June 1961 marked the forty-third year that owners of the Melton Ranch near Sloan's Bridge, west of Ronan, trail-drove their cattle for three days to summer grazing near Lake Mary Ronan. Camp was set up at Buffalo Bridge after a thunderstorm had passed over the area. Silhouetted cowboys talked softly as the herd settled down for the night just over the ridge. Second day, the herd was trailed through Irvine Flats to Loon Lake to where camp was set up two miles south of Elmo; the third day, the critters were herded along US Highway 93, past Chief Cliff, then inland to the Lake Mary Ronan area.
Creator
Fugleberg, Paul
Type
Image
Date Original
1961
Subject
Lake County (Mont.); Polson (Mont.); Flathead Indian Reservation (Mont.); Cattle ranching; Cattle drives; Cowboys