102 



MONTANA: INDUSTRIAL RESOURCES 



JEFFERSON COUNTY 



X THE variety ami value of its metal produc- 

 tioJi over a jieriod of years, Jefferson is 

 probably the seeoml most important county 

 in the state. Though small in ai'ea and 

 population, it ranked seventh in mineral 

 production in 1920. Mining likely always 

 will he its premier industry. Large area-? 

 of the county are hilly and mountainous, 

 making it naturally adapted to range live- 

 stock. More than a third of the area is in- 

 cluded within national forests which pro- 

 vide good summer grazing. The tillable 

 area.s are relatively small, and while there 

 are good farming districts in the county, 

 the livestock industry is the predominant 

 agricultural enterprise. 



Jefferson count.v, in central Montana, 

 stretches east from the crest of the main 

 range of the Rocky ^Mountains about 40 

 miles; its northern boundary is not far from the city limits of Helena and its 

 most extreme southerly point not far from the confluence of the Boulder river with 

 the Jefferson. The ^^■estern half of the county is wooded and mountainous. 



Irrigated farming is confined principally to the Boulder and smaller mountain 

 valle.vs and also to the Whitehall district in the southern part of the county. Hay 

 is the chief crop. In the southeastern part of the county there is some non- 

 irrigated farming with wheat as the primary crop, and moisture the chief 

 factor controlling crop production. In the irrigated district around Whitehall 

 farmers have specialized in potatoes and dairying, the location being especially 

 favorable from which to reach the Butte market. 



Millions of dollars have been taken from the lead-silver ores of the Corbin, 

 Wickes, Elkhorn and other mining districts in the northern part of the county. 

 INIuch gold and some copper and zinc have also been produced 

 Large Mineral commercially. Other mineral resources include gypsum, phos- 

 Wcalth phate. 3nangane.se, platinum, gems, fii'e clay, limestone and 



granite for building purposes. The wings of the State Capitol 

 at Helena were constructed of Jefferson comity granite. Considerable mining de- 

 velopment is projected at a niunber of districts in the county and indications are 

 there will be more activity in the near future than for several years past. 

 Arrangements looking to the re-opening of many old-time producers are under 

 consideration and interest is lu>ing (ninced in many new and little developed 

 properties. 



Rail facilities are excellent. Tbe main lines of the Chicago. Milwaukee & St. 

 Paid and the Northern Pacil'lc cross the south end of the county; the Northern 

 Pacific main line via Helena touches the north end. and the Butte-Havre branch 

 of the (ireat Northern runs northerly through the western part of the comity. 

 Transcontinental and north and south highways parallel the railroads. 



Boulder, near the geographical center of the county, is the .seat of government, 



the princii)al livestock sliipi)ing point, and is also important in a mining as well 



as tourist way. Whitehall is the center of tbe irrigated farming 



Many Hot district, and. being the junction for a Northern I'acific branch 



Springs Resorts southerly into ]Matlison county, is also a good trade center. Sap- 



pington, in tbe southeast corner, is the junction point for another 



Northern Pacific branch that taps the Madi.><on river districts in ^Madison county. 



