Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1938-06-25
PARK Is NAMED
FOR RIVER BOAT
BILLINGS RECREATION SPOT
CALLED AFTER YELLOWSTONE
STEAMER

IT'S highly improbable that Bill
IngS residents ever win see a
steamboat churning its way ND the
Yellowstone river TO a triumphant
landing south of the city, but those
who take advantage of the picnic
possibilities offered by Josephine
park win be near the point where a
steamer once landed her cargo.
That steamer was the Josephine,
after which the park, opened recently
on the site along the Yellowstone near
the Billings water department filtra-
ton plant, was named.
Although it has not been established
definitely Just where, the Josephine
made her landing, old timers declare
it was at a spot almost directly south
Of the present park.
Heralded by -throated bellows
from her whistle, and rolling clouds
of smoke from her tunnels, the Jo-
Sephtne was one Of number of river
packets which Piled the Missouri and
Yellowstone rivers from 1878 to 1882.
Made Trip in 1875
So far as can be learned, the Jo-
sephine was the only river boat to
travel UP the Yellowstone as far as
the present site OF Billings and that
one trip was made in 1875. The trip
was made to bring merchandise to old
Coulson and the boat was under COM
maud OF captain Marsh.
q. E. Stroup, Billings hardware mer-
chant who has talked to many old
time residents of the valley about
steamboating days on the Yellowstone,
said that he has been told that the
Josephine tied up to o tree on the
bank of the river near the present park
site The tree has been washed away
since, however, as the river cut away
its banks, the exact spot has never
been located.
@Other old timers have told me"
Stroup said, that the boat proceeded
to q point sti1l farther up the river,
while still others maintain it did not
come this far. In the book, Conquest
of the Yellowstone" the Josephine is
reported to have Travelled As miles up
the river past Pompey's Pillar"
Paper Says Reached HuneIey
According to a review Of steamboat
ing on the river which was published
by the Billings Daily Herald on April
s, 1888, the Josephine made its long
est trip up the river in 1875 when It
reached a point known as Huntley,
As miles from the mouth of the Big
Horn"
THAT trip. according to the Herald,
was made when General Sheridan or
dered General Forsythe to take the
steamer and make complete explor-
alton of the Yellowstone. The boat
left Bismarck, N. D., on June is, and
the success of its trip was declared
the direct reason for the expedition
under General Terry in 1876 against
the hostile Sioux.
The expedition was made possible
because it was found that troops could
be supplied at the mouth of the Big
Horn BY steamboat
eff It had not been for that trip
the Herald article continued. "the
North (ern) Pacific railroad would
probably have failed to extend across
the Missouri by this time, because the
expedition under Custer would not
have been made. The disaster to Custer
was the cause Of this country being
occupied by troops"
other boats used in 1876 to supply
the expedition, in addition to the Jo-
sephine, were the Far West, Tiger,
Benton. Silver Lake, Carroll, Yellow
stone and DITfee.
with the coming Of the railroad,
however, and its easier method Of
characterization, steamboatfng died out.
The last trips were made IN 1881 and |
1882 by the Bachelor, Josephine, Rose |
bud, Big Horn, Helena, Black Hills and |
Eclipse, most of them IN connection /
with railroad work.
Josephine park, namesake Of the
river boat. comprises about 20 acres 1
along the river. It was prepared for
z@e bv members OF the water depart
neuk during the winter months.