Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1909-07-10
North Dakota has a beauty spot


up in the Turtle mountains, of which
little is known generally by the peo-
pie Of the state at large. The re-
cent "Mock Session" of the legisla-
ture at Lake Metigoshe has done
something to spread the news of this
delightful spot, and a little consis-
tent advertising on the part of the
people up in that vicinity might de-
velop summer resort second to
none.
The general composite idea Of the
Turtle mountain country even by
residents of the eastern part of North
Dakota is decidedly vague and indis-
tinct, but this section of the state is
generally supposed to be an elevat-
ed plateau almost barren of verdure
and inhabited only by a few degen-
crate remnants of Indian tribes and
half breeds, on the eastern extremity
and of no value agriculturally. Moth
ing could be farther than the actual
situation. The Turtle mountains are
in fact one Of North Dakota's richest
possessionv, and judging from the
luxuriant vegetation there one of the
most fertile sections 20 be found any
where. The entire region known as
the Turtle mountain country is a
magnificent natural park of large
proportions-of lakes almost without
number, of wooded hills, extensive
meadows, charming Wales and extern
sive forests, largely of young tim
Der. Only comparatively small
proportion of the mountain country
proper has been brought under cul-
tivation, but the entire region is dot
ted with farmsteady each of which
are partially broken up and under
cultivation. There are large areas,
however, around the lakes particu-
larly, of forests in all their primeval
beauty. The southern slopes of the
mountain country is entirely under
cultivation and the land here is the
most valuable in the state, with deep
rich soil, abundant drainage and
large annual rainfall.
Lake Metigoshe, as already noted,
is the largest of the lakes in the
of which there are nearly
one hundred, of varied shapes and
sizes, many of them teeming with
fish. The city of BottineaH, the
county seat of Bottineau equity, is
delightfully."- situated at the nj betting
place of plain and mountain. sFrom
Devils Lake on the southeast Sthere
is an almost imperceptible rife to-
ward the Turtle mountains and yet
the land all the way from Rugby,
thirty-five miles south, to Bottineau,
is in appearance one vast and almost
level plain. We get our first glimpse
Of the crest of the mountain, com
prising a number of quite steep
buttes more than sixty miles away,
and the mountains from Rugby, for
ty-five miles distant, the mountains
appear as a low, irregular line rising
in the background slightly above the
plain. Reaching Bottineau. the high
buttes of the mountains are outlined
very distinctly. Lake Metigoshesis
about twelve miles distant from Bot
tineau and. little eaet of north.
Leaving Bottineau and for the lake
there is a rapid increase in elevation |
and after passing through a success
sion Of fine farms for few miles, the
hills and valleys follow each other
in rapid succession, and we have the
last view of Bottineau from the crest
of steep hill nearly one thousand
feet above the city and spread out
before us is a magnificent panorama
Of domain, with Bottineau and half a
dozen enterprising Bottineau county
towns included in the vista. Still we
continue past fine farms, beautifu
lakes, over steep hills and down into
deep valleys, the hills now closing, In
the range of vision. Up still higher
and then down again and we comefin
sight of beautiful Lake Metigoshe.
A body of water as clear as crystal,
bordered for most of the distance
around by forests of oak, birch, ma
pie and other varieties of trees,
mostly of small size. This is Ok
planned by the statement that score
or more of years ago during an UNI
usually dry season, a destructive IRE
nearly denuded the south slope nf
tie mountain of timber. Metigoshe
which ID but seven miles across be-
tween fts mqst distant points, has 4
shore line Of over seventy miles. AZ
numerous are its bays, and shoFs
projections. There are six islandg