Montana Railroad 1899 Shaded Relief Map

I ordered this 1899 Montana Railroad map as a Christmas gift for my sister who is 85. The map covers most of our family history.

Our maternal great grandfather Curtis arrived in Manhattan MT by covered wagon in 1864. His daughter married our grandfather Halbert who arrived in Billings MT on the first Northern Pacific train in 1882. The Halberts started a stage station in Halbert MT between Billings MT and Great Falls MT. They later started a ranch at Bercail MT where our grandmother was postmaster for 40 years. Our mother, one of three sisters was born in Yale MT. This is the only map I have ever seen that shows Yale MT. The two older Halbert sisters boarded the Montana Railroad at Harlowton MT, arriving in Lombard MT where they transferred to the Northern Pacific going on to Manhattan MT during high school. The youngest Halbert sister went to high school in Lewistown MT. These sisters became teachers in such locations as Two Dot MT, Garneill MT, and Laurel MT.

Our paternal grandfather Pound ran sheep on the Crow Indian reservation in 1885 and became friends with Chief Plenty Coos. He later owned a ranch near Lavina MT. Our father and uncle rode horseback to Billings MT for high school (see photo). Our father married the middle Halbert daughter. My sister was born in Billings MT. I was born in Roundup MT. We went to high school in Harlowton MT.

I went to college at Montana State in Bozeman MT where I met my wife and after some years away we now reside in…