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The Last Best Place
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 Native Americans were the first inhabitants
of the area to become known as the state of Montana. The
Lewis and Clark Expedition of 1804-1806 was the first group of white
explorers to cross Montana. Trappers and traders followed the
expeditions.On August 14, 1848, Congress created the Oregon Territory, an area that includes what is today Oregon, Idaho, Washington, and western Montana. The Oregon Territory quickly became a popular place for various groups of immigrants and settlers. A cut-off, which provided a savings of several hundreds of miles was the Bozeman Trail. It was difficult and treacherous, but provided more water for livestock and saved time. Parts of the Bozeman trail can be traced very close to where the property of White Deer Ranch now sits.
As more and more white people came into the area, Indians lost access to their traditional hunting grounds and conflicts grew. Eventually, the Indians would succumb to the power of the military and reservations were established. Cattle ranches began flourishing in western valleys during the 1860's
as demand for beef in the new mining communities During the 1880's railroads crossed Montana, and the territory became a state in 1889. Mining also began at this time. Butte became famous when silver and copper were discovered. Cattle and sheep ranches continued to take advantage of Montana's abundant grasslands. Passage of the Enlarged Homestead Act in 1909 brought tens of thousands of homestead farmers into the state looking for inexpensive land. This boom was followed by the great depression. World War II broke the hold of the Great Depression on Montana. The resultant wartime dislocation changed Montana forever. Post-war or "modern" Montana (1945-2000) has been
characterized by a slow shift from an economy that relies on the
extraction of natural resources to one that is service-based.
Agriculture has remained Montana's primary industry throughout the era.
After 1970 tourism supplanted mining as the state's second largest
industry.
Read more about the history of White Deer
Ranch itself.
Ski Area & National Park
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* Vacation Rentals *
Long-term Rentals
* Testimonials |
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The discovery of gold brought many prospectors into the area in the
1860's, and Montana became a territory in 1864. 
increased. 
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