WIBAUX COUNTY. 



Wibaux county is the smallest agricultural county in the state of Montana and 

 the third smallest of all the counties in the state. The two mining counties of 

 Silver Bow and Deer Lodge are of smaller area. Although small, "Wibaux county has 

 a larger percentage of its total area under cultivation than any other county. 



The county is known as the "gateway" county of Montana for it is through here 

 that all Northern Pacific trains pass on entering the slate from the east. It is 

 therefore next to the North Dakota line, just midway between the Canadian line 

 and the northern boundary of Wyoming. It is bounded on the north by Richland, on 

 the east by North Dakota, on the south by Fallon and on the west by Dawson. 



Wibaux was originally a part of Dawson county but separated to form a choice 

 division of the state with the thriving town of Wibaux for the county seat. There 

 Is very little waste land and very little that has not been cultivated and proven 

 productive. 



The county has very little land in the irrigated valley of the Yellowstone 

 river, as it is a little too far east to come into this Lower Yellowstone project. For 

 that reason there is no large river in the county. It does have creeks flowing 

 through it of which Beaver Creek is the largest. It extends northward, forming a 

 fertile valley which is highly productive. 



There is one railroad, the Northern Pacific, which bisects the county from east 

 to west. This is the main line of the road from Minneapolis and St. Paul to the 

 coast. For that reason the county has excellent transportation facilities and can 

 readily and easily reach good markets. 



There are good highways in the county and a main automobile road, the 

 Red Trail, follows the Northern Pacific railroad through the county to Fargo, 

 North Dakota. Many tourists pass over this trail annually on their way to Yellow- 

 stone Park, western Montana and the Pacific Coast. 



Farming and stock raising are the principal industries. There are five elevators 

 with a combined capacity of 250,000 bushels in the principal town which is an indi- 

 cation of the farming that is done. Great quantities of wheat and oats are marketed 

 as well as barley, corn, flax and potatoes. Corn does very well in the county, 

 because of the fertility of the soil and the long growing season. The amount of 

 land in crops has more than doubled in the past two years. 



The corn which can be raised for silage and the alfalfa for winter feeding 

 make dairying profitable. Wibaux has a creamery which handles the milk and 

 cream. Some of the best dairy farms and buildings in the state are found in this 

 county. 



Most of the desirable homestead land in the county has been taken. There 

 are, however, 9,210 acres of unreserved and unappropriated public land still avail- 

 able for entry under the homestead laws. In addition to this there are 31,358 acres 

 of state land which can be purchased for a low price. Privately owned land, 

 improved and unimproved, may be bought for a reasonable price per acre. The 

 unimproved land brings from $15 to $1S and the improved about $25 an acre. The 

 county is in the Miles City land district and has an area of 944 square miles. 



Wibaux, the county seat and principal town, is a thriving little city of more 

 than 1,000 population, and is growing rapidly. There are two banks, about twenty 

 retail establishments, a creamery, live elevators, four garages, two hotels, two 

 newspapers, city water works, electric lighting plant, a flour mill, several churches, 

 good streets and fine sidewalks. There is a splendid county high school in the city, 

 with an attendance of 51 from the county. It is accredited lor four years. There 

 is also a splendid graded school system. The town is progressive and has a 

 metropolitan appearance. 



Other towns on the railroad are Yates and Beaver Hill. Smaller towns in the 

 country district are St. Phillip, Edgehill, Dennis, Been and Brenizer. 



The estimated population of the county in 1918 is 4,640. The assessed valua- 

 tion in 1918 is $3,797,530. 



