Southern Agricultural Research Center
"Serving the Land Grant Mission in South Central Montana"
A Continuous History
Scroll from the station’s founding to the present.
Bureau of Recreation Survey Crew
The U.S. Congress entered into an agreement with the Crow Tribe for acquisition of land along the northern border of their reservation to the Yellowstone River and west to Paradise valley south of present day Livingston. This land included that of the Huntley Project. Surveys began in the 1890's.
Canal construction begins
The U.S. Bureau of Reclammation built the main canal for the Huntley Project primarliy using horse and mule drawn equipment.
Huntley Project opened for settlement
Secretary of Interior James Garfield announces the opening of land for homesteading at Huntley
Huntley Field Station established
A cooperative agreement between the United States Departments of the Interior, Department of Agriculture, and the Montana Agriculture Experiment Station (MAES) in association with Montana State College at Bozeman started what became the Southern Agricultural Research Center.
Field Days and Picnics
In the early years the Station was a gathering place for community. Picnics were a social event where the community came to learn and to celebrate. This early photo was from 1923, but celebrations like this happened nearly every year.
The Station consolidates adjoining tracts of land for research
Land just east of the station was originally set aside as part of the “Osborn” townsite. The tract of land just east of that was intended as a Forest Service Reservation. In 1914 when it became apparent that these two tracts of land were not required for the purpose originally intended, they were turned over to the Department of Agriculture as additions to the Huntley Field Station under a memorandum of agreement. In 1928 Executive Order 4986 was signed by President Calvin Coolidge officially making this agreement final.
Red clover study in 1912
Early research evaluated various crops and rotations including small grains, corn, sugar beet, amaranth, hemp, hay types, and legumes such as this red clover study.
Leaching Study
The mission of the Bureau of Reclammation included reclaiming poorly drained soils. After irrigation was introduced, it became obvious due to ponding and saturated soils, that some area needed further reclammation. This was a study using controlled ponding to leach soils over time to improve drainage.
Leaching Study Results
Comparing "Leached" vs "Untreated" showed significant improvement.
Research in first 50 years included important Dairy herd genetics
In 1918 under cooperative arrangement with the Bureau of Animal Industry the necessary buildings and stock were provided and work started in investigation with dairy cattle and hogs. Dairy investigations continued through 1960 by the Bureau of Dairy Industry. Most of the swine investigation work was transferred in 1925 to the U.S. Range Livestock Experiment Station at Miles City.
More to come!
Check back for new content as it is compiled