6. Descriptions of the Collections


Montana became a state in 1889 and in 1893 established its land-grant college and agricultural
experiment station (and later extension service) in the Gallatin Valley at Bozeman--the state's premier
agricultural center. While westward moving farmers passed by Montana heading for the inviting valleys
of the Rocky Mountains and Pacific Coast, all that changed in the early 1900s. Boosters lobbied to
Congress to finance the conversion of rangeland to farmland through irrigation. However, when federal
irrigation projects provided proof that Montana would benefit little from irrigation, promoters turned to
dry farming as the next promise for Montana's eastern semi-arid plains. Promotional campaigns
emerged from such diverse groups as chambers of commerce, bankers, newspaper editors, real estate
firms, state agencies, the state college, and last, but not least, the railroads. Pamphlets and brochures
published by the Northern Pacific, Great Northern, Burlington, and Milwaukee railroad lines all promoted
Montana farming--some accurately and some not so accurately.

The literature also documents the conflict over dry-farming. Researchers at Montana Agricultural
Experiment Station in Bozeman favored diversity in livestock and crops and the development of drought-
resistant crops. They were overpowered, however, by the promotional efforts of James Hill, owner of
three railroad lines, who held a well-attended "Dry Farming Congress" in 1909 embracing dry farming
techniques. Montana and dry farming was aggressively promoted in the U.S. and Europe--especially
Germany and the Scandinavian countries. The barrage of propaganda peaked in 1911 and the
homestead rush climaxed in 1914. Grains were cultivated successfully, but most other crops familiar to
the new homesteaders weren't sustainable. Immigrants to Montana brought their agricultural heritage and
also their social customs and values--enriching the social fabric of the region.

The homestead boom kept the Agricultural Extension faculty busy educating the farmers of Montana
and advising the ranching industry. There were numerous breakthroughs in animal diseases and control;
discoveries in new wheat, barley, and potato varieties; and research into cropping systems. Controls for
pests were developed--especially for grasshoppers and Mormon crickets. Faculty members took to the
road, conducting Farmer's Institutes to deliver the latest agricultural information and four regional
experiment stations were created between 1907 and 1913 to help the one in Bozeman.

The land rush of homesteaders and "sod busters" from 1904-1918 created the rural life in Montana of
small towns with their focus on churches and schools. Other organizations followed including Garden
Clubs and the Women's Society which was active in the Montana temperance movement. Rural life in
Montana is documented through the activities and publications of these organizations and reflects the
settling of the last agriculture frontier. Extension programs also benefited farm families. Faculty
research found preservatives in sausages and meats to be unsafe and convinced Montana butchers to
discontinue their use. Faculty also lead efforts to improve nutrition for rural children through hot-lunch
programs and dietary education and promoted their views in Extension Service publications.

The lumber industry in Montana developed alongside mining and represented another rural subculture.
Wood was needed to power smelters and other machinery as well as to provide lumber for construction
and railroads. During World War I, union workers with antiwar sentiments started a wildcat strike at the
Eureka Lumber Company in western Montana protesting working conditions. Other strikes followed,
including the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) strike that shut down the entire lumber industry in
the Northwest. Montana's two largest lumber mills were closed until the federal government stepped in
and arrested IWW leaders. Eager to avoid further work stoppages, the Montana Lumber Manufacturers
Association agreed to make some desperately needed improvements in working conditions.

In 1917, a severe drought and the concurrent decline of farm prices produced a depression that launched
a mass exodus from Montana during the years 1918-1925. The cycle of drought, typical of the Great
Plains climate, coincided with a bust economy after World War I. Even Montana's lumber industry was
affected. The literature of the day reflects the effects of drought, wind, and poverty on Montana's
collective persona. The spectacular growth that ended the frontier period ushered in an era of economic