Near Shelby in Toole County, Montana — The American West (Mountains)

The Oily Boid Gets The Woim

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, August 22, 2020

1. The Oily Boid Gets The Woim Marker

Inscription.
A narrow gauge railroad nicknamed the "turkey track" used to connect Great Falls, Montana, and Lethbridge, Alberta. When the main line of the Great Northern crossed it in 1891, Shelby Junction came into existence. The hills and plains around here were cow country. The Junction became an oasis where parched cowpunchers cauterized their tonsils with forty-rod and grew plumb irresponsible and ebullient.

In 1910 the dry-landers began homesteading. They built fences and plowed under the native grass. The days of open range were gone. Shelby quit her swaggering frontier ways and became concrete sidewalks and sewer system conscious.

Dry land farming didn't turn out to be such a profitable endeavor but in 1921 geologists discovery that this country had an ace in the hole. Oil was struck between here and the Canadian line, and the town boomed again.

Erected by Montana Department of Transportation.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1891.

Location. 48° 29.361′ N, 111° 49.068′ W. Marker is near

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Shelby, Montana, in Toole County. It is on U.S. 2 at milepost 282 near Homesteader Hill Lane, on the left when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 28190 U.S Highway 2, Shelby MT 59474, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the American Mountain West

and in the Lewis & Clark Corridor.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Rocky Mountains,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once Rupert’s Land

and also the Louisiana Purchase.

Other nearby markers. At least 5 other markers are within 3 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: The Baker Massacre (approx. 1.2 miles away); Whoop Up Trail (approx. 1½ miles away); 1964 Flood (approx. 2 miles away); Shelby Town Hall (approx. 2 miles away); Rainbow Conoco (approx. 2.2 miles away).

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, August 22, 2020

2. The Oily Boid Gets The Woim Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on December 27, 2024. It was originally submitted on December 1, 2020, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 1,355 times since then and 136 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on December 1, 2020, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.