Yellowstone monitor. [volume] (Glendive, Mont.) 1905-1928, 1911-08-03
WYOMINC's NEW LAKE
Scenic Beauty Spot Created BY
Huge Dam.

fractions. By closing the entrance
to narrow canyon in the Shoshone
river with the highest dam in the
world, a broad mountain meadow
has been changed to a turquoise
lake. covering an area of ten square
miles more than 100 feet deep. The
lake is trimmed by lofty mountains
which in places slope to the waters s
edge, and there are numerous bays
where the cliffs rise vertically two
thousand feet in height. As the lake
is located in the region of the Yel-
loWstone National Park, the same
wonderful and varied colorings are
found on the rocks which make our
National Park so interesting and at
tractive.
In early geologic times, the site of
the new lake was occupied by a sim
liar body of water. During count
less centuries its waters, finding
cracks and crevices in the mountain
barrier, gradually carved a canyon
through which the lake was finally
emptied. The old lake bed then
became a wide grassy meadow over
which grazed the herds of buffalo,
elk and deer, and later the cattle
and sheep Of the stockmen. When
the Shoshone dam, a concrete wedge
328 feet high, was placed in the
gorge, the meadow was submerged,
and an enormous reservoir was Gre
ated. Today this vast quantity Of
water is a perpetual guarantee to
several hundred farmers that boun-
tifuI crops will annually reward
their labors. Twenty miles down
the river is a broad level plain en-
bracing 10000 acres dotted with
homes Of new settlers. Waving.
fields Of grain. broad vistas Of alfal-
ia and sugar beets have replaced a
.asert waste. Located at favorable
points on the railroad which crosses
the irrigated lands are three thriv-
ing towns. whose substantial build
ings and large stocks of goods re-
feet the prosperity and success
which has attended the efforts Of
the farmers.
From a sheep pasture Of but little
value, this broad fat has become a
rich agricultural region which in
scenic attractions, in delightful eli
mate, and IN crop possibilities is al
ready taking first rank among the
prosperous farm communities Of the
Northwest.
The settlers here are cosmopolitan
and up-to-date. They come from
almost every part of the. Union and
a goodly number are city bred. The
subdivision Of the lands into farms
Of 40 and 80 acres each has made the
settlement compact. Along the
main highways there are from 16 to
80 homes to the mile, giving the
country a suburban appearance.
This grouping of farm homes has
numerous advantages. 1t eliminates
the loneliness and isolation SO com
mon to country life. With neigh
bors all about, social conditions are
improved. The monotony which
has always been the bane of the far
mer's wife is unknown in these we'll
irrigated valleys. The rural tele-
phone, circulating library and WON
ems clubs all combine to furnish va
riety and relaxation. In the Sho-
shone country the mountains al
about are inspiring in their beauty
ard grandeur During the period
when the harvests are ripening or
after the crops are gathered, the
campers flock to them. The streams
TEEN with trout and the national
forests abound with big and little
game.
Today there are opportunities for
141 families to obtain homes on THIS
project, and the Reclamation 5er-
vice at Washington IS sangullle tnat
every one Of these farms will DC os-
Ieanied before the end Of the presefl'
syrn2ss