Eastern Montana is rich in history when it comes to the cattle trade, gold mining and the ones who wanted both but were not interested in earning it. We will trace the trails that all three of these groups of people traveled and discuss how their paths frequently crossed.

We will start in Malta, Montana which was a crossroads for many a person for many a reason. For the most part, this middle spot on the Montana Hi-line brought the cattle men and the railroad together. Cattle, originally brought up from Texas, Kansas, and Colorado country, largely to supply a growing gold mining industry, became a fixture in Montana.  Frequently, cattle were ranged for a few years before being shipped elsewhere.

The story of the cattlemen is a fascinating one. In the days of the big range, cattlemen ran thousands of head on the open range covering thousands of acres of grassland. For many years these cattlemen managed their herds without the need for fences and gates to separate their stock. Everyone knew and respected each claim as well as the brand of each cattleman’s herd. You will learn how brands were used and how the fences, gates and deeded land eventually became necessary for the rancher to sustain his operation.

About the same time as the Cattleman were claming their land, gold was discovered in the Little Rocky Mountains and one of the last gold rushes in Montana began.  Men came from far and wide "to check out the color" in the Little Rockies.  They were men of all sorts and some of the cattlemen and sheepmen took note as well and began to establish their own claims.  They realized that the money gleaned from "them thar hills" could supplement their cattle and sheep operations, and they began to dig.  They were right!  Their ranching operations were supplemented with a little help from the "Little Rockies Pay Dirt."

As time rolled on two things began to occur. First of all, some cattlemen came to realize there was more money in gold mining than beef production. They began to either hire other cattlemen to manage their operations while they turned their attention to gold mining.  In some cases, cattlemen sold their cattle outfits and became full-time miners.

Secondly, men began to appear who weren’t interested in either industry, or any industry for that matter. Instead, they sought to benefit from others' hard work. They began to take both cattle and gold. Some of these men came disguised as cowhands seeking to learn the cattle trade, hiring our for outfits like the large Circle C Ranch and the B. D. Phillips operation. They spent time getting familiar with the layout of the land and learned the way the big cattle outfits operated. Then they slowly began to steal a few cattle at a time until they had to enough to sell.

The Montana cattlemen, however, were not pushovers.  They soon had had enough of cattle "rustlers" and after an appeal to the Governor for assistance failed, they decided to take the law into their own hands, in the absence of law officers. The ranchers, under the leadership of Granville Stewart formed vigilance committees and began and began a systematic campaign to get rid of the cattle rustlers. We know them today as the Judith Basin Vigilantes.

Eventually, however, the law became established in eastern Montana and marshals and law enforcement officers replaced the vigilantes. Many cattlemen were content to give up their vigilante efforts, although some vigilante activity continued and some cattlemen actually became outlaws themselves.

Despite the presence of law officers, the outlaws remained.  Some of these characters, such as Kid Curry, Butch Cassidy, and the Sundance Kid, each of whom at one time worked for local ranch outfits and even ran some cattle of their own (legally), did not bother to steal cattle, instead targeting banks and bankrolls, especially when the goods were being transported by rail. Trains were frequently robbed, and many a freighter or miner taking his money or gold to the bank ended up losing all he was worth to these renegades and outlaws. The cattleman, the miner, and the railroad all had good reason for catching up with these outlaws. Eventually the outlaw did disappear from Montana, but in the meantime much Montana history and lore were created and became an important part of our great state.

Come and join us as we step back in time and visit the places and drive the trails where it all took place.

You will travel from Malta to the mighty Missouri River and visit places such as the Circle C Ranch, which later became the Matador Ranch. You will visit gold towns such as Zortman and Landusky, which in some respects retain their original atmosphere. You will visit outlaw hideouts as well as the graves in which they were put to rest when they came to the end of their trail. You will see this all while learning the rich history that surrounds these colorful characters and communities. You may even get to experience a fast draw shootout, and see the Montana cattleman at work.

If it’s the Old West you want to experience, the Little Rocky Mountains of Montana is one of the last places in our country to encounter that romantic and exciting time in our nation's history. Come and see where the cattlemen, miners and outlaws crossed paths to create an enthralling chapter in the rich history of the land we affectionately call the Big Sky Country.

Contact History Montana by email.