Treasure County, Montana 1921
Treasure County, in the south central
part of Montana, is devoted industrially to agriculture and the
raising of cattle and sheep. It has a land area of 960 square
miles and was created April' 1, 1919. Some coal has been found
in the county and there is some prospecting for oil and gas.
Cottonwood and ash are found along the streams, but there is no
commercial timber.
The county is divided by the valley
of the Yellowstone River, the soil in which is a deep loam,
while on the bench lands the prevailing type of soil is a
chocolate loam. An area of about 15,000 acres in the Yellowstone
Valley is under irrigation. Of the remainder of the county
114,788 acres are classified as suitable for non-irrigated
farming, and 222,769 acres as adapted to grazing. The price of
land varies greatly according to location, character of the soil
and water supply. Irrigated land brings from $100 to $200 an
acre, non-irrigated farming lands from $15 to $50 and grazing
land from $5 to $12 an acre. The principal stream is the
Yellowstone River, which takes an easterly direction through the
county and is fed by a number of small creeks which flow into it
both from the north and the south.
The soil in general is well adapted
to the production of small grains and hay, which are raised in
considerable quantities. Corn is a particularly good crop both
in yield and quality and bears favorable comparison with the
corn belt product. The farmers in the irrigated district are
giving special attention to the raising of alfalfa seed and are
meeting with gratifying success, finding a ready market at good
prices for all they can raise. Bee keeping is followed by some
and the county produces a considerable quantity of honey.
Treasure County is crossed by the
main line of the Northern Pacific Railway, which is paralleled
by the Yellowstone and Red trails. The county seat, Hysham, is a
small town of about 360 population. Its altitude above sea level
is 2,667 feet. Other population centers in the county are Big
Horn, Rancher, Myers and Sanders. The further development of the
present industries, including the raising of pure bred livestock
promises well for the future prosperity of the county, even
should no mineral development take place. Education is well
provided for, there being good rural schools, and at Hysham
there are graded schools and a high school accredited for the
four-year course.
Montana Counties 1921
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Montana AHGP

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