City in Powell County, Montana, United States
City in Montana, United States
Deer Lodge
is a city in and the
county seat
of
Powell County
,
Montana
, United States.
[3]
The population was 2,938 at the
2020 census
.
[4]
Description
[
edit
]
Powell County Courthouse, Deer Lodge
The city is perhaps best known as the home of the
Montana State Prison
, a major local employer.
[5]
The
Montana State Hospital
in
Warm Springs
and the former state tuberculosis sanitarium in nearby
Galen
are the result of the power the western part of the state held over Montana at statehood due to the copper and mineral wealth in that area.
[6]
Deer Lodge was also once an important railroad town, serving as a division headquarters for the
Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad
("the Milwaukee Road") before the railroad's local abandonment in 1980.
The current Montana State Prison occupies a campus 3.5 miles (5.6 km) west of town. The former prison site, at the south end of Deer Lodge's Main Street, is now the
Old Prison Museum
. In addition to a former cellblock building, the museum complex includes a theater, antique and automobile museums, and a former
Milwaukee Road
"
Little Joe
" electric locomotive.
Deer Lodge is also the location of
Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site
, dedicated to the interpretation of the frontier cattle ranching era. This site was the home of
Conrad Kohrs
, one of the famous "Cattle Kings" of Montana whose land holdings once stretched over a million acres (4,000 km
2
) of Montana,
Wyoming
, and
Alberta
, Canada. The Grant-Kohrs ranch was built in 1862 by Johnny Grant, a Scottish/French/
Metis
fur-trader and trapper who encouraged his people to settle in Deer Lodge because of its pleasant climate and large areas of bunch grass prairie, ideal for raising cattle and horses. The city's name derives from a geological formation known as Warm Springs Mound which contained natural saline that made for a natural salt lick for the local deer population, the protected valley in which Deer Lodge is located was where most of the local wildlife would winter as the temperatures lowered in the high country.
[7]
Deer Lodge was the site of the
College of Montana
, the first institution of higher learning in the state.
History
[
edit
]
Extant mentions of the Deer Lodge Valley prior to 1860 are found as occasional remarks in records written for other purposes.
Consistent record-keeping begins with the writings of
Granville Stuart
and others in the early 1860s.
[11]
[12]
[13]
[a]
1860 marks the beginning of permanent occupation of both the valley and the future site of the city of Deer Lodge by
European-Americans
.
[14]
[15]
Fur trade era
[
edit
]
Before 1860, the Deer Lodge Valley was not the territory of any
American Indian
group.
Gatherings were held there, including horse races.
American Indian groups from the west,
Flatheads
,
Pend d'Oreilles
et al. passed through the valley as an alternative route to and from the buffalo hunting grounds to the east.
[18]
The first documented visit to this area by European-American explorers occurred in 1805?1806, when
Lewis and Clark
's
Corps of Discovery
expedition passed by the Deer Lodge Valley without entering it.
[20]
Evidence of earlier incursion, probably by Spaniards, was noted by miner James B. Beattle on Sugar Loaf mountain in the Race Track mining district
[21]
on the west side of the Deer Lodge Valley.
[22]
Early European trapper/traders passing through the valley referred to it as "the Deer House Plains". The Clark Fork river was called the Arrow Stone River in the 1830s.
[18]
By the 1850s it was called the Deer Lodge Creek/Hellgate River.
[23]
Catholic Father
Pierre-Jean De Smet
brought the first wagons known to have passed through the valley, in 1841.
In 1846, the Deer Lodge Valley became part of the United States and
Oregon Territory
with the signing of the
Oregon Treaty
by the U. S. and
Great Britain
. From 1853 to 1863 it was in
Washington Territory
, then briefly part of
Idaho Territory
until the creation of
Montana Territory
in 1864.
[24]
[b]
European-American settlement of the valley gained momentum during the 1850s and 60's, with the primary site being at present-day Deer Lodge. During the 1850s, trapper/traders from
Fort Hall
began wintering herds of horses and cattle in the valley.
Also during that decade placer gold finds were made near present-day
Gold Creek
, first in 1852 by
Francois (Bennetsee) Findley
, followed in 1856 by Hereford, Saunders, Madison et al.,
[26]
and in 1858?61 by James and Granville Stuart, Reese Anderson et al.
In 1860?62,
Lt. John Mullan
oversaw construction of the
Mullan Road
, which connected
Walla Walla, Washington
Territory with
Fort Benton
, then in
Dakota Territory
.
[28]
The Mullan Road passed through the north end of the Deer Lodge Valley.
European-American settlement, Montana gold rush
[
edit
]
Johnny Grant in his prime
John Francis (Johnny) Grant
built the first permanent structures in the valley in 1859?60, at Grantsville near present-day
Garrison
.
[15]
Grant had begun grazing cattle and horse herds in the north valley several years previously and "wintered over" there in 1857?58.
In 1860, feeling as he said "lonely", he returned to Fort Hall for summer trading and induced several fellow trader/trappers and their families to return to the valley with him at the end of the season.
[c]
Instead of locating at Grantsville, his friends chose to build at the site of present-day Deer Lodge, where several Mexican trapper/traders and their
Metis
families had already established the seasonal settlement of Spanish Fork.
[e]
While Johnny Grant had been at Fort Hall, several people had come from
Fort Union
down the Mullan Road route and begun building homes at Grantsville.
[33]
[f]
In 1861, the Stuart brothers and Reese Anderson established American Fork near present-day Gold Creek.
Also in that year Johnny Grant moved his large family to his newly built house at Deer Lodge, at the present-day site of
Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site
.
[34]
[g]
During the next two years, placer gold discoveries at Grasshopper Creek, Alder Gulch and other locations to the south caused a population decline in the valley, including the abandonment of Grantsville and American Fork.
Beginning in 1864 with gold strikes to the north, Deer Lodge City grew rapidly as a base for supplies to mines in the surrounding mountains.
[14]
Montana Territory
[
edit
]
By 1861?1862, Spanish Fork was more often referred to as Cottonwood.
In 1862, a Deer Lodge Town Committee was established to lay out the town site, to be called LaBarge City - after
Missouri River
steamboat Captain Joseph LaBarge whose firm, LaBarge, Harkness & Company,
[38]
had proposed to start a business in Cottonwood.
[h]
[i]
Creation of Idaho Territory in 1863 induced a name change to Idaho City.
With the 1864 designation of Montana Territory, Deer Lodge City became the choice. Montana's first territorial legislature defined most of the boundaries of
Deer Lodge County
, establishing the county seat at the placer mining camp of Silver Bow City, near Butte. In September 1865, county voters transferred the seat to Deer Lodge City.
[41]
During the first half of the 1860s, Granville Stuart described valley social life as including many gay dances and parties,
which was the way of the Metis.
By 1866, Johnny Grant and many of his fellow Metis had become disenchanted with their increasingly numerous neighbors from "the States".
In that year, Grant sold most of his Deer Lodge Valley holdings to
Conrad Kohrs
and in 1867 led a mass exodus of Metis families to the
Red River country
of
Manitoba, Canada
.
[j]
[k]
In 1869, the
Territorial Prison
was located at Deer Lodge.
Also that year, the town site plat for Deer Lodge City was recorded.
[14]
In 1878,
Montana Collegiate Institute
was established at Deer Lodge City. It opened for classes in 1883 and closed in 1914.
Attorney
Horace Clagett
, of the Deer Lodge firm Clagett and Dixon, was elected
U.S. Representative from Montana Territory
for the 1871?73 term. He was defeated for reelection by
Martin Maginnis
. Clagett was noted for introducing the legislation establishing
Yellowstone National Park
. Clagett's partner,
William W. Dixon
, later moved to Butte and upset
Thomas H. Carter
in 1891 to serve a single term as
U.S. Representative from the State of Montana
.
Clagett and Dixon platted the first addition to Deer Lodge City in 1872.
[49]
Perhaps its most prominent building was the former St. Joseph's Hospital.
[l]
State of Montana, Powell County
[
edit
]
Deer Lodge City was incorporated in 1888,
[50]
with a mayor and aldermen as officers. Montana achieved statehood in 1889 and a battle ensued between Helena and Anaconda over the location of the capitol in which Helena finally triumphed in 1894.
[52]
In 1896, Anaconda took the Deer Lodge County seat away from Deer Lodge. This began a battle which culminated in the creation of
Powell County
in 1901, with its county seat at Deer Lodge.
[m]
[n]
Frank Conley
[
edit
]
Mayoral portrait of Frank Conley, mayor of Deer Lodge, Montana (with breaks) from 1892 until 1928
After statehood, the State of Montana let a contract to run
Montana State Prison
, which was awarded to
Frank Conley
and Thomas McTague.
[57]
They held the contract until 1908. In that year, the State took over running Montana State Prison, appointing Frank Conley as warden.
[58]
Conley remained in that capacity until 1921, when Governor
Joseph M. Dixon
replaced Conley with
M. W. Potter
.
[59]
The Governor then commissioned an investigation of Conley's administration. This resulted in the
MacDonald Report
, which would be used as the basis for a civil lawsuit by the State of Montana against Conley.
[60]
The year following,
Montana Attorney General
Wellington Rankin
[61]
sued Conley for misuse of state funds and materials, in the case
State of Montana vs Frank Conley
. The case took three months to try and resulted in the State of Montana being ordered to reimburse Conley.
[62]
[63]
Deer Lodge City celebrated with a victory party.
[64]
[65]
Frank Conley was elected the fifth (1892?93), seventh (1895?1903) and tenth (1907?1928) mayor of Deer Lodge City.
[66]
When he resigned for the last time, an article in the
Billings Gazette
called him 'the longest serving mayor in American history'. Mayor Conley was instrumental in bringing the division headquarters and shops of the
Milwaukee Road
to Deer Lodge City in 1910.
[67]
Over the next decade, he presided over
upbuilding
the town's infrastructure to accommodate the rapidly expanding population. He was also responsible for the building of the City Hall.
[
citation needed
]
Montana State Prison
[
edit
]
In 1908, inmates W. A. Hayes and George Rock killed guard John Robinson and seriously wounded Warden Conley in
an attempted prison breakout
.
[68]
In 1959, a prolonged riot occurred at the prison, led by
Jerry Miles
and
Lee Smart
, which resulted in the slaying of Deputy Warden
Ted Rothe
and the eventual suicides of Miles and Smart.
[69]
All inmates were moved in 1977?79 to a
new state prison
facility outside of Deer Lodge. The town of Deer Lodge employs the Powell County Museum & Arts Foundation to manage the
old facility
as a museum.
Superfund site
[
edit
]
In the 1870s,
Butte
developed into a rich silver mining camp.
Marcus Daly
's discovery of rich copper veins in his Anaconda mine launched the
Copper Kings
era at Butte. In 1883, Daly established his smelter facilities at newly platted
Anaconda, Montana
.
Anaconda immediately became Deer Lodge County's major population center and employer. Smelting activities at Butte and Anaconda left behind enormous amounts of toxic wastes. Flooding on
Silver Bow Creek
and
Warm Springs Creek
, particularly in the great valley flood of 1908,
[72]
[o]
spread toxic wastes from Butte through Deer Lodge City, to the
Milltown Dam
,
[p]
just east of Missoula.
[74]
[75]
As a result of legal actions begun in 1983 and culminating in 2008, the course of the Clark Fork River from Anaconda to the Milltown Dam was declared to be a
Superfund cleanup site
. Cleanup costs are financed from the settlement with
ARCO
(now BP-ARCO).
[76]
[q]
[r]
Economic decline
[
edit
]
Interstate 90
bypassed Deer Lodge in 1960. In 1961, the Milwaukee Road ended its
Olympian Hiawatha
passenger trains. Limited passenger service between Minneapolis and Deer Lodge continued until 1964, at which time all Milwaukee Road passenger service to Deer Lodge ended.
[s]
In the 1970s, the
Anaconda Copper Company
suffered financial setbacks which ultimately caused its 1977
merger with ARCO
. By 1982, ARCO had closed down the
smelter at Anaconda
and stopped mining copper at Butte.
[77]
[t]
In 1980, the Milwaukee Road shut down its
western extension
. All of its infrastructure from
Seattle, Washington
to
Miles City, Montana
was torn out, including the rails themselves.
[78]
[u]
Geography
[
edit
]
Deer Lodge in 1869
[79]
According to the
United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 1.44 square miles (3.73 km
2
), all land.
[80]
Small creeks can be found in and near town, such as Cottonwood Creek and Peterson Creek.
Climate
[
edit
]
This
climatic
region is typified by large seasonal and diurnal temperature differences owing to its high
elevation
and dry conditions throughout the year. The city is marked by warm to hot summers and cold?sometimes severely cold?winters inherent in
microthermal
climates.
Climate data for Deer Lodge, Montana, 1991?2020 normals, extremes 1893?present
|
Month
|
Jan
|
Feb
|
Mar
|
Apr
|
May
|
Jun
|
Jul
|
Aug
|
Sep
|
Oct
|
Nov
|
Dec
|
Year
|
Record high °F (°C)
|
62
(17)
|
69
(21)
|
73
(23)
|
84
(29)
|
94
(34)
|
100
(38)
|
108
(42)
|
103
(39)
|
99
(37)
|
87
(31)
|
73
(23)
|
66
(19)
|
108
(42)
|
Mean maximum °F (°C)
|
50.6
(10.3)
|
52.9
(11.6)
|
62.6
(17.0)
|
73.5
(23.1)
|
80.8
(27.1)
|
86.4
(30.2)
|
91.9
(33.3)
|
91.2
(32.9)
|
86.8
(30.4)
|
76.7
(24.8)
|
60.6
(15.9)
|
50.3
(10.2)
|
93.1
(33.9)
|
Mean daily maximum °F (°C)
|
33.2
(0.7)
|
36.0
(2.2)
|
44.3
(6.8)
|
52.9
(11.6)
|
62.2
(16.8)
|
68.5
(20.3)
|
79.1
(26.2)
|
79.4
(26.3)
|
69.6
(20.9)
|
55.4
(13.0)
|
40.2
(4.6)
|
31.3
(?0.4)
|
54.3
(12.4)
|
Daily mean °F (°C)
|
22.0
(?5.6)
|
24.5
(?4.2)
|
31.8
(?0.1)
|
39.4
(4.1)
|
47.9
(8.8)
|
54.1
(12.3)
|
61.6
(16.4)
|
60.8
(16.0)
|
52.1
(11.2)
|
40.6
(4.8)
|
28.3
(?2.1)
|
20.9
(?6.2)
|
40.3
(4.6)
|
Mean daily minimum °F (°C)
|
10.7
(?11.8)
|
13.1
(?10.5)
|
19.3
(?7.1)
|
25.8
(?3.4)
|
33.7
(0.9)
|
39.8
(4.3)
|
44.2
(6.8)
|
42.2
(5.7)
|
34.6
(1.4)
|
25.8
(?3.4)
|
16.3
(?8.7)
|
10.5
(?11.9)
|
26.3
(?3.1)
|
Mean minimum °F (°C)
|
?14.7
(?25.9)
|
?10.3
(?23.5)
|
0.9
(?17.3)
|
11.5
(?11.4)
|
18.4
(?7.6)
|
28.3
(?2.1)
|
34.0
(1.1)
|
29.8
(?1.2)
|
20.9
(?6.2)
|
7.5
(?13.6)
|
?4.4
(?20.2)
|
?12.9
(?24.9)
|
?23.2
(?30.7)
|
Record low °F (°C)
|
?39
(?39)
|
?41
(?41)
|
?29
(?34)
|
?8
(?22)
|
7
(?14)
|
22
(?6)
|
20
(?7)
|
19
(?7)
|
9
(?13)
|
?15
(?26)
|
?38
(?39)
|
?42
(?41)
|
?42
(?41)
|
Average
precipitation
inches (mm)
|
0.48
(12)
|
0.68
(17)
|
1.28
(33)
|
1.08
(27)
|
2.19
(56)
|
2.66
(68)
|
1.51
(38)
|
1.32
(34)
|
1.35
(34)
|
1.00
(25)
|
0.51
(13)
|
0.50
(13)
|
14.56
(370)
|
Source 1: NOAA
[81]
|
Source 2: National Weather Service
[82]
|
Demographics
[
edit
]
Historical population
Census
| Pop.
| Note
| %±
|
1870
| 788
| | ?
|
---|
1880
| 941
| | 19.4%
|
---|
1890
| 1,463
| | 55.5%
|
---|
1900
| 1,324
| | ?9.5%
|
---|
1910
| 2,570
| | 94.1%
|
---|
1920
| 3,780
| | 47.1%
|
---|
1930
| 3,510
| | ?7.1%
|
---|
1940
| 3,278
| | ?6.6%
|
---|
1950
| 3,779
| | 15.3%
|
---|
1960
| 4,681
| | 23.9%
|
---|
1970
| 4,306
| | ?8.0%
|
---|
1980
| 4,023
| | ?6.6%
|
---|
1990
| 3,378
| | ?16.0%
|
---|
2000
| 3,421
| | 1.3%
|
---|
2010
| 3,111
| | ?9.1%
|
---|
2020
| 2,938
| | ?5.6%
|
---|
As of the
census
[4]
of 2020, the city of Deer Lodge had lost more than one third of its peak census population of 1960.
[v]
[4]
2010 census
[
edit
]
As of the
census
[4]
of 2010, there were 3,111 people, 1,386 households, and 847 families residing in the city. The
population density
was 2,160.4 inhabitants per square mile (834.1/km
2
). There were 1,549 housing units at an average density of 1,075.7 per square mile (415.3/km
2
). The racial makeup of the city was 96.8%
White
, 0.6%
African American
, 0.8%
Native American
, 0.6%
Asian
, and 1.1% from two or more races.
Hispanic
or
Latino
of any race were 1.2% of the population.
There were 1,386 households, of which 27.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.9% were
married couples
living together, 12.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.0% had a male householder with no wife present, and 38.9% were non-families. 35.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.19 and the average family size was 2.79.
The median age in the city was 45.7 years. 22.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 20.3% were from 25 to 44; 30.4% were from 45 to 64; and 20.8% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.7% male and 50.3% female.
2000 census
[
edit
]
As of the
census
[85]
of 2000, there were 3,421 people, 1,442 households, and 911 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,369.3 inhabitants per square mile (914.8/km
2
). There were 1,593 housing units at an average density of 1,103.3 per square mile (426.0/km
2
). The racial makeup of the city was 95.67%
White
, 0.03%
African American
, 1.02%
Native American
, 0.61%
Asian
, 0.61% from
other races
, and 2.05% from two or more races.
Hispanic
or
Latino
of any race were 1.84% of the population.
There were 1,442 households, out of which 29.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.7% were
married couples
living together, 9.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.8% were non-families. 32.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.93.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 25.3% under the age of 18, 6.7% from 18 to 24, 25.1% from 25 to 44, 23.6% from 45 to 64, and 19.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 93.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $29,859, and the median income for a family was $36,108. Males had a median income of $27,903 versus $20,227 for females. The
per capita income
for the city was $14,883. About 8.7% of families and 10.9% of the population were below the
poverty line
, including 13.3% of those under age 18 and 5.4% of those age 65 or over.
Government
[
edit
]
The
United States Postal Service
operates the Deer Lodge Post Office.
[86]
The
Montana Department of Corrections
operates the current
Montana State Prison
facility in a nearby
unincorporated area
in
Powell County
, near Deer Lodge.
[87]
Education
[
edit
]
Deer Lodge Schools educates students from kindergarten through 12th grade.
[88]
In 2022, the Deer Lodge Elementary District, which includes students from K-8th grades, had 400 students.
[89]
High school education in Powell County is served by
Powell County High School
located in Deer Lodge. In 2022, the high school had 175 students enrolled.
[90]
The school currently competes athletically in the 6B conference with Superior, Missoula Loyola, Valley Christian, Darby and Florence. Although being in existence since 1903 the school won its first athletic team state championship in
golf
in 2005.
[
citation needed
]
The team name is the Wardens.
[91]
The William K. Kohrs Memorial Library, built in Deer Lodge in 1902, is "the only dedicated public library in Powell County."
[92]
The Kohrs library is modeled after the
Carnegie Libraries
. "It was built "for $30,000 by pioneer cattle baron
Conrad Kohrs
and his wife Augusta as a memorial to their son."
[92]
As of December 2012
[update]
, the library was struggling financially, and was operating without a library director.
[92]
Infrastructure
[
edit
]
Deer Lodge-City-County Airport
is a public use airport located 2 miles west of town.
[93]
The nearest commercial airport is
Bert Mooney Airport
in Butte.
Deer Lodge Medical Center is a critical access hospital located in town.
[94]
Media
[
edit
]
The
Silver State Post
owned by
Mullen Newspaper Company
is Powell County's only newspaper.
KQRV
(96.9 FM) is a
local radio station licensed in Deer Lodge
.
[95]
Film credits
[
edit
]
Deer Lodge has been a filming location for a number of movies including:
UFO documentary
[
edit
]
In a 2004 documentary titled
The Secret of Redgate
by Lynda J. Cowen and
Jim Marrs
, a number of Deer Lodge residents explain about their experiences with
extraterrestrial beings
and the rumours surrounding these events. These occurrences which date back some fifty years took place at a location named
Redgate
on the eastside of Deer Lodge. Many of the locals have had their fair share of bad experiences with "redgate". Henry Huber had this to say about the subject: "one time I drove a girl up there and after parking she touched my left leg, I came instantly just from the touch, I believe an alien possessed me and made me do it."
[96]
Notable people
[
edit
]
The following individuals are either notable current or former residents of Deer Lodge.
- John Bozeman
, founder of
Bozeman, Montana
- William H. Clagett
, lawyer,
U.S. Representative
from
Montana Territory
in 1871?1873, introduced legislation to establish
Yellowstone National Park
, law partner of William W. Dixon, friend of
Mark Twain
(Samuel Clemens)
- William Andrews Clark
, United States Senator from Montana ? 1901?07,
Copper King
at Butte, Montana, became one of America's richest people, partner in Donnell, Clark and Larabie Bank at Deer Lodge, Montana in the 1870s, father of
Huguette Clark
- Father
Pierre-Jean De Smet
, first wagons known to have traversed Deer Lodge Valley in 1841, established
St. Mary's Mission
in the
Bitterroot Valley
, performed American Indian baptisms at Warm Springs thermal mound in Deer Lodge Valley in 1840s, drew early maps including the Deer Lodge Valley
- William W. Dixon
, lawyer, U.S. Representative from the State of Montana in 1891?1893, law partner of William H. Clagett; final author of Montana's 'Alien Law' of 1872 (overturned by Territorial Supreme Court in 1874)
- Eric Funk
,
Composer
and professor at
Montana State University
- Kevin S. Giles
, newspaper journalist and author of
One Woman Against War: The Jeannette Rankin Story
(2016),
Summer of the Black Chevy
(2015),
Jerry's Riot: The True Story of Montana's 1959 Prison Disturbance
(2005) and
Flight of the Dove: The Story of Jeannette Rankin
(1980)
- Phil Jackson
,
NBA
player, coach, 13-time NBA champion; born in Deer Lodge
- Conrad Kohrs
,
[97]
cattle rancher, co-founder of Deer Lodge, "Montana's Cattle King", brother of Henry Kohrs (founder of Kohrs Packing Co. of
Davenport, Iowa
)
- Elizabeth Lochrie
, born and raised in Deer Lodge. Famous artist, muralist, and lecturer, in Montana and nation-wide. Painter of 'the fading frontier'. Cartoonist for Deer Lodge newspaper
Silver State Post
. Inducted into
Piegan Blackfeet
tribe as Netchitaki (Lone Woman).
[98]
- John Mullan
, military rank of captain, surveyor of possible transcontinental railroad routes in what is now Montana in 1850s, oversaw building of the
Mullan Road
linking
Walla Walla, Washington
and
Fort Benton
in 1860?62
- Jesse Mullen
, Montana media tycoon, politician and columnist
[99]
- Jean Parker
, actress, known for such films as
Little Women
,
The Navy Way
and
The Gunfighter
; born Lois Mae Green in Deer Lodge
- Edgar Samuel Paxson
, frontier artist
- Jean'ne Shreeve
, chemist
- Granville Stuart
, co-founder of Deer Lodge, Montana, co-discoverer of gold at
Gold Creek, Montana
, co-owner of
DHS Ranch
, leader of vigilante group
Stuart's Stranglers
in 1880s, author of "Forty Years on the Frontier", "Mr. Montana"
- Patricia Nell Warren
, writer, great-granddaughter of Conrad Kohrs
See also
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
- Notes
- ^
Here I assume absence of evidence (for continuous writings before 1861) to be evidence of absence.
- ^
Eastern and western Montana were first joined as part of Idaho Territory
[24]
- ^
Johnny Grant noted that Louis Deschenault, Leon Quesnelle, Louis Demers, David Contois, Fred Burr, the Stuart boys (James & Granville), the Cosgrove boys, Jackson, Jack Meek and two sons of Michaud Leclerc came back with him. They mostly settled at Spanish Fork/Cottonwood.
- ^
Pizanthia, also called "the greaser", was executed at
Virginia City
in 1864 by vigilantes for killing George Copely and wounding Smith Ball.
[31]
- ^
Included were Thomas Lavatta, Joe Hill, Alejo Barasta, Joe Pizanthia
[d]
et al and their families.
- ^
These included Joe Prudhomme and "quite a number of families" associated with the American Fur Company
- ^
This is still the main house at Grant-Kohrs.
- ^
Capt. LaBarge's partner, James Harkness, embarked from
St. Louis
to Fort Benton to Cottonwood/Deer Lodge City in 1862 to explore business possibilities. After spending a week in the valley, he dropped the idea and returned to St. Louis.
- ^
La Barge, Wyoming
is named for Capt. LaBarge's father.
- ^
Grant reported that his party had 62 wagons, 12 carts and about 500 horses. There were 106 men plus their families. People were bound variously for Manitoba or for "the states"
- ^
A large and well-armed force was considered necessary as they were passing through territory controlled by
Blackfeet
and
Sioux
.
- ^
W. B. Dance's addition was also platted in 1872.
- ^
In 1894, the name 'Deer Lodge City' was changed to 'Deer Lodge'.
- ^
On March 8, 1901, an act of the state legislature changed the names of Deer Lodge County to Daly County and Powell County to Deer Lodge County.
[55]
On April 8, 1901, this action was nullified by the Montana Supreme Court, reverting the two counties to their previous names
[56]
- ^
Significant flooding in the valley also occurred in 1887, 1892, 1894, 1899 and 1902.
- ^
One reason the earlier floods had less obvious impact was that the Milltown Dam didn't exist until early 1908, when
W. A. Clark
had it constructed to support his lumber mill at the site.
- ^
As of 2016, fish are reported to be in the Deer Lodge River and white-tailed deer are frequently seen in the valley.
- ^
The clean-up of the area of Butte and Silver Bow Creek down to Anaconda is a separate
superfund
site.
- ^
The previous major highway through the Deer Lodge Valley, US 10, ran down Main Street in Deer Lodge. Both US 10 and the Milwaukee Road contributed patrons for Deer Lodge businesses. Also, I90 made it easier for people in the Deer Lodge area to get to Butte and Missoula to do business.
- ^
A number of smelter employees lived in Deer Lodge.
- ^
The Milwaukee Road was perhaps the biggest employer in Deer Lodge.
- ^
Within
Powell County
in the 2020 census, Deer Lodge was the only incorporated town.
- Citations
- ^
"ArcGIS REST Services Directory"
. United States Census Bureau
. Retrieved
September 5,
2022
.
- ^
a
b
U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Deer Lodge, Montana
- ^
"Find a County"
. National Association of Counties. Archived from
the original
on May 31, 2011
. Retrieved
June 7,
2011
.
- ^
a
b
c
d
e
"U.S. Census website"
.
United States Census Bureau
. Retrieved
November 2,
2021
.
- ^
"Montana State Prison"
. State of Montana. Archived from the original on April 8, 2009
. Retrieved
September 25,
2023
.
{{
cite web
}}
: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (
link
)
- ^
Kinsey, Joseph.
Montana: High, Wide, and Handsome
. N.p.: Bison, n.d., p. 65.
- ^
"Deer Lodge History"
. Archived from
the original
on September 14, 2008
. Retrieved
October 8,
2008
.
- ^
Stuart, James & Granville (1866).
Joint Diary: 1861-1866
. Beinecke Library, Yale: Western Americana Collection 449.
- ^
Officers and Members (1876).
Contributions to the Historical Society of Montana
. Vol. I. Helena, Montana: Rocky Mountain Publishing Company.
, pp 46-56
- ^
"Letters From (various)".
The Montana Post
. Virginia City, Montana.
articles and advertisements - 1864-1869
- ^
a
b
c
Powell County Museum and Arts Foundation: Historic Action Committee (1989).
Powell County: Where It All Began
. Powell County Museum & Arts Foundation.
, p. 118
- ^
a
b
Grant, John Francis (2008). Gerhard J. Ens (ed.).
A Son of the Fur Trade:The Memoirs of Johnny Grant
. The University of Alberta Press.
ISBN
978-0-88864-491-6
.
, Chapter 26
- ^
a
b
Ferris, Warren Angus (1940). Paul C. Phillips (ed.).
Life in the Rocky Mountains; etc
. Denver, Col.: F. A. Rosenstock, Old West Pub. Co.
, Chapter XIX
- ^
Lewis, Meriwether; Clark, William (January 26, 2013).
"THE JOURNALS OF LEWIS AND CLARK"
.
www.gutenberg.org
. Project Gutenberg
. Retrieved
July 2,
2016
.
- ^
"none".
The Philipsburg Mail
. Philipsburg, Montana. June 16, 1887.
, p. 4, col. 3
- ^
Cushman, Dan (1966).
The Great North Trail
. McGraw-Hill Book Company.
, p. 67
- ^
Mullan, John; et al. (1855).
Reports on Explorations and Surveys etc., Vol. I
. Washington, DC: Beverley Tucker, Printer.
, Papers Annexed to Report: # 24, p. 342-345
- ^
a
b
Malone, Michael P.; Roeder, Richard B.; Lang, William L. (1976).
Montana: A History of Two Centuries
. Seattle and London: University of Washington Press.
ISBN
0-295-97129-0
.
, p. 94
- ^
Leeson, Michael A. (1885).
History of Montana:1739-1885
. Chicago: Warner, Beers and Company.
, p. 209
- ^
McDermott, Paul D.; Grim, Ronald E.; Mobley, Philip (2015).
The Mullan Road, etc
.
Missoula, Montana
: Montana Press Publishing Company.
ISBN
978-0-87842-632-4
.
- ^
Langford, Nathaniel Pitt (1893).
Vigilante Days and Ways: The Pioneers of the Rockies
. Vol. 2. New York and St. Paul: D. D. Merrill Company.
, Chapter XI: Death of Pizanthia
- ^
A Son of the Fur Trade 2008
, Chapter 26 and 27.
- ^
"Grant-Kohrs Ranch:John Francis Grant"
.
www.nps.gov
. U.S. National Park Service
. Retrieved
July 5,
2016
.
- ^
"Joseph LaBarge (1815-1899)"
.
shsmo.org
. The State Historical Society of Missouri
. Retrieved
July 7,
2016
.
- ^
Officers and Members (1896).
Contributions to the Historical Society of Montana
. Vol. II. Helena, Montana: State Publishing Company.
, p. 65
- ^
"TWO LOTS EACH...FRONTING ON Second Street...Clagett and Dixon's addition".
New North West
. Deer Lodge, Montana. July 20, 1872.
- ^
Deer Lodge City Council Minutes
. Records vault at Deer Lodge, Montana City Hall.
, Book 1
- ^
Kohrs, Conrad (1998).
Conrad Kohrs: Autobiography of a Pioneer Cattleman
. Wildcat Press.
ISBN
978-1-88913-500-7
.
, p. 95
- ^
Montana Legislature (1901).
Laws and Resolutions of the State of Montana Passed at the Seventh Regular Session of the Legislative Assembly
. Helena: State Publishing Company.
, Senate Bill No. 84
- ^
Crane, Oliver T., ed. (1902).
Reports of Cases Argued and Determined by the Supreme Court of the State of Montana From January 7, 1901, to August 1, 1901
. San Francisco: Bancroft-Whitney Company.
- ^
Edgerton, Keith (2004).
Montana Justice
. University of Washington Press.
ISBN
978-0-29580-003-5
.
, p. 70
- ^
"STATE WILL RUN PENETENTIARY, FRANK CONLEY WILL BE WARDEN".
Anaconda Standard
. Anaconda, Montana. June 9, 1908.
- ^
"A Blow to Montana".
Helena Independent
. Helena, Montana. April 15, 1921.
- ^
"MacDonald Report".
Great Falls Tribune
. Great Falls, Montana. February 22, 1922.
- ^
Steele, Volney (2002).
Wellington Rankin: His Family, Life and Times
. Champions Publishing.
ISBN
978-1-88855-010-8
.
- ^
"Gov. Joseph M. Dixon's Dirty Deal Discredited".
Powell County Post
. Deer Lodge, Montana. December 1, 1922. p. 1.
- ^
Karlin, Jules (1974).
Joseph M. Dixon of Montana Part 2: Governor versus The Anaconda 1917-1934
. Missoula: University of Montana.
ISBN
978-0-68634-463-6
.
, Chapter 8: THE CONLEY CASE
- ^
"Conley Cheered at Celebration".
The Helena Independent
. Helena, Montana. December 5, 1922.
- ^
"Friends Gather to Shake Hand of Former Warden".
The Producers News
. Plentywood, Montana. December 29, 1922.
- ^
Picture and plaque at City Hall, Deer Lodge, Montana
- ^
"Milwaukee Shops at Deer Lodge".
The River Press
. Fort Benton, Montana. November 20, 1907.
- ^
"Murder at Penitentiary".
The Silver State
. Deer Lodge, Montana. March 18, 1908. p. 2.
- ^
Giles, Kevin S. (2005).
Jerry's Riot
. Sky Blue Waters Press.
- ^
"Train Service Demoralized".
The River Press
. Fort Benton, Montana. June 10, 1908. p. 1.
- ^
"Bonner Milltown History:The Great Flood of 1908"
.
tworivershistory.net
. Archived from
the original
on November 12, 2013
. Retrieved
July 7,
2016
.
- ^
Smith, J. Dungan; Lambing, John H.; Nimick, David A.; Parrett, Charles; Ramey, Michael; Schafer, William (October 1998),
Geomorphology, Flood-Plain Tailings, and Metal Transport in the Upper Clark Fork Valley, Montana
, Helena: U.S. Geological Survey
- ^
Tracy, Marc (February 7, 2008).
"Arco Agrees To $187M Superfund Cleanup Settlement"
.
www.law360.com/
. Law360
. Retrieved
July 6,
2016
.
- ^
Curley, Robert (October 12, 2012).
"Anaconda Company"
.
www.britannica.com
. Encyclopædia Britannica
. Retrieved
July 6,
2016
.
- ^
"The Milwaukee Road, Route of the Hiawathas"
.
www.american-rails.com
. American-Rails
. Retrieved
July 6,
2016
.
- ^
Stout, Tom
(1921).
Montana Its Story and Biography--A History of Aboriginal and Territorial Montana and Three Decade of Statehood
. Chicago: American Historical Society. p. 808.
- ^
"US Gazetteer files 2010"
.
United States Census Bureau
. Archived from
the original
on January 25, 2012
. Retrieved
December 18,
2012
.
- ^
"U.S. Climate Normals Quick Access ? Station: Deer Lodge 3 W, MT"
. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
. Retrieved
June 16,
2023
.
- ^
"NOAA Online Weather Data ? NWS Missoula"
. National Weather Service
. Retrieved
June 16,
2023
.
- ^
Moffatt, Riley.
Population History of Western U.S. Cities & Towns, 1850?1990
.
Lanham
: Scarecrow, 1996, 129.
- ^
"Census of Population and Housing"
. Census.gov
. Retrieved
July 17,
2016
.
- ^
"U.S. Census website"
.
United States Census Bureau
. Retrieved
January 31,
2008
.
- ^
Post Office Location - DEER LODGE
Archived
August 21, 2012, at the
Wayback Machine
.
United States Postal Service
. Retrieved on December 2, 2010.
- ^
Montana State Prison
Archived
November 19, 2010, at the
Wayback Machine
.
Montana Department of Corrections
. Retrieved on December 2, 2010. "Address: 400 Conley Lake Road; Deer Lodge, MT; 59722"
- ^
"Deer Lodge Schools"
. Deer Lodge Schools
. Retrieved
April 20,
2021
.
- ^
"Deer Lodge Elem"
. National Center for Education Statistics
. Retrieved
September 25,
2023
.
- ^
"Powell County High School"
. National Center for Education Statistics
. Retrieved
September 25,
2023
.
- ^
"Member Schools"
. Montana High School Association
. Retrieved
April 19,
2021
.
- ^
a
b
c
Kim Briggeman (November 30, 2012).
"Deer Lodge library loses director amid financial struggle"
.
Missoulian
. Retrieved
December 27,
2012
.
- ^
"38S Deer Lodge City-County"
. FAA
. Retrieved
September 25,
2023
.
- ^
"Home page"
. Deer Lodge Medical Center
. Retrieved
September 25,
2023
.
- ^
"KQRV"
. FCC
. Retrieved
September 25,
2023
.
- ^
"Secrets of Redgate website"
. Archived from
the original
on April 12, 2008
. Retrieved
April 27,
2008
.
- ^
Kohrs, Conrad (1998).
Conrad Kohrs: Autobiography of a Pioneer Cattleman
. Wildcat Press.
ISBN
978-1-88913-500-7
.
- ^
"A HALF-CENTURY OF PAINTINGS BY ELIZABETH LOCHRIE"
. 1992.
- ^
Larson, Seaborn (October 5, 2023).
"Dem candidate for SOS says he would be vocal supporter of local elections"
.
The Missoulian
. Retrieved
December 27,
2023
.
External links
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]
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