GALLATIN COUNTY. 



Gallatin county was named after the Gallatin river, discovered by Lewis and 

 Clark in 1S05. Early in its history it became famous for its agricultural products, 

 which today make it one of the finest counties in the entire state. 



The county is well watered. Its southern boundary extends to Yellowstone 

 National Park and is a mountainous region through which the West Gallatin river 

 and its numerous tributaries flow. The mountains are heavily timbered and there 

 are numerous parks or meadow lands which afford excellent feeding grounds for 

 stock. Good coal has been found in this region and there are deposits of asbestos 

 and copper. This part of the country is much frequented by hunters and fishermen 

 and is regarded as a veritable paradise for the sportsman. A good road emerges 

 from Yellowstone park and winds through picturesque canyons, along which are 

 mountains and gorges and streams of surpassing scenic beauty. 



Farming and ranching are conducted largely in the foothills descending from 

 the mountains and in the wonder; ul fertile Gallatin valley, which is known all 

 through the northwest as one of the greatest larming sections in the state. The 

 valley lands are irrigated from the waters of the West Gallatin and tributaries, 

 while farming is prolitably engaged in on the bench lands, without irrigation. 



The irrigated and unirrigated lands are about of equal extent but every year 

 there is an increase in the number of acres farmed, these being non-irrigated 

 tracts in the foothills which have heretofore been used to an almost exclusive extent 

 for grazing purposes. 



The Gallatin valley, as has been stated, was one of the first of the pioneer 

 counties to make farming the main industry of its people. The annual production 

 of its farms is greater, perhaps, than those of any other county in Montana. 

 Scldcm, if ever, has there been a crop failure in the section, indeed there, has 

 never been a total failure from any cause. The average production of grain per 

 acre is probably unequalled in any section of the United States. Reports of 

 nearly 200 irrigated grain tiehls embracing more than 14,000 acres show that the 

 wheat yielded better than 52 bushels an acre, oats 7G, barley 5S and potatoes 

 291.5. Reports from about 7,000 acres of unirrigated lands show the average 

 yield per acre was 42 bushels. The money returns and the fertility of the soil, 

 give the valley the title of "the Egypt of America." 



Much of the grain is taken for seed and in the past there have been exporta- 

 tions to the Orient and Australia. 



All hardy varieties of fruit, large and small, yield abundantly. Vegetables 

 show large yields, celery being especially fine. Strawberries and raspberries yield 

 remarkably. 



Dairying is on the increase and poultry raising proves to be exceedingly 

 profitable. 



Gallatin county is well supplied by railroads, the Northern Tacific, Chicago, 

 Milwaukee & Puget Sound and the Gallatin Valley, the latter a subsidary of the 

 C. M. & P. S. A road comes in from the Trail Creek coal fields. 



Principal towns arc Bozeman, Three Forks, Belgrade and Manhattan. Three 

 Forks with two railroads, has a population of more than 3,000 and is a modern 

 little city with its own waterplant and lighted by electricity. Manhattan is a mill- 

 ing and shipping point, Salesville in the southern part and Maudlow in the northern 

 part are also shipping points of importance. Belgrade has large flouring mills 

 and elevators and is a grain buying and shipping point. At Trident is a large 

 cement factory employing a large number of men. Logan is a junction point on 

 the Northern Pacific railroad and a trading place for the lower Madison valley. 



Bozeman, the seat of the county government and also the location of the State 

 Agricultural College, is well entitled to its claim of being the "Beautiful." The 

 city is modern in every respect, has beautiiul homes, wide, well paved streets bril- 

 liantly lighted, pretty lawns and parks, big shade trees, owns its waterworks, 

 paid fire department, street car lines, U. S. Land Office, Montana Experiment 

 Station, U. S. Fish Hatchery, flouring mills, cereal food factory, elevators and 

 numerous small factories. 



Little desirable homestead land is left, but the state owns more than 50,000 

 acres of farming and forest lands. The forests embrace 840,418 acres. About 790,000 

 acres are privately owned. 



The assessed valuation in 1918 is $19,903,184 including railroad valuation. 



