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Durnam Meadow

Lettuce Farmland Returned to the National Forest

Meadow in Gallatin NF, Rocky Mountains near Big Sky, MT

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This land passed from public to private ownership under the Homestead Act of July 28, 1916. Ed and Isabelle Durnam purchased the land in 1936.The Durnam family raised head lettuce here for almost 30 years. Lettuce was irrigated with Gallatin River water preserved with ice cut from the river in winter and shipped to markets throughout Montana in crates made from local timber cut in the Durnam’s small sawmill. When lettuce farming became uneconomical, the Durnams raised Hereford cattle until Mr. Durnam’s death in 1970.This and the surrounding land is choice wildlife habitat. Because of her love for animals and for the land, Mrs. Durnam wished to return this land to the National Forest. Accordingly this land was purchased with Land and Water Conservation funds in 1978.

— Gallatin National Forest (Roadside Sign)

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307

Meadow

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Meadow

Durnam Meadow