A busy three days in Sweet Grass County - Big Timber, Montana
Posted by: Groundspeak Premium Member T0SHEA
N 45° 49.465 W 109° 57.915
12T E 580375 N 5075060
Marker can be reached from I-90 Frontage Road near U.S. 191. This marker is in the garden at the Crazy Mountain Museum.
Waymark Code: WM17GBQ
Location: Montana, United States
Date Posted: 02/17/2023
Published By:Groundspeak Premium Member ZenPanda
Views: 0
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Big Timber is located in south-central Montana bordered by the Yellowstone and Boulder Rivers and is the gateway to the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness and has some of the best blue-ribbon trout fishing in the state.


Big Timber is the county seat of Sweet Grass County and the population was 1,650 at the 2020.

History of Big Timber, Montana
Captain William Clark led The Corps of Discovery into what is now Sweet Grass County in 1806, but it wasn’t until 1883, and the Northern Pacific Railroad came through, that Big Timber (formerly named Dornix) was born. A railroad station was constructed at Dornix, a small settlement at the confluence of the Boulder and Yellowstone rivers, whose economy revolved around a saw mill. Within a very short time, Dornix moved to higher ground and renamed Big Timber for the large cottonwood trees growing along the rivers. Big Timber was within the Crow Indian reservation lands until 1891 when the Crow Nation ceded their lands west of the Boulder River to the United States Government.

In 1880, two Irishmen, Charles McDonnell, and Edward Veasey drove 3,000 head of sheep from California to Montana, beginning a long history of sheep and cattle ranching in the area.

In 1901 the first woolen mill in Montana was built in Big Timber, and at one time Big Timber shipped more wool than any other city in the United States. While farming and ranching are still the backbones of the area, platinum/palladium mining has become a major contributor to the economy.

Crazy Mountain Museum opened its doors in 1992 and hosts a festival each Memorial Day.

The Crazy Mountain Museum houses a collection of artifacts and exhibits range from archeological and geological finds to the Pioneer Room featuring early settlers and their families. Also featured is a replica of 1907 Big Timber, Jack Hines paintings of Sweet Grass County called Historic Crossroads, a replica Norwegian stabbur, a tipi, a one room schoolhouse, the widely-acclaimed gardens.

There are several signs along the garden paths that tell the history of Lewis and Clark.


Lewis and Clark
National Historic Trail
Big Timber, Montana





Sign:
During the 1806 return journey from the Pacific Ocean, Captains Meriwether Lewis and Willian Clark traveled separate routes to explore more territory. Captain Clark and ten men, together with Sacagawea and her infant son Jean Baptiste (called "Pomp" by Clark), traveled east on horseback down well-worn Indian and buffalo trails along the Yellowstone River's north side The party spent three days in present Sweet Grass County - hunting, making moccasins for the horses, and exploring.

(excerpts from Wm. Clark's journal presented chronologically:)
"Two of the horses was So lame owing to their feet being worn quit Smooth and to the quick, the hind feet was much worst. I had Mockersons made of green Buffalow Skin and put on their feet which Seams to relieve them very much in passing over the Stoney plains."
William Clark July 16, 1806

"Saw...two white or Grey Bears in the plains, one of them I Chased on horse back about 2 miles to the rigid part of the plain where I was compelled to give up the Chase."
William Clark July 16, 1806

"as we were about Setting out this morning two Buffalow Bulls came near our Camp. Several of the men Shot at one of them. their being near the river plunged in and Swam across to the opposit Side and their died."
William Clark July `8, 1806

"I saw a Single Pelicon which is the first which I have Seen on this river."
William Clark July 17, 1806

"I Saw on one of those Small bottoms which I passed this evening an Indian fort.... built of logs and bark. the Squaw informs me that when the war parties find themselves pursued they make those forts to defend themselves in from the pursuers whose Superior numbers might other wise over power them..."
William Clark July 17, 1806

Erected by Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail.
Describe the area and history:
Sweet Grass County including Big Timber has an average elevation: 1,244 m. Big Timber is surrounded on three sides by the Crazy Mountains and the Absaroka Beartooths, and the prairies lie to the east. Beautiful views of the mountains with native grasslands.
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