PAIIK COUNTY. 



Park county is located in south-central Montana, extending north 100 miles 

 from the north line of Yellowstone Park, is 50 miles wide on its south, and 40 miles 

 wide on its north line. The elevations above sea level vary from 4,000 to 8,000 feet, 

 affording the variety of topography that is marked with valley, bench, foot hills and 

 mountain. Both the east and west' lines of the county are occupied with ranges 

 of high mountains, the Crazy range on the east, being erratically artistic spurs of 

 the Rockies. The center of the county is occupied by two large and fertile moun- 

 tain valleys. The Shields River valley extends south from the north line of the 

 county 50 miles and is frcm 25 to 30 miles in width. The Yellowstone valley which 

 enters at the east center, extends west 20 miles, then turns south extending 50 

 miles to the north entrance to Yellowstone National Park. This valley varies 

 from 5 to 50 miles in width. Added to these are many small tributary valleys and 

 mountain basins that add largely to the agricultural and pastoral lands. Scenically 

 the county is one of the most beautiful sections of the continent. 



Park county has a national reputation as an agricultural and pastoral prize 

 winner. The soil of its fertile valleys is the richest and strongest on the conti- 

 nent, the analysis showing a composition of nitrogen, phosphorous, lime and potash, 

 all the most valuable elements of plant food. The lands, with their extremely 

 nitrogenous and mineral plant lood content, will produce grain, grasses and 

 vegetables steadily and bountifully, for an indefinite period. The soils of Park 

 county are noted for their production of grasses and of the finest quality of hard 

 milling spring and winter wheat, the acreage production ordinarily running from 

 twenty-five to fifty bushels and yields up to sixty bushels are not uncommon. 

 Oats yield seventy-five to one hundred and twenty- ive bushels and alfalfa, from three 

 to five tons to the acre. All vegetables and moderate-zone fruits are grown in 

 the greatest abundance. High grade seed peas, the total estimated crop of which 

 will this season exceed 100,000 bushels, alfal a, timothy, clover, etc., are grown 

 abundantly. Cattle and sheep raising are prominent sources of wealth production 

 and during the past couple of years, many high grade milch cows have been 

 imported into the country. The climate, good drainage, pure water, clean pastures 

 and easy production of milk-producing fodders, warrant the prediction that in the 

 near future the valleys and basins will be largely devoted to dairying. The weather 

 throughout the year is genial and healthLul and from an agricultural standpoint 

 wholly advantageous. 



The largest prospected and considerably developed mineral area in the county 

 Is the New "World mining district or which Cooke City is the center. 1'he district is 

 unusually large, being about eight by twelve miles and embracing many hundreds 

 of claims. It contains a great variety of minerals and is considered to be the 

 most important mining center in the state, excepting Butte, when it reaches its 

 development. So far it has been handicapped by lack of transportation. However, 

 a company has secured a permit to construct a road through Yellowstone Park, 

 the line running a few miles south of the north line of the Park, from Gardiner to 

 Cooke City, a distance of 55 miles. 



The southwestern part of the county has great supplies of coking and bituminous 

 coal, dykes of gypsum, lime, marble and granite. 



Livingston is the gateway to Yellowstone National Park and is visited annually 

 by over twenty-five thousand tourists. It is the county seat of Park county and 

 is a live, prosperous and wide awake city of 7.000 people. It has a fine water system, 

 electric lights, sewers, cement walks and paved business streets, county court house, 

 city hall, fine federal building, public library, six grade school buildings, county 

 high school, parochial school, line church buildings of nearly all religious denomina- 

 tions, four banks, modern hotels and mercantile establishments, large railroad shops 

 and moving picture shows and theatres. The Northern Pacilic passenger depot is of 

 large proportions, providing ample and com.ortable facilities for handling the 

 business of the city and the National Park travel. 



Other towns in the county that are in a thriving condition are, Wilsall, Clyde 

 Park, Hunter's Hot Springs, Chico Hot Springs, Emigrant and Gardiner. The 

 latter town is at the entrance of the National Park, and is considered the official 

 entrance to the great playground. 



