Glacier County, Montana 1921
Glacier County acquired its political
entity as a county of Montana on April 1, 1919. It has a land
area of 1,309 square miles, cut out of the northwestern part of
the state, with the Canadian line for its northern boundary, and
for its western and eastern edge of the Glacier National Park.
Most of the county forms a part of the old Blackfeet Indian
reservation, and the aborigines still own the greater part of
the land. As the terms of their ownership preclude prospecting
by whites, little is known of the county's mineral resources,
beyond the fact that it contains coal and that its geological
formation indicates the possibility of oil.
Glacier County is one of the best
watered counties in the state. The northern part consists of
broad rolling prairies, with low lying hills on the horizon, the
rich and abundant grasses making it an ideal region for stock
raising, which occupation has been extensively followed there
for many years. The western part of the county is somewhat
rougher, owing to the outlying spurs of the Glacier Mountains.
In the southern part the surface is level, and for the most part
is favored with a good soil and a longer growing season,
extending to about 102 days. In this part of the county is found
the Blackfeet irrigation project, comprising the greater part of
its total area of 122,000 acres. Indian ownership has caused
slow agricultural development, though much of the land is leased
to white settlers. In those parts of the county where land can
be purchased, it ranges from $15 to $50 an acre, according to
whether it is improved or irrigated or suitable only for grazing
purposes. The principal crops raised are wheat, oats, barley,
flax and alfalfa. Flax in particular has proved a successful
crop, and the claim is made that the county has produced the
largest yield per acre that has been recorded of any land in the
world. Glacier County forms part of a great continental
watershed. In general the streams flow to the north and east,
the waters of St. Mary's River eventually finding their way into
Hudson's Bay and those of Milk River into the Gulf of Mexico.
About one hundred square miles, or one-thirteenth of the total
surface of the county is covered with timber. This includes
32,256 acres, or about fifty square miles, of the Lewis and
Clark National Forest. But a small proportion of the timber on
the other fifty square miles is of commercial value.
Glacier County has rail communication
east and west by means of the Great Northern railway, by which
it is traversed, while the Roosevelt Memorial Trail, running in
the same general direction, is available for motor cars and
other road vehicles. Another fine highway runs along the eastern
side of the Glacier National Park, connecting it with the local
Glacier roads. At the main entrance to the park is located the
small and picturesque village of Glacier Park, containing the
largest hotel in the park.
Cut Bank and Other Towns
The principal town or city in Glacier
County is Cut Bank, which is also the temporary county seat. It
has an altitude of 3,698 feet above sea level, and a population
of about fifteen hundred. In municipal improvements it is well
up to date, having good water, sewer and electric light systems
and well cared for streets and walks. Its business interests
include two banks and a newspaper, besides a number of
flourishing mercantile establishments, operated by enterprising
business men who understand local needs and maintain a high
standard of business efficiency and integrity conducing to their
own prosperity and that of the town. Cut Bank has two churches,
a Catholic and a Protestant, and its school system is
particularly well organized and efficient. It includes a high
school accredited for the four year term.
In the center of the reservation and
about two miles from the railroad is the town of Browning, which
is the headquarters of the Indian agency and contains about six
hundred people. It was recently incorporated, the government
having thrown open the townsite, and a number of important
improvements are now under way. On the reservation the tourist
may find interesting scenes and study the habits and manners of
the original owners of the soil, while good hunting and fishing
may be found in various parts of the county. In the principal
communities there are good common schools, while an adequate
number of rural schools conveniently located throughout the
country districts provide educational facilities for the youth
of the county.
Montana Counties 1921
Return to
Montana AHGP

Source: Montana its Story and Biography,
by Tom Strout, Volume 1, The American Historical Society, 1921
|