With a Map of Montana Cattle Trails
A rare promotional work, issued shortly after the Northern Pacific entered eastern Montana, and notable for its three excellent folding maps, including a detailed map of the Montana cattle trails. The text is an extensive guide aimed at prospective settlers of eastern Montana, one year after the Northern Pacific reached Glendive ("the point where it first strikes the Valley and connects with the famous Yellowstone"). In fact most of the opening advertisements are for Glendive-based merchants and businesses.
The unnamed author wrote directly from first-hand experience and knowledge of the country, as well as summarizing information from U.S. Army exploration reports, and the reports and surveys of Northern Pacific Railroad personnel, as well as from settlers themselves. Describes the land, water resources, climate, with information on cattle ranching, crops, and of course practical details on how to acquire lands now accessible by the newly-completed railroad. The preface is dated at Glendive, Montana, Nov. 30, 1881.
An important descriptive tract of the new country at the time of its settlement, with a fine large map showing the towns and cattle trails - Eberstadt.
The folding maps are as follows:
- New and Correct Map of the Lines of the Northern Pacific Railroad and Oregon Railway & Navigation Co. Large color folding map showing most of the West, including the Dakotas, Montana, Idaho, Washington, Oregon, and Northern California. Also Wyoming, Utah, Nevada, Colorado, Nebraska, and Kansas. As well as the southern parts of Canada (parts of British Columbia, the North West Territory, and Manitoba).
- Map of the Yellowstone Valley Showing the Route of the Northern Pacific R.R. and the Agricultural and Grazing Region Tributary to Glendive, Montana Terr. Junction of the Northern Pacific R.R. with the Steamboat Traffic of the Yellowstone and Upper-Missouri Rivers Compiled from U.S. Surveys and other authentic sources of information. This is a nice map which indicates the Montana cattle trails, with interesting notes on large tracts of land, such as "Rolling Prairie, Well-Watered, Fine Farming" and "Fine Grazing" and "Grazing Country."
- Map of Glendive Montana Territory. Shows streets, Yellowstone River, Billings Park, steamboat landing, and route of the Northern Pacific R.R.
Rarity
This book is rare. Nice complete examples, with all the maps intact, being particularly difficult to come by. Only 2 examples on RBH in the last fifty years, one of which was an ex-library example with the main map linen-backed.