Distinctly Montana Magazine

BIG TIMBER: THE LITTLE TOWN THAT CAN BY BILL MUHLENFELD Enterprise DEPARTMENT " The rain of last night wet us all. [NB: having no tent, & no covering but a buffaloe skin] I had the horses all Collected early and Set out, proceeded over the point of a ridge and through an open low bottom crossed a large Creek which heads in a high Snow toped Mountain to the N W. imediately opposit to the enterance of the Creek one Something larger falls in from the high Snow mountains to the S W. & South those Creeks I call Rivers across. Boulder and Yellowstone rivers has always been character- ized by enterprise and enduring beauty. W By 1895, Big Timber was the largest producer of wool in the United States, shipping more than five million pounds in just one year. Sweet Grass County and Big Timber are today home to less than 4,000 residents, many of whom are attracted by the dual benefit of living in a place where small busi- ness is encouraged; and where one is daily rewarded with incredible vistas and landscapes unmatched for living and recreational opportunities. In Big Timber there is room for most every pursuit, whether it be a business that builds 66 hether Clark's Rivers Across, Dornix at the time of the old sawmill, or Big Timber when the railway left its own legacy, the area around the WILLIAM CLARK JOURNAL JULY 17, 1806. "" world-class golf courses or an afternoon of fishing on the Yellowstone River. The local business people seem to have a common bond and connection to each other, born of odd diversity and a distinct common ground. According to Philip Land, a local real estate broker, "People come here because they want to live here, not because they have to:" There is a notable diversity in the community of Big Timber. There are descendants of homesteaders, there are newcomers who arrived as quickly as they could, there are well-known national and international celebrities and business persons, as well as people from every walk of life. In the finest sense of the word, Big Timber is a melting pot of opportunity, success and achievement. There is transplanted Southern hospitality dating back to after the Civil War, Norwegian stoicism, and pioneer independence. We are not a stereotypical Montana town….Big Timber is singularly unique and made up of a friendly, accom- plished blend of artists, sportsman, craftsman, professionals, entrepreneurs, and, yes, even some real cowboys. THE LAND BROKERS Though the Sweet Grass Chamber of Commerce boasts some 68 members, the true level of small business and entrepreneurship runs much deeper than the hardware store, restaurants, or salons of main street business. There are two custom rifle companies, a substantial honeybee DISTINCTLY MONTANA • WINTER 2011 PHILIP LAND, "

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