Cascade Courier - Your trusted local news source since 1910

Many things shaped Montana during its early years. The sheep came, then the cattlemen. This helped shape the state in a variety of ways. Whether it was barbed wire or the brutal winter of 1886/188,7 which Russel immortalized in his drawings/sketches.

The discovery of copper in Butte in 1882, the growth of the timber industry (thanks to the railroads and the Butte mines) or just the rapid growth of population all helped to form early Montana Life. These are well noted in the annals of history.

However, many don’t realize that the Civil War and the influx of southerners really had a large influe...