Distinctly Montana Magazine

83 w w w . d i s t i n c t l y m o n t a n a . c o m The railroad changed the future of the area. The Northern Pacif- ic gave ranchers access to outside markets, and by the late 19th century the open range supported large cattle outfits. Home- steaders followed in the early 20th century, bringing schools, post offices, small communities, and expectations that the land could support dryland farming. Some of those hopes proved hard to sustain. Drought, distance, and poor prices thinned out the population, but the people who stayed shaped the county that remains. The figure most closely tied to that story is Pierre Wibaux. Born in Roubaix, France, in 1858, Wibaux came from a prosperous textile family. His father reportedly opposed his decision to leave the family business, but still gave him about $10,000 when he came to America in 1883—roughly $325,000 in today's pur- chasing power. It was not exactly a shoestring beginning, but neither was success guaranteed. Wibaux spent time in Chicago studying the cattle business, then came west during the same era as the Marquis de Morès, an- other French entrepreneur drawn to the northern plains and a fascinating character in his own right. Wibaux proved the more durable cattleman. After the disastrous winter of 1886–87, he bought cattle and land from ruined ranchers, rebuilt, and ex- panded. His ranching interests made him one of the great cattle kings of eastern Montana and western Dakota Territory. He also knew Theodore Roosevelt, whose Maltese Cross and Elkhorn ranches were near Medora, North Dakota—half an hour away today, but a considerably longer trip in the 1890s. Wibaux's town became a major cattle shipping point on the Northern Pa- cific, and cattle from Roosevelt's Badlands ranches were report- edly shipped through Wibaux. At the turn of the 20th century, this was not a sleepy prairie town but one of eastern Montana's important livestock shipping hubs. There is a story recounted in Roosevelt's memoirs in which TR, hearing shots inside a Wi- baux (then called Mingusville) bar, walked into the bar where the drunk shooter challenged him and called him "Four Eyes." A FAMILY IN MONTANA NEEDS YOU. When a family in the Gallatin Valley welcomes a new life, ZoeCare is there to provide a safe space, trusted medical services, and ongoing mentoring and material support, all free of charge. A Bozeman fixture since 1978, ZoeCare is the place for new moms, dads, and children to receive the support new families need. But we need the generosity of individuals like you to provide the services we do. Your generosity turns conviction into care. T O G I V E : WWW.FRIENDSOFZOECARE.ORG/DONATE Scan the QR code below or visit: GemOf TheRockies.com 299 Fairgro unds R o ad Suite 1, Hamilton Montana (406)381-424 4 Salt room & spa in the Bitt„root Valley off„ing haloth„apy, skincare, haircare, nails, and facials. 4 0 6 . 7 8 2 . 7 5 8 0 2 1 9 W e s t G r a n i t e S t r e e t B u t t e , M o n t a n a t h e c o p p e r k i n g m a n s i o n . c o m Nominate Copper King Mansion for Best Bed & Breakfast Summer reservations available For B&B Open Daily for tours! 7800 US-2, Columbia Falls, MT (406) 892-1210 Big Sky. Small makers. Great finds. Big Sky. Small makers. Great finds. from Montana hands to your home from Montana hands to your home www.ShopDistinctlyMontana.com www.ShopDistinctlyMontana.com

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