Soil Survey of Sweet Grass County Area, Montana - Soil Data Mart

2 Soil Survey
The Lewis and Clark Expedition brought the firstknown
visitors of European descent into the area. In
1806 on his return from the Pacific Coast, Captain
William Clark camped along the Yellowstone River
near its confluence with the Boulder River and Big
Timber Creek, near the present-day town of Big
Timber. Clark named Big Timber Creek for the large
cottonwood trees growing at its mouth. From 1806 to
1850, the only explorers to venture into the area were
hunters, trappers, and Indian traders.
In 1867, the first treaty fort was built in the Sweet
Grass County area at the mouth of Otter Creek. In
1869, the area was included in the first Crow Indian
Reservation.
In the late 1860s, the first trail herds from Texas
began coming into the area. The decade from 1870
to 1880 was the boom of the cattle industry, the
range wars, and the “Wars for the West.” The early
cattle companies were large and grazed their cattle
on the open range. Prior to the turn of the century,
the public domain was controlled by stockmen and
early miners until homesteader settlement and the
establishment of the Forest Reserve System
effectively closed the open range.
The early 1880s brought the railroad into Sweet
Grass County and the population of the area grew
and prospered. The town of Big Timber was
established and for a short time became the largest
wool-shipping center in the United States.
Mining played an important role in the early
development of the county. In the 1890s, the
Independence Mining Company was established
in the Upper Boulder River valley. Eventually the
camp supported between 400 and 500 miners.
Mining continues to play an important role in the
regional economy due to the presence of a major
platinum-palladium deposit in the southern part of
the county.
The Homestead Act brought scores of settlers,
many from Minnesota, into the area between 1890
and 1910. The Melville community was established
at this time. The majority of settlers were of
Norwegian descent. The settlers plowed up the
prairie and planted it to wheat and other small grains.
Around 1911, the state’s first dude ranch was
established in the eastern foothills of the Crazy
Mountains. Dude ranching has remained an
important industry in the county.
From the 1920s until the present, the county has
progressed with developments in technology. Today,
agriculture is the principal industry. Most of the land
is used for livestock grazing.
Industry, Transportation, and Recreation
Since Sweet Grass County was established,
ranching has been a major part of the economy. In
1993, there were 41,600 cattle, 19,100 sheep, and
4,600 hogs on farms and ranches. Cultivated
agricultural land totaled 61,000 acres. Approximately
37,500 acres of this land was irrigated. Irrigated
cropland is located near major river and stream
valleys. Water for irrigation comes principally from
canals, with water diverted from rivers and streams.
Upper and Lower Glasston Lakes also are sources of
water for irrigation. Alfalfa hay is the principal irrigated
crop, while wheat and barley are the principal dryland
crops. Dryland cropland is mainly located in the
northeastern part of the county.
Some light industry is located in Big Timber. The
town has an industrial park where small assembly
plants and specialty firearm factories are located.
A major platinum-palladium mine is located south
of Big Timber on the East Boulder River.
About 25 percent of the county is forested. Timber
is a minor industry in the county because much of the
forested land does not support commercial-grade
timber. There are two small sawmills that produce a
small amount of dimensional lumber, rough lumber,
posts, and poles.
Interstate 90 runs east and west across the county
along the Yellowstone River. U.S. Highway 191
extends north from Big Timber to Melville and through
to the Wheatland County line. County Road 298
begins at Big Timber and extends south through
McLeod to the Park County line. An extensive
network of secondary roads provides corridors
through the area. Montana Rail Link has a rail line
that parallels the Yellowstone River. A public airport is
maintained at Big Timber. The nearest commercial
airline facilities are at Billings in Yellowstone County
and at Belgrade in Gallatin County, between 75 and
85 miles distant.
The area’s wilderness and natural scenic beauty,
coupled with opportunities for outdoor recreation,
have increased the importance of tourism in some
parts of the county. The survey area borders the
Absaroka-Beartooth Mountains in the southern part
of the county and the Crazy Mountains in the
northwestern part. Outdoor recreational opportunities
are abundant. Dude ranches, campgrounds, hiking
and packing trails, and snowmobile trails are
available. Fishing and hunting are also attractions to
the area with outfitting and guiding services providing
seasonal employment for many residents.