by George Carolus) (1905);
harvested field of grain shocks near Maiden with Judith Mountains in
background (taken by Culver Studio) (January 1948); men, Case
tractor, horse-drawn wagons and threshing equipment on Mountain View
Ranch owned by J.E. Stevens (Coffee Creek) (1911); men and stack of
sacks of wheat on Otten Brothers Ranch (taken by J.F. Watt). Flathead County – W.C. Avelman holding oat
and pea stocks (Kalispell) (taken by George F. Stannard). Gallatin County – harvested field of grain
shocks (taken by Albert Schlechten). Glacier
County – men driving horse-drawn seeders on Graham Ranch
near Cut Bank (1919); men, horse-drawn equipment, tripod stacker and
sling, and large hay stack on George Henkel Ranch near
Browning.
3/10
Hill County
– men, steam powered threshing equipment, horse-drawn
wagon and hay stack (taken by Helmbrecht Studio) (1916); views taken
near Havre of men, Reeves steam engine and steam lift plow in field
with automobile and horse-drawn carriage; threshing crews using
horse-drawn cutter, header box, tractor, horse-drawn hay wagons,
bundle box, threshing machine, Kimpel Jensen Implement Company grain
box, and mower (c. 1913); and men, women and children of Jim Griffin
threshing crew with tractor, wagon, equipment, and hay stack (1889);
men and children with grain drill and gasoline tractor on Jestrabs
Ranch (1920); men and tractor pulling grain wagons from Jestrabs
Ranch with buildings and grain elevators (1915); Charles Popish, Ann
Warhank, Wilhelmina Warhank, Margaret Warhank, Barbara Warhank and
Carl Warhank standing in harvested field of grain shocks on Popish
Homestead near Goldstone (1915).
3/11
Judith Basin
County – men, tractor, threshing equipment, and
horse-drawn wagons harvesting wheat on T.J. Lyons Farm (Windham).
Lake County – men on tractor pulling
plow (Mission Valley); 12,000 sacks of wheat on Connerly Ranch
(Ronan) (1911); men, tractor, horse-drawn wagons, threshing
equipment on Pablo Ranch.
3/12
Lewis and Clark
County – grain field and shocks with valley and mountains
in background (near Helena) (taken by Asahel Curtis); man with
horse-drawn equipment on Neft Ranch (Augusta); views taken on the
Willard Ranch (Augusta) including Charles Willard driving buck rake
(c. 1930s); men, horses and threshing equipment; men on horse-drawn
mowers in hay field; and men and loaded horse-drawn hay
wagon.
4/1
Liberty County
– family and horse-drawn equipment in field of grain
shocks on Pete Westerland Farm near Joplin (c. 1912). Madison County – men with Remi Baril
threshing engine owned by Q. S. Talcott near Twin Bridges (c. 1890);
Fred Seidensticker crew with tractor and threshing equipment near
Twin Bridges (c. 1900). McCone County –
man on horse-drawn plow on E. B. Jones Ranch (Crow Creek) (1915).
Meagher County – men, mule-drawn
combine, horses and wagon in field near White Sulphur Springs. Park County – three men with tractor and
woman in horse-drawn buggy (Shields River area). Powder River County – views of John Wight Farm (Bay
Horse) (1919) including men standing in dry land millet field; men
and horse-drawn binder in corn field; and man standing in field; men
and field of oats on Charles Jesse Farm near Olive. Prairie County – men with tractor, water
wagon, horses and threshing equipment near Fallon (c. 1900); men,
boy, horses and equipment with grain stacks near Fallon; threshing
crew standing on horse-drawn hay wagons (c. 1913).
4/2
Ravalli County
– men, horse-drawn wagons, tractor, threshing equipment,
and women in automobile (possibly Bitterroot Stock Farm ); harvested
field and grain shocks in Bitterroot Valley with buildings and
Trapper’s Peak in background (taken by Ernst Peterson); men, Reeves
tractor and steam plow in field at Sunnyside Orchards (Bitterroot
Valley); prize-winning barley grain and oat grain grown by R.V.
Peterson (Victor); prize-winning wheat grain grown by C. Edson Smith
(Corvallis).
4/3
Richland County
– men standing by grain piles at Lambert waiting shipment
with A. Guthrie & Company Railroad Contractors equipment and
town buildings in background; man standing in corn field on Ira M.
Alling Farm near Sidney; ears of corn drying on racks and in buckets
at D. D. Dotson Seed Company (Sidney). Rosebud
County – corn field on F.W. Wright Farm near Vananda.
Sheridan County – row of
self-propelled combines loading wheat into trucks on Roy and
Margaret Nelson Farm (1957). Stillwater County
– John Woods driving horse-drawn harrow in field;
prize-winning timothy grain grown by T.H. Busteed; prize-winning
wheat grain grown by L.P. Yates (Fishtail). Sweetgrass County – Sam P. Solberg standing by a tractor
on Sanderson Ranch near Melville (c. 1915); man and two women
standing on haystack with Sam P. Solberg on hay wagon nearby on Brek
Ranch (c. 1912); man pumping water in trough in corral on Solberg
Ranch with horse and hay stack (c. 1905).
4/4
Valley County
– harvested field with wheat shocks on John Baker Farm
near Glasgow (1927); men with tractor, McCormick-Deering combine,
and power binder on Al Fassett & Markle Farm near Glasgow (c.
1920); field with grain shocks and plowed furrows on Hagan School
Section; men and four tractors plowing field on Cotton Brothers Farm
near Frazer; women on horse-drawn stoneboat hauling water near
Baylor; four oxen pulling man and plow breaking sod near Baylor; men
on Avery steam-power tractor with under-mounted engine turning sod
on Leo B. Coleman Farm near Glasgow; John King standing in corn
field near Glasgow (c. 1909); man standing in wheat field at William
Leonard Farm with buildings and grain stacks near Glasgow. Wibaux County – men, tractor, threshing
equipment (owned by the Welsh Brothers), horse-drawn wagon and hay
stack in field with snow near Wibaux (c. 1910).
4/5
Yellowstone County
– man with tandem horse-team pulling binder; tractor,
threshing belt, water wagon and farm building (1916); Henry Gilbert
Wright with steam tractor and Red River Special stationary threshing
equipment; woman and dog standing in front of tractor; man with
horse team, cultivator and wagon; men, horse-teams, tractor,
threshing equipment, wagons and grain stacks near Laurel (1908);
Harold Downer standing in field with hail damaged wheat crop (1963);
group of men standing in corn field on W.B. George Ranch near
Billings; man standing near buildings holding large stock of corn
grown in Huntley (1915).
4/6
Unknown Location
– man standing in wheat field on Wayman Ranch; field with
harvested and fallow rows (January 1910); man standing in field with
large shock of corn; two men and boy with tractor and combine
(1927); men, tractor and threshing equipment; wheat field; man
standing in harvested field with grain shocks (c. 1925).
4/7
Unknown Location
– harvested field and grain shocks with men, equipment
and large haystack (c. 1919); man standing in grain field; men with
horse-drawn plows; men standing in oat field (July 1910); harvested
field and grain stacks with house and outbuildings; men with tractor
and binders working in field; exhibit of Montana’s Land Utilization
Program illustrating wheat yields and forage cover (taken by Live
Stock Photo Company of Chicago); dry land farming promotional card
showing horse-drawn plowing, steam tractor threshing, man standing
in a wheat field, and shocks of grain; Christmas card “from Dear Old
Montana” with men and harvested wheat field.
Subseries 3
LIVESTOCK
PRODUCTION
Pigs, horses, chickens, turkeys, goats, and cattle.
4/8
Blaine County
– roundup crew on horseback on Fort Belknap Reservation.
Broadwater County – Ed Kazeden, Joe
Thielen, Frank Muray, Joe Parker, Sam Klinck, Arthur Lowden, and dog
standing in corral with horses and mules on Peter Meloy Ranch near
Townsend (c. 1908). Dawson County – man
with dressed pig carcasses hanging at Buller Brothers (Bloomfield)
(1912). Fergus County – John E. Stevens
of Mountain View Ranch and unidentified man standing in street of
Coffee Creek with horse and foal (1913). Hill
County – flock of turkeys in harvested oat field (Bear
Paws) (c. 1910). Lake County – men, women
(including Mrs. Pablo) and child in corral branding cattle on Pablo
Ranch.
4/9
Lewis and Clark
County – Hugh Kirkendall horses being shown by employees
at Helena Fair Grounds barn (1891); Ed Ragen’s horse Single Footer
standing in front of Beaches Stable in Helena (1910); man with horse
(Lady Don) and foal in front of barn on Kleinschmidt Ranch near
Helena (1890); men branding cattle in corral on Nett Ranch
(Augusta).
4/10
McCone County
– man and boys in corral with horse herd on E. B. Jones
Ranch (Cow Creek) (1915). Stillwater County
– men on horseback in corral working cattle on McKay
Ranch with barn, outbuildings, automobile and equipment near Roscoe
(taken by F. W. Byerly). Toole County –
cattle in Sweet Grass Hills on Diamond Willow Ranch owned by Jack
Toole (1960). Valley County – man and
woman standing with cow and calf in corral near Glasgow. Yellowstone County – man and saddled horse
in corral surrounded by chickens and goats (one goat is standing on
the horse).
4/11
Unknown Location
– cattle in field with road and barbed wire fence in
foreground; man sitting on stool in corral milking a cow; two dairy
cows standing in field; dairy cow near building; sow and piglets
eating corn in fenced area with buildings, silo and wagon in
background; men and women standing with dairy cows and farm
buildings.
Subseries 4
ORCHARDS
Apple, crab apple and pear trees in various stages including saplings,
mature trees, in blossom, and with fruit. Orchard workers planting,
pruning, spraying and inspecting orchards are shown.
4/12
Cascade County
– cottonwood trees and apple trees in center of grove on
Mann Place near Great Falls. Lincoln County
– pear trees with fruit. Missoula
County – apple exhibit under tent at Western Montana
Apple Show (taken by R.H. McKay) (c. 1910).
4/13
Ravalli County
(Bitterroot Valley) – field with orchard; women eating
apples standing in front of trees; men standing with fruit trees;
orchard of young trees; orchard with leafed trees and rocks in rows;
orchard with blooming trees; man, boy and women sitting in front of
heavily blossoming apple trees; children in bonnets sitting in a
pile of apples in front of orchard; orchard with heavily blossoming
apple trees; men in field planting apple trees; orchard at
University Heights Community near Darby with cow and lumber in
foreground.
5/1
Ravalli County
(Bitterroot Valley) – orchard of heavily blossoming crab
apple trees; man standing with blossoming McIntosh apple trees at
Amos Buck Orchard (Stevensville); field with apple tree saplings at
Sunnyside Orchard; men pruning apple trees in winter; display of
apple tree saplings; man on ladder in orchard pruning apple trees
with boys standing nearby; trees with apples; man and boys standing
with apple tree branch lying on the ground.
5/2
Sanders County
– orchard with trees, stumps, house, outbuildings, and
forest. Sweetgrass County – man and
children standing with apple trees on John Forster Orchard near Grey
Cliff.
Subseries 5
STRUCTURES
Houses, cabins, shacks, outbuildings, barns, windmills, corrals and other
structures on Montana ranches, farms and homesteads.
5/3
Beaverhead County
– house in snow on Poindexter and Orr Ranch near Dillon;
Terry Hanson and Brent Bean standing in front of Lillian Culver
Homestead cabin on Widow’s Pond (Centennial Valley, Red Rock Lake)
(taken by George Grant) (1952); men at Ryan Canyon Ranch barn with
outbuildings and Beaverhead Rock; overview of Joseph Browne Ranch
home and outbuildings (at one time the Darling post office) along
the Big Hole River with Browne’s bridge in the distance (near
Melrose) (taken by O.C. Bundy) (c. 1870s). Big
Horn County – men, horses and buggy by log house on Ben
Cook Ranch (1898); shack and grind wheel on Frank Eden homestead
near Hardin (1907); men, woman and child with house, outbuildings,
windmill, horse and wagon on Daney Milk Ranch owned by Fred Leetener
(?) (Fort Custer) (taken by Goff); interior of living room at Phil
Spencer Ranch (Rotten Grass).
5/4
Blaine County
– man on horseback, dogs and farm house in winter (Bear
Paw Mountains) (c. 1910); Thera Phalen, John Phalen and others with
ranch house, barn and outbuildings on Phalen Ranch (Bear Paw
Mountains); house, barn, outbuildings and corral on Smith C.
Henderson Ranch (Bear Paw Mountains). Broadwater
County – family on porch of Canyon Ferry Farm house with
windmill, horse and bull; ducks on pond with Cook Ranch house and
outbuildings in background near Townsend. Carbon
County – house and outbuildings on Fairview Ranch with
cars, horses and hunting party in corral.
5/5
Cascade County
– two-story farm house and garden surrounded by fence
(1901); group of people and dogs in front of Bickett and Kennett
Ranch log house and ranch buildings with mountains in distance
(1903); house, outbuildings and wagon on J.J. Patterson Ranch (Deep
Creek) (1891); views taken on Henry H. Nelson Riverdale Stock Farm
near Cascade including house, barn, outbuildings, windmill, horses,
wagon and flock of sheep in corral (c. 1892); ranch house parlor
with piano, sitting room and child’s bed room with crib.
5/6
Chouteau County
– men on horseback and group sitting in front of
homestead house near Fort Benton; parlor with piano and stove at Big
Sag Ranch owned by Charles Lepley (1894); men in front of log bunk
house at T.U. Ranch owned by McNamara and Marlow (c. 1910); house
and outbuildings on Milner Ranch near Shonkin Station (taken by W.
J. Nankeman) (1955). Custer County – family sitting on boards in
front of tents with trotter cart in foreground near Miles City;
house, barn, outbuildings and post office on Dragseth Ranch near
Ismay; house and outbuildings at Billy Hill Road Ranch (Pine Hills
area) (taken by C. A. Wiley) (c. 1891); man and boy at log house on
Jim Whitback Homestead (Pumpkin Creek) (1938).
5/7
Daniels County
– men, horses and dog at house on Lee French Homestead
near Flaxville with outbuilding under construction (c. 1910). Dawson County – man, women, and boy
standing in front of sod homestead with outbuildings and well; men
on porch of X Ranch house near Glendive with outbuildings and wagon;
group of men, women, children, and dog in front of log house on Nick
Buttleman Ranch near Terry; log building on White Ranch with sign
near building reading “The Beehive Clothing” (taken by L.A. Foster
Photo Company). Fallon County – man on
horseback and man in chair at tar paper building on August Berg and
Sabine Berg homestead near Willard. Fergus
County – Fergus County Agricultural Experiment Station
houses, barn, flag pole, and outbuildings (Judith Basin Substation)
(c. 1920). Flathead County – John Gordon
log cabin and outbuildings in winter (Big Fork River) (c. 1911);
group in horse-drawn sled at Freeman Hedge log home near Columbia
Falls with outbuildings and windmill.
5/8
Gallatin County
– log cabin and outbuildings near Bozeman (1944). Glacier County – two horse-drawn wagons in
front of Henkel Ranch log house and stage/rest station with people
traveling to Many Glacier. Hill County –
women and children in horse-drawn carriage in front of tar paper
building near Havre (1912); sod house near Havre (taken by Al Lucke)
(1954); August Decelles, Bob Ringling and John Ringling sitting in
front of log cabin at Decelles Homestead (c. 1895). Jefferson County – Tom Winslow and family
at Winslow Ranch house, barn and outbuildings near Clancy with
horses and wagon in foreground (1886). Judith
Basin County – house, outbuildings and herd of sheep on
Sage Creek Ranch near Utica. Lake County
– buildings on Pablo Ranch with field and surrounding
area; Charles W. Slack house and outbuilding (Flathead Lake); Mrs.
Goettsche standing in field with buildings in background near D’Aste
(taken by Paul W. Kieser) (1913).
5/9
Lewis and Clark
County – views of W.C. Child Ranch (East Helena)
including groups on porch of stone house (c. 1890, 1891); Pearl
Davanport, Alice Langhorn, Helen Langhorn, Huntley Pruett, Bob Fish,
Charles Silverman, Mrs. Hudnell, Inez Hudnell, Madge Piatt and
others on porch of stone house (1893); group attending Sunday School
picnic playing baseball in front of stone house with W. C. Child at
bat (1891); Professors Vollert and Romanyania standing in front of
stone house (1890); barn (taken by J.L. Ming) (1890); and stone
building, bell on post, wagons and J.L. Ming’s horse team (1891);
architectural drawing of Green Meadow Farm house and outbuildings by
Robert Reamer (Helena Valley) (taken by S.J. Culbertson) (1914);
house, outbuildings and chickens on Pat Hall Ranch (Helena)
(1897).
5/10
Lewis and Clark
County – views of Kleinschmidt Ranch in the Helena Valley
(1890) including Theo Kleinschmidt, Walter Sanford, Mr. Langley and
others in front of log building with dog and bicycles and Arthur
Kleinschmidt, Jess Ricker, Will Cannon with guns, dog and dead
waterfowl in front of log building; house, outbuildings and road at
Sieben Ranch (formerly Malcom Clarke Ranch and a stage station)
(Wolf Creek Canyon); pasture with Sieben Ranch buildings and
hillside in background (taken by R. H. Mattison) (1954); views taken
at the Willard Ranch (Augusta) including John Willard standing in
front of house (c. 1935); house and cattle grazing nearby; John
Willard, Jr. in bedroom (c. 1935); men, boy and dog atin root
cellar; and John Willard standing in front of original log house
(1950).
5/11
Liberty County
– views taken in Joplin area including group of people,
automobiles, and horse-drawn carriage in front of house (1915);
interior of one-room homestead shack with stove, table and chair (c.
1913); family, including man with violin and man with accordion, and
dog in front of Eggen homestead (1913); and Laura LaValley and Oscar
Larson wedding party on porch of LaValley house (1914).
5/12
Madison County
– views of Brook and Brook-Nook Ranch near Twin Bridges
including log and sod bunkhouse and outbuilding; ranch house; barn,
outbuildings and corral with horses (Home Park) (1909); and Charles
Larrabee, Mary Larrabee, Tuey (Chinese cook), Annie Akers
(African-American nurse), Mrs. Charles Larrabee, and others on porch
in front of ranch house (1904); views of McGovern Ranch (Alder
Gulch) including house, outbuildings and field; Jessie McGovern,
Mary McGovern, Phillip McGovern, Hannah McGovern, Patrick McGovern,
Emma McGovern, Walter McGovern, Ed McGovern and Charles McGovern on
porch of ranch house; and Mary Whalen McGovern and two others
sitting on porch; man standing on roof of three-story round barn
(1912) and round barn and corral on George Selway Ranch near Twin
Bridgers (1916).
6/1
McCone County
– views taken on E.B. Jones Ranch (Crow Creek) including
woman feeding chickens in front of log buildings and men and women
standing with tents, lean-to, outbuilding and wash on the line
(caption “The Jones Hotel and Locating Office”) (1910). Musselshell County – barn, corral, and
cattle on Galloway Ranch near Bercail. Pondera
County – three men holding tools standing in front of
homestead shack near Valier; dog sitting in snow at shack on John
Paulley Homestead near Valier (1909); house and outbuildings on
Charles P. Thomas Ranch with town of Robare in distance (1891);
Charles Thomas, Mrs. Thomas, Earth Woman (Mandan Indian and mother
of Joe Kipp), dog and two wagons in front of ranch house.
6/2
Prairie County
– large barn and cattle in corral (Terry-Fallon area);
house, outbuildings, men, horses, sheep and haystack on Bickle Ranch
near Ismay; Les G. Fluss holding rifle and standing in front of log
house near Ismay; house and outbuildings on Kempton Ranch; views of
A.C. Gifford Ranch near Fallon including two men and woman in front
of house and windmill; A.C. Gifford, Mrs. Gifford, Nick Buttleman,
Mrs. Hogan, baby in pram, and dog in front of ranch house; man and
horse-drawn carriage in front of house; house and outbuildings with
men, horses and cattle; Mrs. Gifford, Rob Gifford, Roy Gifford, Miss
P. Summer sitting in parlor of ranch house with guitar and organ;
and Mrs. Gifford, Rob Gifford, Roy Gifford, Miss P. Summer in front
of house (1898); Dr. Mary Pillman, Ruth Curry, Sam Irvin, horse and
dog at Pillman homestead shack.
6/3
Ravalli County
– women and children with farm house, outbuildings, and
orchard near Hamilton with Marcus Daly breeding barns in background;
cyanotype of house and field on A.P. Blake Farm near Victor (1899);
men, women and horse in front of house on C.H. McLeod Ranch near
Victor and the ranch house and outbuildings; men on porch of cabin
on Oliver Maxson Salisbury Homestead with flag flying from roof,
chickens and wheelbarrow near building; Oliver Maxson Salisbury and
his sons sitting inside cabin with wood stove and firewood (c.
1908). Richland County – farm house,
outbuildings and field near Sidney; views taken on Sarah Moffett
Mabon Homestead (1915) including woman standing in doorway of
homestead house in winter; horses at sod and lumber stable in
winter; and living room interior with table, rocking chair and wood
stove. Roosevelt County – H.C. Bjorge
Farm house, barn, outbuildings and cows (1925). Rosebud County – house, outbuildings, equipment and
automobile on I.F. Anderson Farm near Vandana.
6/4
Sanders County
– view from hill of farm buildings in distance and
railroad tracks in foreground; log cabin (“one of the 1st cabins in
Sanders Co.”). Sheridan County – W. C.
Saxton at Harry Savey Homestead sod house (abandoned) (1972).
6/5
Stillwater County
– John “Spider” Dobler and Edgar “Happy Jack” Stauffer at
homestead shack with wash tub and line; views of Dudley White Ranch
near Limestone including overview of house, outbuildings and road
and horse-drawn wagon and ranch buildings in snow with Beartooth
Mountains in background.
6/6
Sweetgrass County
– farm house and outbuildings near Big Timber; men
sitting on porch at Bill Donald Ranch house (1913); Lesta Lowery in
automobile in front of tar paper homestead shack near Big Timber (c.
1914); views of the George Moore Ranch (Sweetgrass and Park
counties) including Ben Miles and others in horse-drawn sled with
hay barn and outbuildings; Olive Caldwell, Lesta Lowery, Sam P.
Solberg, Elsie Lowery, and Art Raymona standing by automobile (c.
1913); ranch house with Myrle Moore, Hazel Moore, Alva Lee, Chris
Solberg, Sam Solberg, and dog in foreground (c. 1910); road leading
to ranch house, outbuildings and corral (c. 1910); and woman in
fenced yard with flowers and trees; Erick Solberg, Sam Solberg,
Edwin Solberg, Clarence Solberg, Inga Solberg, Sam Solberg, Jr. and
Mrs. Sam Solberg in front of log house (near Melville) (c. 1890);
family sitting on fence in front of Van Cleve Ranch house and
outbuildings at Porcupine Butte near Big Timber (1890). Toole County – house, barn, outbuildings
and surrounding area on Diamond Willow Ranch owned by Jack Toole
(1960).
6/7
Valley County
– women, men, horses and wagons in front of log and
sod-roof house on Enright Ranch near Glasgow; woman on horse-drawn
sled carrying a pram with man and woman standing nearby (“Edds
visiting Hagbergs”) near Baylor (c. 1917) ; J. J. Hogan Farm house,
outbuildings, windmill, and dairy cows near Glasgow; John Long and
dogs standing in front of lumber and sod house near Baylor; cattle
in front of Henry H. Nelson Ranch house near Vandalia. Wibaux County – woman, dog, chickens and
chicks in front of farm equipment made by Van Brunt near Wibaux (c.
1910); men sitting in front of sod house on Philip Wicka Homestead
(St. Philip); Gus Grisy, Mrs. Grisy, four men and horse in front of
log house on Fleur de Lis Ranch near Wibaux. Yellowstone County – men in horse-drawn wagon (horses
wearing fly nets) in front of two buildings.
6/8
Unknown Location
– living room with fireplace and wicker furniture on
Kinney Ranch; cyanotype of prairie with ranch buildings in the
distance; man, woman and young girl standing in front of lumber and
sod-roof house (Eastern Montana); man, woman and children in front
of tent and lean-to with swing set in foreground; men and dog in
front of stone and sod shack with root cellar door on side, haystack
and wagon; children in horse-drawn cart in front of house; girls
holding cats sitting on a box in front of log building; women, men,
horses and wagon in front of log house and outbuildings; woman, men
and child sitting on fence in front of log house, root cellar and
outbuildings; house, outbuildings and windmill inside fenced area on
Shaw Sheep Ranch on Big Muddy (Northeastern Montana); house and
outbuildings on Charles Thurston Ranch.
Subseries 6
Miscellany
Miscellaneous photographs related to agriculture filed by county.
6/9
Cascade County
– men and women in automobiles parked on road near Sun
River displaying banners reading “We are from Greenfield bench and
we are DRYLAND FARMERS; We DON’T WANT Irrigation” (taken by Clarence
S. Bull). Flathead County – men and boy
using saw powered by an automobile (Nonpartisan “Leaguers sawing
wood on the farm of Dave Munter” who was “the first farmer in
Flathead County to pay his subscriptions to the League”). Hill County – Ann Popish Warhank, Margaret
Warhank, Carl Warhank, Barbara Warhank, Charlie Popish and others
picnicking in grove of trees on Beaver Creek (c. 1913). Lewis and Clark County – views taken on the
Willard Ranch (Augusta) including men on horse-drawn sled (c. 1935)
and men on pond cutting and loading ice onto horse-drawn wagon.
McCone County – children on horseback
on E.B. Jones Ranch with large crowd of people in
pasture.
6/10
Pondera County
– Fred Schwartz in oxen-drawn cart on street of Valier
with caption “A Homesteader’s Auto” (1910) . Prairie County – large group of men and women picnicking
in grove of trees on Gifford Ranch near Fallon (1898). Valley County – Arthur Carlson, Eugene
Carlson and Ray Lancaster lying on ground in front of wagon loaded
with trunks and supplies and with blanketed horse (“moving to
homestead at Baylor”); women, child and horse standing in pasture
with trunks, wood stove and lumber (“after cyclone at Axel
Carlson’s”) (Baylor) (August 1913); county surveying crew with
equipment and horse-drawn wagon (Baylor) (1912); men with loaded
horse-drawn wagons (“hauling to and from Glasgow”) on street lined
with buildings. Yellowstone County – man
standing on horse-drawn wagon in river loaded with water barrels;
men in pasture using saw powered by an automobile; man driving wagon
pulled by two draft horses.
Series III
COLLECTIONS OF
AGRICULTURAL PHOTOGRAPHS
These photographs were kept together because they were taken on a selected
ranch or orchard, taken by a specific photographer, or received from a
particular donor.
Subseries 1
BIG COULEE
RANCH
Big Coulee Ranch was located near Straw in Fergus County. The photographs
were taken c. 1934.
6/11
Big Coulee Ranch
– pond, earth dam, fence and pasture; corral, trough,
pasture and hills; plowed field and pasture; corral in pasture with
sheepherder’s wagon; pond, pasture and mountains.
6/12
Big Coulee Ranch
– lean-to and fence in pasture; house with porch, chimney
and mounted antelope head on roof; pasture with ranch buildings in
distance; large barn and outbuildings.
Subseries 2
C BAR D
RANCH
C Bar D Ranch was located in Big Hole Basin in Beaverhead County.
President was Frank A. Hazelbaker of Dillon.
6/13
C Bar D Ranch
– men, horse teams, wagons and equipment harvesting and
stacking hay; men, woman and boys in aprons, horses and equipment in
front of corral and barn with C – D painted on the roof; bison and
elk grazing on ranch game preserve.
Subseries 3
CALL SHEEP
RANCH
Call Sheep Ranch was located near Ennis in Madison County and was owned
by Thomas J. Call. The photographs were taken c. 1934.
7/1
Call Sheep Ranch
– ranch house and outbuildings in winter with mountains
in background; tent and tepee shearing camp; truck loaded with bags
of wool near automobile, corral, and outbuildings; men and
horse-drawn wagon (“New Stoughton Wagon, Joliet, Montana”);
horse-drawn wagon and driver in pasture with tarp covering wagon
load; Louise Call (“Weezie”) on horseback (Nig).
Subseries 4
CASCADE COUNTY LAND
TRACTS
These land tracts were cleared for agricultural purposes. The photographs
were taken by Harley.
7/2
Cascade County
Land Tracts – views on O’Grady Tract including men, dog
and gasoline engine pumping water; trees, hills and pasture; Charles
W. Goodale, Hultrey, McGuiness, O’Grady and Armington outside a log
cabin on O’Grady Tract and standing with horses near a large tree;
man standing in field and the Missouri River, trees and hills on
McGuiness Tract; trees, hills and shrubs on Wood Tract; four men
(Glagel, Shorty Sanders, Vineyard, Tracy) with wagon and Missouri
River, hills and trees on Tracy Tract; fence, hills and trees on
Larry Tract; cattle standing in pasture at Hawley Basin; chickens in
pasture.
Subseries 5
CHARLOS
HEIGHTS
Charlos Heights was an agricultural community located in the Bitterroot
Valley in Ravalli County. The photographs were taken from 1907-1921 (and
undated) and show land being cleared for trees, orchards in bloom and
with fruit, garden crops, surrounding mountains and water bodies, and
the community clubhouse.
7/2
Charlos Heights 3
x 5 Photo Series – men with small blooming fruit tree
(1921); W. C. Walker sitting in rocker on porch holding tobacco
plant and standing in garden; G. H. Wells standing in field of Sudan
grass; man and girls in field of strawberry plants (1921); man with
tomato plants; farm buildings and fields; fruit trees and building
on Stoltz Place (1921); field and buildings on G. Howell Ranch;
fruit trees and house on Bartell (?) Place (1921); field,
horse-drawn wagon and farm buildings on Bagley Place (1921);
blooming fruit trees on France (?) Place (1921); high water on the
Bitterroot River.
7/4
Charlos Heights
Looking East – fields, trees, mountains on MacRae Ranch;
Bitterrroot Valley Irrigation Canal.
7/5
Charlos Heights
Looking West (circa 1907) – men planting apple trees;
field cleared for apple trees; Como Peaks and Lost Horse Canyon and
Camas Creek; men on horseback in field cleared for
orchard.
7/6
Charlos Heights
Clubhouse Views (c. 1910) – view of valley, buildings and
mountains from clubhouse site; views looking toward Charlos Heights
Clubhouse with fields, roads, trees, Bitterroot Mountains (including
El Capitan, Ward Mountain, Goat Mountain), Lost Creek Canyon,
Roaring Lion Canyon, Sawtooth Canyon, Camas Creek and the Bitterroot
River; clubhouse on hillside with river in foreground (taken by C.
P. Winther).
7/7
Charlos Heights
Clubhouse – views of clubhouse building, construction
materials, automobile, railroad track and surrounding area; interior
of clubhouse showing sitting room and view to porch; groups of men,
women and children on porch of clubhouse (one labled “a happy family
at the Charlos Inn just returned from the apple orchard” with each
person holding an apple).
7/8
Charlos Heights
Cut Over Land – men and cut trees with views of Lost
Horse Canyon, Blodgett Canyon and Camas Creek. Planting – George Ward, Sid Ward and others working in
strawberry field. Orchards – fruit trees;
men with horse-drawn wagon spraying fruit trees; fruit trees in
snow.
7/9
Charlos Heights
Farms – buildings, fences, orchards; man and horse-drawn
wagon hauling logs. O.W. Kerr Company –
land holdings; Kerr development camp tents; Kerr men, horses and
buildings.
7/10
Charlos Heights
Ditches and Dam – Lake Como Ditch; O.W. Kerr Company
intake and storm gate on Ward irrigation ditch on Lost Horse Creek;
Twin Lakes dam.
7/11
Charlos Heights
River, Lake and Creek – Bitterroot River; pack horses on
Twin Lakes Trail; Upper Twin Lake; forest at Twin Lakes; Lost Horse
Creek.
7/12
Charlos Heights
Miscellany – views in Lost Horse Canyon including pack
horses, forest, mountains and house and outbuildings in winter; men
with tree growing out of large rock in Bitterroot Valley; men and
horses in forest.
Subseries 6
FLAX PRODUCTION IN
EASTERN MONTANA
Views of planting, harvesting, treating, and processing flax crops in
Phillips, Hill, Pondera and Dawson counties. A series of numbered
photographs (1918 and undated) was received from the Philadelphia
Commercial Museum and additional photographs were donated by the
Minnesota Historical Society from its Nonpartisan League Collection
(1912). The photographs numbered by the Philadelphia Commercial Museum
were organized according to this numerical sequence.
7/13
Flax Production
from Philadelphia Commercial Museum – men working in
field with Caterpillar tractor drawing ten disc plows and harrow
seeding flax on Phillips Ranch (Malta); men in field with tractor
pulling bottoms, disc and harrow breaking sod (Kremlin); Reeves
steam tractor and plow breaking sod in field; men, horse-drawn wagon
and equipment in field “breaking, picking, drilling and harrowing
flax in one operation”; hat in plowed furrow in flax field; men,
dog, automobile and tractor pulling breaking plow and packer; man
and horse-drawn harrow in field with tractor, plow and disc in
background; carrying case in field prepared for flax seeding;
bucket, spray tank, wooden barrel, and bottle of poison.
8/1
Flax Production
from Philadelphia Commercial Museum – men watching M.L.
Wilson and Herbert Boneright demonstrating treatment of flax seed
for wilt (May 1912); man in field with stunted and diseased flax
plants; men with horse-drawn VanBrunt drill box in plowed field;
shovel in furrow of plowed field; man and horse-drawn planker
working in field; man standing in field with flax and row alfalfa;
men and automobile in flax field infested with mustard
weed.
8/2
Flax Production
from Philadelphia Commercial Museum – fields of flax and
seed flax in bloom; men, mule-drawn McCormick binder and horse-drawn
headers cutting flax; men and horse-drawn wagons in field hauling
bundles of flax; men, horses, wagons and equipment threshing and
sacking flax; men filling and labeling sacks of flax seed with T. G.
Mandt wagon in background.
8/3
Flax Production
from Philadelphia Commercial Museum – county agent with
notebook standing in flax field; views of flax fiber mill (Conrad)
(1918) including building and loading dock, retting tanks, threshing
and rebinding machine, break machines for making fiber, and man
standing with bales of flax straw; men, automobile and tractor
pulling wagons loaded with bags of flax seed going to Glendive
(taken by L.A. Foster Photo Company); flax straw in bales and large
stacks in field; men standing in field of blooming flax with
building in background; field with flax spread on ground for
retting.
8/4
Flax Production
from Minnesota Historical Society – H.L. Bolley “talking
flax” from railway car (with banners reading “Northern Pacific
Railway Horticulture Institute Special Train”) to group gathered at
tracks with grain elevators in background and horse and automobile
in foreground; partly harvested flax field, shocks of flax with
structure in background (1912), and flax field in bloom (taken by
H.L. Bolley).
Subseries 7
GEORGE JACOBSON
PHOTOGRAPHER
George Jacobson homesteaded in Blaine County and took these photographs
from 1913-1916 of homesteads and homesteaders in Blaine and Hill
counties and of the Havre Stampede and Parade. Some photos were numbered
by Jacobson and were organized according to his numbered sequence.
8/5
Jacobson
Photographer – men and horse/mule-drawn wagons loaded
with lumber, materials for Jacobson’s homestead shack, “leaving
Chinook Mont for Canadian border” (1913); stack of lumber and wood
stove in field with sheep in background (1913); Murdo Erkhart, sheep
herder, and Willard King inside sheepherder’s wagon (1913); Charlie
Kenny seated on horse-drawn equipment with Jacobson’s house in
background May 1914); dog in pasture with house and haystack in
background (1915); Marjorie Peelman Jacobson with apron and broom
standing in doorway of house (1916); Sioux Indians on horseback and
horse-drawn covered wagon on street during September 1913 Havre
Stampede and Parade.
8/6
Jacobson
Photographer – man watching parade with flag-decorated
Havre buildings and street in background; Sioux Indians on horseback
in parade; spectators watching covered wagon race and bucking horse,
bull riding, and trick riding events in arena; man in parade
carrying banner reading “Boost for Havre Carpenter Union”; Havre
buildings including McKinley Grade School and Havre High School
(1913); Charlie Kenny, Willard King, Alma Dahl Croft, Nellie
Caldwell, Mabel Richmond and Red Croft in front of log building near
Zurich (1914); George Jacobson, the Schlee boys and Bill Wild with
rifles in front of tar paper building (1914); Willard King, Orville
Chambers and George Jacobson inside King’s cabin with wood stove,
tea kettle, frying pan, rifle and wash basin (1915).
8/7
Jacobson
Photographer – Mrs. Dan Bailey and children in doorway of
house (1915); George and Marjorie Jacobson, Willard King, the Schlee
boys, and another man on skis (1916); George and Marjorie Jacobson
sewing, reading and cooking in their homestead; Harrison Bailey and
his wife with Jacobson’s inside their homestead (1916); Herbert and
Annis King standing outside Willard King’s sod homestead; Annis King
and Marjorie Jacobson sitting in horse-drawn wagon with Herbert King
standing nearby.
Subseries 8
N BAR
RANCH
The N Bar Ranch located in Fergus County. It was owned by Thomas Cruse
from 1888 until 1913. Most of the photographs were taken by John A.
White (circa 1896-1898). Some of White’s photos are numbered and these
views are organized according to his numbered sequence. Five photographs
in this subseries were taken around 1910 and are not identified by
photographer. These photos were transferred from the Thomas Cruise
Papers, MC 36 in Archives. The last photo in the subseries was taken on
the ranch in the 1950s.
8/8
N Bar Ranch taken
by White (circa 1896-1898) – Stone (?), John Freeser and
Thomas Cruse, owner of N Bar, in grove of trees with horse and
clothes on line; men, mess wagon and tent at camp on Sand Creek;
Harry Friebel on horseback and men loading supplies on mess wagon
(Junction); mess wagon and horse wranglers at Bow Gun Camp; kittens
playing on mess wagon seat; winter view of men and loaded bed wagon
near building at Flat Willow crossing; man on horseback with herd of
cattle (Porcupine Creek); Tom Galloway and group of men sitting on
logs near mess wagon at the Musselshell River; cowboys and
horse-drawn mess and bed wagons; Percy Robinson and Oscar Daugherty
on horseback; Mike Dodge swimming in Musselshell River near group of
men standing in grove of trees; “High Pockets” (cowboy) on horseback
near tent.
8/9
N Bar Ranch taken
by White (circa 1896-1898) – “Bollinger” (cowboy) on
horseback; John A. White wearing apron and derby standing in doorway
of log sod cabin (Sand Springs); Dan Gibb, Sam and another man
standing in front of a Billings cigar store “before leaving for
Coast” (c. 1906); Dick Dean and Subbock (wranglers) on horseback;
John White’s horse named “Nigger”; “Debs” holding bridle and
standing with horse; John White and Guschewsky setting up camp for
spring roundup with bed and mess wagons and tents; men branding a
horse lying on the ground; men loading bedrolls on bed wagon; “Cold
Biscuit Joe” and others at mess tent; mess and bed wagon during
spring roundup.
8/10
N Bar Ranch taken
by White (circa 1896-1898). – Oscar Daugherty, Guschewsky
and horse wrangler with loaded bed wagon breaking camp; herd of
saddle horses on bank of Musselshell River; N Bar men taking a break
around camp fire; a Siwash (Indian man) and wrangler sitting on
ground eating; John White’s saddled horse near a tree; men “making a
deal” standing together near a tent; women seated in a buckboard;
men on horseback “changing horses” in pasture; herd of cattle in
pasture and crossing the Musselshell River during spring roundup;
“Bauch” and another man with tent; man on horse-drawn covered
wagon.
8/11
N Bar Ranch taken
by White (circa 1896-1898) – herd of saddle horses
watering at the Musselshell River; men roping cattle; men, tent and
herd of horses in rope corral; man on horseback in front of log
building; Sallinger’s eight-horse team pulling wagons; horse-drawn
mess and bed wagons enroute; men standing at mess wagon; group of
men on horseback in grove of trees including “Burl on a burro”; John
A. White’s horse “Dixie” standing in pasture.
8/12
N Bar Ranch
photographs transferred from Thomas Cruise Papers (circa 1910)
– view of the ranch buildings, stacks of lumber, and
corrals with wooded hills in background; ranch buildings in snow;
over view of ranch buildings with equipment, horses, creek, and
corrals; men, women, children, pigs, a herd of horses, wagons and
equipment in front of the ranch buildings. Miscellany – team of
horses and overshot stacker lifting hay onto large stack (taken by
Ralph Morgan) (1950s).
Subseries 9
TAX HOMESTEAD AND
FARM
The Tax Homestead/Farm was owned by the Carl Tax family and was located
near Scobey in Daniels County and west of Medicine Lake in Sheridan
County. Photos are dated 1913-1919.
9/1
Tax Homestead and
Farm – family standing in front of building; men near
cook’s car on wheels used during harvest; views of threshing with
women, men, automobiles, tractors, and threshing equipment; men with
tractor for breaking sod; men using carrier to move grain bundles to
separator; men with tractor pulling wagons (one loaded with gas
drums) and drill; men with picks digging coal from hillside; Model A
automobile and building near Dagmar.
Subseries 10
WESTMONT
ORCHARDS
Westmont Orchards was located near Darby in Ravalli County and was owned
by P.C. West. These photographs (some in numbered sequence) were
received from the University of Saskatchewan Archives.
9/2
Westmont Orchards
– orchard of Macintosh apple trees; P.C. West’s
three-story house, outbuildings and silo; fence and orchard of
blooming Macintosh apple trees; building, corral, road and power
line; orchard of blooming Macintosh apple trees with mountains in
background; house, barn, and outbuildings; pond with trees,
buildings and mountains; two men standing on porch of
house.
9/3
Westmont Orchards
– cows standing in orchard; fence, barnyard, Macintosh
apple orchard and mountains; man standing inside building with
barrels, ladder and equipment (possibly a cider plant); pigs in
pasture; two men (one with rake) near orchard with buildings and
mountains in background.
Subseries 11
XIT
Ranch
The Texas XIT Ranch owned property in Montana located between the
Missouri and Yellowstone Rivers. The Montana property was also known as
the Hatchet Ranch. Photographs are dated 1893-1909.
9/4
XIT Ranch –
John Williams, Emmett Glidewell, Al Denby, Si Robinson, Louis
Weisner, Bob Fudge, Bud Bird, Charles Clement with rifles standing
in front of a log bunkhouse with “XIT” above the door(1904); Emmett
Glidewell, A.L. Denby, Louis Weisner, Bob Fudge, Bud Bird and others
standing in front of log building at Hatchet Ranch wearing winter
coats and hats; Si Robinson, Louis Weisner, Dee Louis, Bob Fudge,
Bud Bird, Silver Lewis, Goldie Lewis, Hiram Lewis, Mr. and Mrs.
Henry Lewis and others standing in front of log buildings
(description reads “The morning after a dance at old Hatchet Ranch”)
(taken by John L. Breum) (c. 1900); men on horseback near wagon,
wagon boss Guy Whitbeck, tents and buildings at camp near Coal Creek
(1893); Leo Cato, John K. Marsh, Ed Weisner, Bud Bird, Bill Quigley
and others on horseback; Oscar Schuler, Burt Griffith, Sam Eaker,
George King, John Blacker, Henry Muldrow, Henry Ross, Henry Lyman,
John Carles, Al Denby, Charley Ross, Ed Aibsleger and Nils Kildahl
on horseback with mess and bed wagons on Bad Route Creek
(1894).