Motoring was an adventure in the second decade of the 20th century and people usually didn't travel very far from home. There were a few paved roads, most were choked with dust during the summers, knee-deep in mud in the rainy seasons, and blocked by snowdrifts in the winters. But as more people bought cars, they demanded better roads. Some banded together and formed organizations dedicated to the construction of good roads, which they believed, increased commerce and made for prosperous communities. One way to prosperity was though tourism. Tourists stayed in local hotels or auto camps, ate at local restaurants, and spent money. For many communities, like Custer, a good road was just as important as the railroad.

In 1912, businessmen from South Dakota, Minnesota, and Montana formed and organization dedicated to establishing a good coast-to-coast road. Called the Yellowstone Trail. the road ultimately evolved into a coast-to-coast highway connecting Plymouth Rock, Massachusetts and Seattle, Washington with a branch from Livingston south to Yellowstone National Park. The trail was an interconnected chain of county roads marked by chrome yellow signs the arrows pointing the way. Members of the Yellowstone Trail Association (YTA) aggressively promoted the road to tourists and sponsored annual "Trail Days" where local citizens kept the road in passable condition. The YTA designated local businessmen along the route as "Trail men," who offered a helping hand to travelers on the road.

The Yellowstone Trail in Montana was 800 miles long, including roads that branched off the main route to Yellowstone Park and other important tourist destinations. Initially a dirt road that was "slippery in wet weather," the Montana Highway Department began to slowly make improvements to it after World War I. By 1926, the Yellowstone Trail was officially known as US. Highway 10. Montana spent more money on road improvements to the Yellowstone Trail than any other state along it route. Today, Interstate 94 and 90 parallel much of the old Yellowstone Trail.

"Don't be afraid to tour Montana. You can sleep in a perfectly good bed, with clean linen, each night if you desire, and have a tub bath in the morning. You will have no hair-line drives to make, narrowly escape no yawning precipices, or be compelled to undergo any unusual hardships… Carry as little equipment as you wish, for excellent towns will supply your wants and needs… Don't try to carry too much for your own comfort. Just plan to enjoy it as you will." - First Year Book of the Twin-Cities-Aberdeen-Yellowstone Park Trail (1914)

Erected by Montana Department of Transportation.

Motoring was an adventure in the second decade of the 20th century and people usually didn't travel very far from home. There were few paved roads, and most were choked with dust during the summers, knee-deep in mud in the rainy seasons, and blocked by snowdrifts in the winters. But as more people bought cars, they demanded better roads. Some banded together and formed organizations dedicated to the construction of good roads, which, they believed, increased commerce and made for prosperous communities. One way to prosperity was through tourism. Tourists stayed in local hotels or auto camps, ate at local restaurants, and spent money. For many communities, like Greycliff, a good road was just as important as the railroad.

In 1912, businessmen from South Dakota, Minnesota and Montana formed an organization dedicated to establishing a good coast-to-coast road. Called the Yellowstone Trail, a road ultimately evolved into a coast-to-coast highway connecting Plymouth Rock, Massachusetts and Seattle, Washington with a branch from Livingston south to Yellowstone National Park. The trail was an interconnected chain of county roads marked by chrome yellow signs with arrows pointing the way. Members of the Yellowstone Trail Association (YTA) aggressively promoted the road to tourists and sponsored annual "Trail Days" where local citizens kept the road in passable condition. The YTA designated local businessmen along the route as "Trail men," who offered a helping hand to travelers on the road.

The Yellowstone Trail in Montana was 800 miles long, including roads that branched off the main route to Yellowstone Park and other important tourist destinations. Initially a dirt road that was "slippery in wet weather," the Montana Highway Department began to slowly make improvements to it after World War I. By 1926, the Yellowstone Trail was officially known as US Highway 10. Montana spent more money on road improvements to the Yellowstone Trail than any other state along its route. Today, Interstates 94 and 90 parallel much of the old Yellowstone Trail.

"Will the tourist come in great numbers? Give them a road and you can not stop them."

First Year Book of the Twin Cities-Aberdeen-Yellowstone Park Trail (1914)

"Don't be afraid to tour Montana. You can sleep in a perfectly good bed, with clean linen, each night if you desire, and have a tub bath in the morning. You will have no hair-line drives to make, narrowly escape no yawning precipices, or be compelled to undergo any unusual hardships. ... Carry as little equipment as you wish, for excellent towns will supply your wants and needs. ... Don't try to carry too much for your own comfort. Just plan to enjoy it and you will."

First Year Book of the Twin Cities-Aberdeen-Yellowstone Park Trail (1914)

"The Yellowstone Valley road is usually a splendid one, and the people of this section will be found to be the most cordial in the world. ... The tourist will find many free campgrounds, and cordial good-fellowship everywhere. The road is marked. This is the section from which the Yellowstone Trail derives its name, and in this valley are the hardy pioneers that helped give this organization its form and being."

Yellowstone Trail Route Folder (1919)

Erected by Montana Department of Transportation.

The first coast-to-coast auto route across the northern tier of states.

Motto: A Good Road from Plymouth Rock to Puget Sound.

Before 1912

Railroads dominated long distance transportation. Local road were dust and mud. There was little help from government so owners of the newly arrived autos rose to the challenge.

1912

Small towns businessmen from South Dakota formed the Yellowstone Trail Association to "get out of the mud" and to pressure counties to build usable automobile roads. They named the transcontinental auto road Yellowstone to draw tourists along it to the national park. Roads and autos were crude and travel was tough, With no maps tourists relied on guide books and yellow rocks to find their way.

1915

The Yellowstone Trail was extended from chicago (sic) to Seattle and, by 1917, to Boston. Yellow and black signs were posted across the country. The Association promoted the opening of Yellowstone National Park to auto travel.

Until 1930

Hundreds of towns supported the famous Yellowstone Trail. The

Association created free campgrounds, travel bureaus, and publications to help the travelers.

1930

Route numbering (now an international system but created by the State of Wisconsin in 1918) reduced the need for named roads. Then the Depression spelled the end for all trail associations.

Erected by Yellowstone Trail Association.

When William Clark passed through this area on July 27, 1806, he described "estonishingly noumerous" bison and elk as well as his last glimpse of the snow-clad Big Horn Mountains. Most importantly, his report of abundant beaver "sign" quickly drew fur trappers and traders to the area, who established several trading posts near the river. They maintained a vigorous trade with the Crow Indians, bartering beaver pelts and bison hides for vital trade goods. By the 1870's steamboats sporadically plied the waters of the Yellowstone carrying supplies to the posts and, in 1876, the FAR WEST carried wounded survivors of the Battle of the Little Bighorn downriver. The Northern Pacific Railway completed its line through here in 1882.

In 1912, regional Good Roads enthusiasts and county officials created one of the first interstate highways in the United States, the Yellowstone Trail. It was an interconnected network of county roads blazed by distinctive chrome yellow signs with black arrows. The 4,000 mile highway connected Plymouth Rock, Mass. and Seattle, Wash. with a branch to Yellowstone National Park. The route was re-designated U.S, Highway 10 in 1926.

Erected by Montana Department of Transportation.

• A conference of businessmen from South Dakota in 1912 met to build a better road between Ipswich and Aberdeen, SD. This led to the development of the Yellowstone Trail which stretched from "Plymouth Rock to Puget Sound".

• The Yellowstone Trail was the first transcontinental highway across the northern United States as transportation transitioned from railroad to auto travel.

• The Yellowstone Trail originally followed existing wagon roads, but changed over time as new roads were built.

• The Yellowstone Trail passes through Prairie County from Mildred to Fallon to Terry and westward to Miles City.

• Look for Yellowstone Trail markers to guide you through Prairie County and to visit some historic points of interest.

Erected by Montana History Foundation; Prairie County Economic Development Council; and Montana Historical Society.

Father DeSmet, accompanied by Trader Galpin and his wife traveled overland from thenMissouri River to meet the Hunkpapa Sioux at the Sitting Bull Council on June 20, 1868 for a peace conference.

Runners from Father DeSmet's were sent ahead to Chief Sitting Bull's cap and Sitting Bull sent his men back to let Father DeSmet know he would be welcomed.

Father DeSmet met at Sitting Bull's camp about 4 miles above the mouth of the Power River, near when Camp Creek empties into the Yellowstone.

The camp was made up of 500-600 tipis, 4,000-5,000 Sioux Indians, and thousands of horses.

DeSmet was not able to convince Sitting Bull to sign a peace treaty, but the council was considered a success because Sitting Bull did agree to allow some white travel and settlement.

Powder River Stage

The Powder River Stage station was one of the stops on the Fort Keogh-Bismarck stage coach route.

It operated from 1878 until 1883 when the railroad became the primary means of transportation to Miles City.

Erected by Yellowstone Trail, Terry Montana,

Montana History Foundation, Prairie County Museum.