The Livingston enterprise., 1889-12-25
PARK COUNTY.
It~ DiveraIlieal Resources, Financial Rec
ord and History.


tier OF counties and belongs to what is
termed eastern Montana, lying just east
Of the Belt range Of mountains. 1t is
among the youngest counties in the state,
having been created by act Of the terri
torial legislature February 18th. 1887.
from that portion Of Gallatin county
lying east of the Belt range. 1t was or
ganizcsl May lst of the same year with
the following officers as provided in the
bill for its creation: Commissioners,
George II. Carver. b. +. Myers and
George NJ. Hatch; sheriff, y. +. Temple
ton: treasurer. +. w. Wright: clerk and
recorder. Elsberry Martin: probate Judge.
NJ. ID. Kelly: assessor. ]. Fl. Holiday: at
torney. j. II. Elder: school supcrintcnd-
ent, Brunette Rallinger: coroner, Dr. Il.
Roberts: surveyor. S. NJ. Moore: public
administrator, 4. K. Lee. ...
Park county's greatest length north
and south is IS miles and east and west
nearly the same. The total area 81 the
county is about 5000 square miles, Of
which three tifths il agricultural and
grazing land, the remaining two-tifths
being mountainous and devoted chiefly
to mining. 1t belongs entirely to the
Yellowstone region. The Yellowstone
river. having it's source in the National
Park (Which forms IL portion Of the
southern boundary Of the county,, flows
northward nearly sixty miles. and at
Livingston makes sharp curve to the
eastward, still continuing within Park
county about sixty miles, 50 that fully
1N miles Of the Yellowstone valley is
contained within the county, together
with several important tributaries.
Its earlier history dates from the year
1873, when considerable number Of
prospcctors discovered placer gold in
Emigrant gulch. and Immediately began
mining it. The camp at that time was
called Yellowstone City, since superseded
by tho present town of Chico. From
that time until the present there has al
ways been settlement, although small
at times, Of miners in Emigrant and ad-
jacent gulches. Shortly after the date
OF the first gold discovery few settlers
entered upon farming operations near
the mining districts but on the opposite
side Of the Yellowstone river, in what is
now called Paradise valley. This settle
ment continued to increase. although
often harrasscd 10y hostile Indian bands.
Il Il
railroad and they are among the most
prosperous and contented residents of
Montana.
The permanent wealth of Park county
is diversified and is .iwclt upon at length
in other portions OF this issue. bat it can
we'll bc enumerated here. 'l'llc mining
districts comprise the New World. con +
silcrcu the most extensive body of min ,
eral bearing ores discovered in late years.
and only stransportation to,levtlup |
it into the greatest mining caup in the
country: the Bear and rrrvi,e gulchrs. |
Emisran1 gnlch, Mill Creek and SIX
Mile districts, contributing gold. silver
and copper ores in great quantity and
richness, besides extensive tracts Of
placer grounds: tie famous Saltwater
district with it's immense deposits of
copper. silver and nickel and tn. rich
quartz and placer claims Of the Boulder
district Besides these there are the inn
mense coal measures of Rocky Fork,
Cokedalc, Trail Greek and Cinnabar. all
we'll developed and contributing largely
to the production of Montana's mining
industries.
The extensive valley Of the Yellow
stone. with its tributaries. furnishes a
large area of rich agricultural lands. that
already supports many farmers and will
afford room for hundreds Of others.
Notable among the tributary valleys are
the Shields, Upper Yellowstone. Mission,
Big Timber, Sweetgrass and Boulder. all
abundantly supplied with water for irri-
eating purposes, and destined to support
large farming population.
The upper Yellowstone, Shields. Big
Timber, Boulder and Sweetgrass valleys
are admirably adapted to stockgrowing
as we'll as agriculture, the uplands and
plateaus producing luxuriant pasturage.