“Spring plowing often begins in early March and fall plowing rarely ceases until November. The crop growing season for the central part of the state averages 144 days.”—Montana (1917)
“There is not another state in North America where a day’s work or a dollar spent in agricultural enterprise will bring such large returns and amid living conditions which are so uniquely delightful.”—Montana (1917)
"The Judith Basin has sufficient rainfall to insure good crops. The average precipitation per year for the past seven years was 17 inches."—The Great Judith Basin, Montana (1908)
It's one thing to read that railroads aggressively marketed Montana land along their lines as, in the words of Montana: Stories of the Land, "a golden opportunity for farmers." It's another thing entirely to actually read the brochures produced by the Great Northern Railway and the Milwaukee Road.
Reading these brochures helps us understand why people came to Montana. Perhaps it also might encourage a little more media literacy amongst students today.
Consider having your students search the text for potential falsehoods. Then have them look for images that illustrate the falsehood and do research (either online or at your local historical society) to prove that the falsehood is, indeed, untrue. (About a decade ago, Corvallis teacher Phil Leonardi told me that he did this with his students, and I still think it's brilliant.)
P.S. It wasn't just the railroads. Town boosters published their own pamphlets. Here are a few excerpts from a brochure published by the Ryegate newspaper:
"The territory known as 'Ryegate Country' has been well-named 'Man’s Opportunity Land,' for nowhere, in the broad expanse of the continent is there better opportunity for those who desire to follow the avocation of farming.”—We Are Satisfied: Stock Raising, Grain, Dairy Products, Ryegate, Montana (circa 1914)
"The Ryegate Country lies in the fruit-growing belt."—We Are Satisfied
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