Welcome To The Toole County Heritage
Montana's History & Heritage Resource Page
We can't say cowboys originated from Montana,but we can say if you're wondering where the history of cowboys are still alive today in the real.Then welcome to Toole County Montana.A beautiful part of the state rich in history,and heritage.
Toole County History & Heritage
If you don't know where Toole County is,it's in the state of Montana in the north,to almost north-east part of the state.A quick google search will help you zero in on its location.We were established as a county in 1914,and today we have a population of about 5300 residents.
Toole County was named after our first govener Joesph K. Toole.
The communities we'll cover here in the county will be Shelby,Kevin,Sunburst,Naismith,and Sweet Grass.The history is just as intriguing as the heritage up this way,and if you plan on visiting Montana someday,your trip wouldn't be complete without investigating Toole County.So go out of the way if you have to.You'll never forget the learning experience after a visit.
Obviously the history goes way back before the white settlers laid down their roots here in the county.From the Native Americans,to the fossil records before them when Dinosaurs roamed the Earth.The Native Americans in the area helped in both world wars by helping with their native language creating unbreakable codes for the military.You'll learn more about this fascinating part of history at the Marias Museum in Shelby.A couple of the tribes in the area were the Blackfeet,and the Crow.The history from these two tribes alone makes our county one of the most fascinating places to visit in the U.S.
So it's very difficult to sum up the history of our county in just a website alone.We're a history book in the making,and the heritage that goes along with this history will be some of the most fascinating you'll ever read.
So we'll be brief,but believe us when we try to keep the time line small unlike the true nature of the things that did take place here over a long period of time.
Many think the time line starts in 1803 with the Louisiana Purchase,with the 1806 expedition led by Captain Meriwether Lewis.They were investigating the Maria River in hoping to lay down reliable fur trade routes,but their expedition faced hostile reaction to the Native Americans in the area,and with incidents that occurred they never came back.Not out of a sense of failure,but more to the difficulties in such an untamed region with the obstacles one would face adventuring into unknown territory.
Later on in 1846 Fort Lewis was established,and renamed Fort Benson a few years later.Here the Blackfeet,and many other tribes in the region traded their good that included buffalo robes,and various other furs that were in high demand.So in many ways this fort was also known for its commerce.We could not begin to tell you the amount of history Fort Benson has to offer.
Indian Artifacts Found In Toole County
Not long after that the railroad started making its way to the county.General Isaac Stevens was in charge of the survey project,and laid out the route for the northern railroad from St Paul to Puget Sound in Washington State.This took place between 1853-1855.As you can imagine,this really opened up the territory to the outside world,but that was about it.The door was open to the wild frontier,and it took many years before many took advantage of it.
Some years later the Whoop-Up Trail was something of notoriety between Fort Benton and Alberta Canada.A well known smuggling route,not to mention a very lawless region where much history took place.
Sweetgrass Hills Montana
In 1885 gold was discovered in the Sweetgrass Hills,that happened to be very sacred land to the Blackfoot Indians.At this very same time friction was building between the Indians & the Wolfers.The "Wolfers" were those who didn't strike it rich,and had to fall back on wolf hunting.Hunting for the hides,and later on for the bounty itself trying to eradicate them,and that they did.From Montana to Texas,the Wolfers just about accomplished making the wolf population of history,just about driving them extinct.A peace treaty was signed between the U.S. Government & The Blackfoot putting an end to the battles & encounters between the two.A year later the Blackfoot sold the land to the U.S. Government,and white settlers arrived trying their luck with livestock which gave them a living,and a living that was hard work none the less,but they paid dearly for their struggles in this wild part of the U.S.In many ways it still is today.
Montana Enters The Union 1889 (41st State)
The next 10 years the railroads open up the county,the first school is built,and a post office opens up.Can you imagine the wilderness at that time in Montana.This all may sound like a part of the country opening up slowly due to the wild nature of the region.Make no "sound" about it.This was the last of the wild frontier,and rumors would swirl around the country for the next 30 years,that the U.S. Cavalry was still fighting the Indians here.There is some truth to that,but keep in mind there was fighting among the settlers as well.
Not long after we became a state,those seeking a new life made their way to Montana to homestead.Things have not changed here a whole lot since then,and in some ways those who reside here still feel we're living history,and that the past runs through our veins.
Cemetery Information
Gold Butte Cemetery
There are 6 cemeteries in Toole County.In reality there are grave sites ,and Native American burial grounds located through out the county.If you're doing genealogy research on tombstones,you very well could run into some frustration when trying to locate a past relatives tombstone.
Here are the cemeteries in the county,and some of these graveyards are historic sites as well.
Galata Cemetery,Gold Butte,Omholt,Shelby,Sunburst,and Toole County Cemetery.There are no lists compiled of who's all buried at each particular cemetery,but the historical society is in the works on creating one,that should be available to the public this fall.
Further Reading..Museums & Heritage
Marias Museum Located at 12th & 1st Street North Montana
1st Street North Shelby, MT 59474 (406) 424-2551
There is a museum in Shelby that is really full of interesting facts,and artifacts regarding the Toole. It's called Marias Museum.There are some fascinating Indian Artifacts that we recommend you see.If the kids are with,they will also very much enjoy the dinosaur bones,and various other fossils they have on display.The antiques will amaze you and this museum is a learning experience for the whole family to enjoy.
Various rooms at this museum are set up as displays,like almost walking back in time.From a homestead kitchen,to the dentist office.A parlor,a school room,to a barber shop.
History on the railroad,and the oil industry.
Genealogy and Surnames
We are in the process of working on a Surname list for the county.However we need permission,and some residents prefer their privacy.So we hope to really add some family trees to the site,and throw some names out of those who once resided here in the county of Toole.
We will also be adding the heritage that was passed along,because some of the residents here in the county have been doing the same occupation for three generations.So the heritage up this way goes hand in hand with a family's genealogy.
If you'd like to contact us with questions,or something you'd like to see on the site.Please feel free to write.