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Area in General- Del Bonita

The 49th Parallel-Our Southern Boundary

The 49th Parallel as the boundary between Canada and
United States, by coincidence follows fairly closely the
natural drainage divide. It cuts one of the world's largest
homogenous regions, the North American Great Plain.
Since the land both north and south of the 49th parallel
had not been settled or explored, no one was certain
how valuable or desirable the land was, so the logical
boundary was a straight line. However, the value of the
land was in the soil-which is among the finest in the world.
The fertility drew thousands of homesteaders, among them
the homesteaders of the Lease country.

The War of 1812 was brought to a formal close by the
treaty of Ghent in 1814 with the boundary between
Canada and United States declared from the Atlantic
Ocean to the Lake of the Woods. It was also declared
that a boundary west of the Lake of the Woods must be
determined. In a convention of 1818, the boundary was
extended to the Rocky Mountains.
It reads:
It is agreed that a line drawn from the most north western
point of the Lake of the Woods along the 49th parallel
of north latitude, or if the said point shall not be in the
49th parallel of north latitude, then that a line drawn
from said point due north and south, as the case may
be until the said line shall intersect the said parallel
of north latitude and from the point of such intersection
due west along and with the said parallel, shall be the
line of demarcation between the territories of the
United States and those of his Britannic Majesty and
that the said line shall form the northern boundary of
the said territories of the United States and the
southern boundary of the territories of His Britannic
Majesty, from the Lake of the Woods to the Stony
Mountains. (Later changed to the Rocky Mountains. )

With the ratification of the Convention in January, 1819,
the 49th parallel boundary, and the Alberta-Montana
boundary came into being.

In the summer and autumn of 1874, the two surveying
parties had reached the west portion of the boundary.
One was a British company from the Royal Engineers
who had a small group of soldiers with them. The other
party was American, who was accompanied by a
company of cavalry and two companies of infantry
for protection from the Indians.

Appointments to the survey party were made without
regard to the qualifications or capacity for work.
One man was appointed as cook who was a qualified
groom. They had a few encounters with Indians,
but most were friendly. They ran out of wood in
this area so buffalo chips were used as fuel. The
buffalo were plentiful, as were antelope. Several
large herds were reported in the Milk River watershed.
At one time, they narrowly escaped a buffalo stampede.
Thousands of the terrified buffalo swept past them,
smothering them in dust. There was no rain for three
weeks and the Milk River stopped running.
Grasshoppers made short work of the remaining grass.
One of their base camps was at the Sweet Grass Hills.
Most of the grass was very nutritious but animals
disliked a variety which was very distasteful, had
a peculiar rounded stem, a sweetish taste like
sugar cane and a peculiar odor; hence the name
Sweet Grass Hills.

Captain Samuel Anderson was the chief astronomer
for the British group with Captain Donald Cameron
and Captain Arthur Ward as assistants. The memory
of a few of the surveyors has been preserved in
place names in Waterton Lakes National Park;
Cameron Lake and Falls, Rowe Lakes, Anderson
Peak, Mount Galway and Mount Boswell and Mount
Campbell in Glacier National Park. Archibald Campbell
and William J. Twining were two of the Americans in
charge of the other group. One of the North West
Mounted Police who was in the area at this time was
a son of Charles Dickens.

On August 18, 1874, Captain Anderson of the British
party reached the boundary monument which had
been placed on the Continental Divide in 1861 when
the survey from the Pacific through the Rockies was
made. By the end of August, the survey was completed
and the 49th parallel was a physical fact. From the
Lake of the Woods to the Rockies, 388 monuments
were placed. As surveyors came farther west the
markers were mounds of stones wherever these
could be procured or failing them, mounds of earth.
The line as originally surveyed is the official Boundary
Line despite discrepancies from 49 to 1200 feet. Only
one marker on the line has been proven to be precisely
on the 49th parallel.

In 1908, a new treaty was passed to re-examine the
entire Canada-United States boundary. All but one of
the original 388 markers were recovered. 653 new ones
were placed reducing the average distance between
markers to one and a third miles. From the Lake of the
Woods to the north branch of the Milk River, cast iron
monuments were placed. From there to the Akamina
summit, aluminum and bronze monuments were placed.
The Treaty of 1925 specifies that there be continuous
maintenance by permanent commissioners.

Before the 1870's, the Canadian Custom Services were
rendered by the North West Mounted Police. In 1886,
Fort Macleod was designated as a Customs Port, with
non police personnel. The first port on the boundary
was located at Coutts, Alberta in 1889. In 1904,
customs ports were located at Wild Horse (between
Medicine Hat, Alberta and Havre, Montana) and at Twin
Lakes (between Cardston, Alberta and Browning, Montana).
Twin Lakes was closed in 1932 and moved to Whiskey
Gap in order to facilitate the shipping of American grain
via the Canadian Pacific Railway. Whiskey Gap was
closed in 1939 and moved to Del Bonita when the
road linking Magrath and Cut Bank, Montana was
completed.

It is interesting to note that in 1874 staff of the British
Commission of surveyors consisted of the following:
H. M. Commissioner, Secretary, Chief Astronomer,
two Astronomers-Officers of the R.E., two surveyors,
one surgeon, one geologist and naturalist; one
commissariat officer; one veterinary surgeon; four
sub-assistants astronomers; three assistants to the
surveyors, and one assistant surgeon.

The last fourteen of these offices were filled by Canadian
gentlemen, who were nominated by the Government of
the Dominion. There were also in permanent employment
of the commission, 44 non-commissioned officers and
men of the Royal Engineers, one waggon-master, 12
depot keepers, (who were persons qualified to undertake
the care of provisions and to issue stores and rations),
and 13 officers' servants.

The ration of food allowed to each man was:- 1 1/2 oz.
apples (dried) daily; 4 oz. biscuits daily; 16 oz. flour
daily; (4 Ibs. of baking powder to every 100 Ibs. of flour);
2 1/2 oz. cheese daily; I oz. oatmeal daily; I/200 gal.
pickles, or 1/4 pint of vinegar per week; 16 oz. meat
daily; 1/2 oz. pepper daily; 1/3 oz. salt daily; 2/3 oz.
soap daily; 3 oz. sugar daily; 1/100 gal syrup daily; I oz.
tea daily; 1/2 oz. tobacco daily; I/2 oz. mustard weekly;
4 oz. beans (dried) daily, and matches as required.

All these articles were not issued daily to each man, but
these were the relative proportions allowed. The total
weight of food per day was about 40 oz.

The early surveyors were among the first white men to see
the vast stretches of land along the 49th parallel. It is a
tribute to these men that the parallel was so accurately
and quickly surveyed.

Excerpts from the Lethbridge Herald
The Last Great Land Rush of Southern Alberta

The Mclntyre lease is situated south of the Milk River,
being that part of Range 20, 21, and 22 between the Milk
River and the boundary. The lease which has been held for
some years, is a sub-lease acquired about fifteen years ago
by the Knight Sugar Co. of Raymond.

It is significant that in closing the lease, the government
has withdrawn from the ranching interests one more of
the large blocks, which, for years, was considered good
for nothing but cattle grazing. At the same time they are
cutting into the last resort of the cattlemen of Southern
Alberta. The Milk River Ridge, for years has been the home
of the last 'big ranchers' in this section of Alberta. Lying
side by side along the ridge were the Knight Sugar
ranches, the Mclntyre Ranch, and the Eldridge ranch, all
of them representing kings in the cattle business.

With over ninety thousand acres of free land for the and
hungry, and with a thousand already inquiring for it, and
patiently waiting for the time to strike, Lethbridge will see
one of the greatest land rushes in its history on May first
next.

Lethbridge Herald March 18,1912

Actual Lands Open to Homesteaders May Ist.
Description of the Knight Sugar Factory Leases
Cancelled
Lands Excepted
Prospective Applicants Can Now Get Busy Locating
Quarters.

Township 2, Range 21, south of the river, all west of the
Fourth Meridian, excepting those from all Hudson's Bay
company's and school lands.

Lethbridge Herald-March 26, 1912

Great Inrush of Settlers Daily
Scenes at C.P.R. Yards Resemble Rush Three Years Ago.

But the settler's rush has barely commenced. Many inquiries
are being received every day by different parties in the city
from people who are desirous of homesteading on the
McIntyre ranch lease, when thrown open on May 1. This
will undoubtedly be the last great land rush in the history
of Southern Alberta, and will mark an epoch in the history
of the south.

April 1, 1912
Will Camp 35 Days to Get a Homestead: Already
Crowd is Gathering itor the Big Land Rush:
Opens May Ist.

Already forty hungry land seekers are camping at the door
of the land office to be on hand for the rush. Every hour
adds to the number. Inside the next fifteen days the forty
will be increased to nearer four hundred. It is the chance
of a lifetime. Certainly it is the best opportunity for the new
settler which has been afforded for two years or more.

The night is the worst for the land seekers, for they say
Alberta nights carry a sting which easterners are not
accustomed to. Improvised tents made with blankets
pinned up to the fence are in order. Baskets of provisions
line the walk and are carefully guarded, for without the
'grub-stake' of these land prospectors they would fail in
their purpose.

Most of the seekers are provided with alternates who carry
provisions, who relieve them when they wish to stretch
their weary legs, and who keep them informed on the
questions of the day in real estate circles.

And there is a woman there, but not alone. Beside her
this morning was her little baby, only a few months old,
resting in the carriage and taking in the view as
philosophically as if looking for land was an everyday
task. This lady, however, was merely relieving her
husband, who was away regaling himself on ham and
eggs after a long night's watch on the corner.

April 8, 1912
Land Seekers are Quiet Lot: Are not a Nuisance
and Police are Satisfied.

On Saturday Mayor Hatch, Mr. McKeown and Chief
Gillespie investigated and found nothing out of the way,
or nothing to complain about in the actions of the patient
crowd. They were all standing about peacefully awaiting
the day on which they would be able to secure for
themselves a choice farm in Sunny Southern Alberta.
There was nothing either, of an indecent or unhealthy
nature in anything they found.

A spokesman for those standing in line said "I admit the
system is wrong, but so long as the precedent has been
set, and it has been allowed to stand in other cities, I
think the police could control the situation with very
little difficulty. However, if the city will issue tickets
which will secure our present places for us, I am sure
the crowd has enough honor to abide by that decision
without making any trouble."

Mayor Hatch is taking the matter up with Hon. Robert
Rogers, minister of the interior, and if possible this
measure will be put into effect in this particular case.
If it works well, a precedent will have been set which
will overcome similar difficulties in the future.

Note;
Mayor Hatch and city council put the above mentioned
plan into effect. The sidewalk was divided into numbered
squares. Each person was given a number corresponding
to the number on the side walk-and his name and
picture were taken. One dollar fee was charged to reserve
each numbered place in the line. The people were free to
disperse, and come back May Ist to resume their reserved
positions.

May 1, 1912
Most Peaceful Land Rush in the History of Alberta:
Neither Jostling Nor Dispute-

Hardly a ripple of excitement marked the opening of the last
great land rush of Southern Alberta, when at nine o'clock
this morning the doors of the Land Office were thrown
open to admit the 325 land seekers who had gathered
bent on securing tor themselves a Sunny Alberta farm of
half or quarter of a section of the Mclntyre lease thrown
open for entry today. It was the most peaceful land rush
in the history of Lethbridge. In fact the rush was almost as
quiet as the farming will be when the three townships which
were filed on today are dotted with little farms and produce
instead of thousands of cattle, thousands of bushels of
famous Alberta Red.

When the doors of the land office were thrown open all
were in line. So anxious were some of the prospective land
seekers not to miss their chance of a lifetime that they
had spent the whole night in the vicinity of the land office,
lest they might oversleep and so lose out on a good thing.
However, the police made good and certain that there was
no loitering during the night; and a special detail of four men
was told to patrol the district.

On Hand Early:
When the chill of the night wore off and the sun began to
shine, the homesteaders began to arrive in numbers.
Before eight o'clock practically every man was in his
place. Some few failed to show up and were not in their
subdivisions when nine o'clock came. They lost out and
will remember next time that it never pays to be late.

Six city policemen in charge of Chief Gillespie and four
members of the Mounted Police Detachment were present
this morning to take charge of the crowds. Hundreds of
curious citizens were also on the ground to witness the
novelty of a grab for free homesteads. The overhead
bridge was lined with spectators, the camera fiend being
very much in evidence.

But so orderly and good natured was the crowd that those
who came to witness an old time land grab went away
disappointed.

Doors Opened Promptly

Stagg Was No. I

Little Woman was Twelfth

The whole affair passed off just as simply and as smoothly as
if it had been rehearsed previously, and by eleven o'clock
the whole line had registered.

There were a few little issues, however, which few of the
spectators caught. lt is charged that one man coming from
the vicinity of Raley was prepared to pay out good money
to those in the line if they would file and allow him to
cancel their entry later, when he will enter some of his
friends on the homestead, thus giving him a large block
of land.

No. 24 in the line was seen talking to this party, and the
magnificent sum of ten dollars changed hands. Detective
Egan happened to catch the transaction, however, and
both No. 24 and the boomer were given strict orders to
depart in double quick time.

Mayor Hatch's plan worked admirably in every detail. At the
last land rush there were two deaths caused by pneumonia
brought on by exposure to the bitter cold of February. Not
so this time. This plan has proven itself humane, sanitary,
and in every way acceptable, and there is no doubt that
the department of the interior will thoroughly investigate
and work in conjunction with the municipal authorities along
similar lines in the land rushes of the future.

How The Milk River Got Its Name

Milk River Watershed and International
Water Agreement

The Milk River Ridge, an elevation, Iying between the
North Fork of the Milk River and the Saint Mary, is the
dividing-line between the waters flowing to the
Missouri-Mississippi and those emptying into the
Saskatchewan. The distinction between the two systems
is very marked. The streams flowing to the south and
east, having their sources in the prairie or low down in
the foothills, are sluggish in their flow, with a more or
less alkaline tendency. The South Fork is particularly
noticeable for the milky color of its waters, which gave
the name of Milk River to the stream into which it flows.

The valuable resources that Canada and the United States
share in many lakes and rivers which strad-dle or cross
the International Boundary have been the subject of
prolonged disputes between the two countries. In the
19th century the quarrels concerned mainly fish, while
in the 20th they tended to centre on the problem of
hydro-electricity. In addition, for many years after the turn
of the century, there existed an intermittent quarrel
between the Canadian and the United States government
regarding the use of waters for Irrigation purposes.

The first attempts at irrigation on the U.S. side came
during the 1870's. The settlers built small ditches and
began irrigating their fields. Small irrigation canals were
constructed but owing to the limited supply of the Milk
River, large scale irrigation projects in this region were
not feasible at this time.

North of the International Border, irrigation possibilities
were first pointed out in 1885. However the actual
introduction of irrigation to Canada was left to private
initiative, in particular the Mormons who started
settling in the region in 1887, and started digging
irrigation ditches in 1889. The Mormons had come from
an area of the United States where irrigation was
necessary, and they brought with them a knowledge of
the techniques of irrigated agriculture. They drew
attention to the possibility of developing irrigation in
Southern Alberta. But this was coolly received by
Federal authorities.

It was difficult to receive help from the Federal
government due mainly to the lack of knowledge of the
area by the men representing the government, and the
inability of the two governments to settle the dispute of
who should use the water from the St. Mary and the
Milk River, and how much should be allotted to each
side of the border.

The area generally referred to as the Canadian- American
irrigation frontier consists basically of the St. Mary and
Milk River basins which are separated only by a low
divide of land. Both rivers are international streams
and both originate in the eastern ranges of the Rocky
Mountains of northern Montana. But the two carry their
waters in different directions. The St. Mary is part of
the Missouri-Mississippi system. The Milk River returns
to the United States after flowing through more than a
hundred miles of Canadian territory. In spite of the fact
that the basins of these two rivers are separated by a
continental divide, the whole area has many common
features, and constitutes a fairly well defined geographic
unit. The gently undulating grasslands, traversed by a
network of deep furrows cut by streams flowing out of the
foothills of the Rockies, give the landscape of the region
a great deal of uniformity. This uniformity is accentuated
by the lack of trees, except in river valleys and gullies.
The Chinook winds; dry, warm masses of Pacific air flowing
through the mountains, are common to both the Canadian
and American portions of the region. The climate is similar,
rainfall is unpredictable throughout and fluctuates greatly
from year to year.

William Pearce, Department of Interior's Super-intendent
of Mines in the N.W. Territories after 1885, Sir Alexander
Galt and Charles A. Magrath were advocates for the
development of irrigation in Canada. They kept this
issue before the government and eventually the
Boundary Waters Treaty was signed in Washington on
January 11, 1909. With it, supposedly, the St. Mary and
Milk River irrigation controversy was settled.

Article Vl of the treaty stipulates that the St. Mary and
Milk Rivers, and their tributaries were to be treated as
one stream for the purposes of irrigation, and that their
waters should be apportioned equally between the two
countries. In making such division, however, one country
could take more from one of the rivers and less from the
other so as to afford a more beneficial use to each. The
article declared further that: in the division of such waters
during the irrigation season, between the Ist of April and
31st of October, inclusive, annually, the United States is
entitled to a prior appropriation of 500 cubic feet per
second of the waters of the Milk River, or so much of such
amount as constitutes three-fourths of its natural flow,
and that Canada is entitled to a prior appropriation of
500 cubic feet per second of the flow of St. Mary River,
or so much of such amount as constitutes three fourths
of its Natural "flow".

The clause's second paragraph assured the United States
the use of the Canadian stretch of the Milk River to convey
waters from the St. Mary reservoirs to the lower Milk River
valley. The third and last paragraph provided for the
measurement and apportionment of the water to be used,
by the officers of the U.S. Reclamation Service and
Canadian irrigation experts under the direction of the
agency established by the Boundary Waters Treaty, the
International Joint Commission.

In order to measure water being conveyed through Canada
by the north fork of the Milk River, a gauge station known
as "At Peters' Crossing" was set up in 1919. The first
gauge house was located on the west side of the river
and a cable ferry was used to make the measurements.
Charles Barnett Sr. was in charge of recording measurements,
and continued from 1919 to his death. Then it was carried on
by Mrs. Florence Barnett until Yvonne Barnett took it over in
1944. In February 1979, Mavis Barnett took over gauge
recording. Thus three generations of Barnetts have looked
after this important international service.

When Mr. and Mrs. Barnett Sr. Iooked after the services
gauge readings only were done at the river. In 1951 the
evaporation pan was started to measure daily evaporation
of river water, and water and rain measurements were
taken as well. In 1965 maximum and minimum thermometers
for measuring both water and air temperatures, as well as
a snow gauge were added.

Now in 1980 the river gauge is on solar, which does an
automatic reading. This is picked up by satellite. It is
only necessary for Mavis Barnett to go to the river
during flood conditions, at which time she marks high
water levels. The other equipment is located in Charlie
Barnett's yard where air temperatures are read twice
daily, and anemometer and water thermometer
readings are taken once daily.
The river station consists of a cable car which spans the
river, and a river house located on the east side of the
river. The equipment for solar measurement of river
water is in the river house.

Measurements, and weather records taken at this station
are referred to for crop insurance purposes, and drought
records.

This is an international service. Measurements of water
coming into Canada are recorded here, and another
station further east measures water leaving Canada.
These readings go to both Canadian and United States
waters resources authorities.

The first record Yvonne Barnett has for rainfall is for 1952.
The measurements for snowfall, wind and temperature
were added in 1965.

Here are the amounts for the years 1952 to 1978 inclusive
1952-8.13 inches.
1953 - 15.14 inches
1954-8.11 inches .
1955-8.76 inches .
1956- 11.18 inches .
1958-9.60 inches .
1959-8.13 inches .
1960-4.50 inches .
1961 - 11.22 inches .
1962-9.28 inches .
1963-9.57 inches.
1964- 14.95 inches.
1965- 14.83 inches.
1966- 12.93 rain and 4.40 snow from April I to
December 31st.

rain snow
1967-5.07 - 11.36Jan. I to Dec. 31
1968-10.46- 11.49 Jan. I to Dec. 31
1969-9.52- 3.90 Jan . I to Dec . 31
1970-7.85 -7.31 Jan. I to Dec. 31
1971 -11.03 - 8.16Jan. I to Dec. 31
1972-10.12- 11.44Jan. I toDec. 31.
1973-5.35-4.04 Jan . I to Dec . 31.
1974-7.37-9.94Jan. I toDec. 31
1975- 17 05 - 12.39 Jan. I to Dec. 31
1976- 13.07-3.31 Jan. I to Dec.31
1977- 7.58-5.45 Jan. I to Dec. 31
1978- 16.55 - 8.87 Jan. I to Dec. 31

The snow measurement is moisture content, not actual
inches of snow. These records include 26 years of rain
and 12 years of rain and snow. According to the records
1975 was the wettest year with 7.14 inches of the rain
in June.

The highest temperature was + 99 F. degrees on August
24, 1969. The lowest temperature was -37F. degrees on
January 28, 1969 and January 13, 1971. It was -10 F.
degrees on April 3,1972 and April 1,1975, which is
cold for that time of year.

The Land Survey

From Adventures of a Surveyor in the Canadian Northwest
1880-1883.

The land survey in the area of the High Country was done
between 1895 and 1900. The lands of this area lie west of
the fourth meridian which is the IIOth degree of west
longitude, also the border line between Alberta and
Saskatchewan.

The 49th parallel of latitude was used as the base line in
surveying the land into townships. Each township was six
miles by six miles, and was then surveyed into thirty six
sections. Each section was subdivided into quarters,
marked by means of a marker, which was either an iron
post, a set of four pits with a marker, or a stone mound.
The ranges are numbered consecutively-west from each
meridian, and the townships are numbered consecutively
north from the base line of the 49th parallel of latitude.

The Dominion Land Surveyor or instrument man was the
head of each survey party. Two rod men held up long
wooden survey rods and moved them as directed by the
surveyor to establish straight lines. Two chain men
measured distances accurately along these lines and put
up temporary stakes. Another group dug the pits, piled up
the mounds, and placed the final markers.

Four pits each about four feet square were dug, and earth
piled up to form a mound. An iron survey stake was driven
on the top of each mound, and attached to it was a metal
tag which gave the number of the section and quarter.

One of the surveyor's tools was a transit, a small telescope
set on a tripod, or three legged stand, with an attached
bubble level. The surveyor's chain was sixty-six feet in length,
and had one hundred links. Road allowances were surveyed
one chain, or sixty-six feet wide. Today a steel band or tape
has replaced the chain in surveying but the term chain is still
used.

The area of the High Country about which this book is compiled
lies within townships I and part of 2, ranges 20, 21, 22, and 23.

Weather Through the Years

This is very true of the climate of the High Country area. One old
timer said, "Whatever this country does in the way of weather
it does well."

Spring is usually ushered in by a gentle chinook which quickly
changes drifts of snow to water. Spring seasons vary. In 1903
on Saturday afternoon, May 16, a gentle rain started falling,
and by 9:00 p.m. heavy snow was coming. It kept snowing
and blowing for four days. On Thursday, the fifth day the sun
shone brightly, and the search for lost cattle, horses, and sheep,
began. It was a sickening sight to see fence corners, coulees
and river banks full of dead cattle, horses, or sheep. Losses
were very heavy that spring, but it was followed by a beautiful
summer with marvellous growing weather and excellent crops.

The spring of 1912 was quite mild. In April those who stood in
line at the land office were able to sleep on the sidewalk under
makeshift shelters. On May I, 1912 the weather was moderate
and warm with a high in Lethbridge of 54 degrees and a low of
27 degrees F.

1914 was a very dry summer with poor crops. On October 3 a
storm which lasted three days and nights blanketed the
country with wet snow. This slowly melted and was followed
by mild weather which lasted till after Christmas. Some people
were able to break sod till Christmas.

People ran out of feed for cattle . Some feed was shipped to
Magrath and sold at $60.00 a ton, but it was slough grass
and bull rushes with little food value for livestock. It was
reported that sixty per cent of the cattle on the Milk River
Ridge were lost during the winter of 1919-1920.

The years from 1929 through early thirties were extremely dry.
Several winters were very mild with little snowfall for reserve
moisture. Spring seasons were sunny and warm, and summers
were dry and hot. Those summers forest fires in northern
Alberta and B.C. sent smoke into southern Alberta. The sun
rose red in the mornings and remained red till sunset. Winds
brought dust storms which were almost like blizzards.

1935-1936 spring was mild and beautiful but another dry summer
with poor crops, followed. The winter brought heavy snow fall.

Spring 1936 was mild and promising but the summer was dry
and hot. Crops were poor and there wasn't much cattle feed
in the country. Winter set in about November Ist and was long
and severe. Snow drifted over fence tops and as high as some
buildings. It was difficult to keep roads open.

Some feed had been shipped in to Whiskey Gap but was of poor
quality. Livestock losses were heavy that winter. Cattle froze to t
heir knees while standing out in the cold.

Spring 1937 was mild and warm and was a welcome relief from
winter's snow and cold. The summer was warm and productive.
Crops were more promising.

1942-1943 was a cold winter with deep snow and blocked roads.
Spring was mild and summer was warm and pleasant.

1945 was a wet summer. Crops were good.

1946-47-Summer of 1946 there were some hail storms. The fall
of 1946 was wet and some crops weren't harvested till the
spring of 1947. The spring and summer of 1947 were mild
with average moisture. Fall of 1947 a heavy snowstorm in
September blocked roads, and delayed harvest.

1949 was another beautiful spring, followed by a sunny dry
summer, and an extremely cold winter.

In 1951 a June rain turned into snow three feet in depth.
Summer was cold and wet. There was hail early in October.
Crops were swathed and some were combined on top of the
snow after the ground had frozen in December. These
crops were a better grade than those harvested the spring of
1952. Spring came early in 1952 and people were able to
complete the 1951 harvest and seed the 1952 crop before
the middle of May.

1967-Canada's Centennial year brought three bad snow storms
to the area between April 15 and May 1. These were followed
by a mild spring and summer.

1970 was almost an ideal year. Spring was warm with plenty
of moisture. The summer was sunny with rains at the right
time to produce good hay and grain crops. Harvest weather
was ideal.

1979 was another ideal year. The spring season was mild
with a mixture of sunshine and rain. The summer was warm
with rain when it was needed. Fall weather was ideal for
harvest. The winter was open with very little snow.

The spring of 1980 came unusually early. Flowers bloomed
early and crops were seeded in good time. The month of
May was extremely dry and hot; grass was at a standstill,
and hills were brown. Crops and hay were slow. Sunday
May 18 the sun came up red as if obscured by smoke. The
air was cloudy, and a grey film settled on everything. Mount
St. Helens in Washington had erupted after being quiet since
1858. This cloudy dusty condition prevailed for four days and
on the fifth day, May 22nd a most welcome downfall of rain
came. During the rest of May and June rainfall was away
above average. Crops and hay look promising.

This area experiences weather conditions that are sometimes
extreme and different from other areas. The southeast wind
which occurs in winter seldom reaches many miles beyond
Whiskey Gap, but has a biting chill all its own. Sometimes
temperatures can be mild with chinook conditions in this
area, and it will be -30 degrees in Magrath, or vice versa.
School buses have been known to stay home because of
blizzard conditions south of the Milk River Ridge while
neighboring towns of Magrath, Cardston and Milk River
experienced sunny weather.

Another unusual weather occurrence is the rapid change in
temperature which sometimes happens within two or three
hours. Temperatures have been known to rise from -40
degrees to +40 degrees within a very short time.

In summer no matter how hot the days are the evenings
and nights are cool. This condition often helps to save
crops and gardens.

Climatic conditions influence the vegetation of the area.
When the homesteaders came, bunch grass grew tall.
and cured in the fall to provide winter grazing for livestock.
There is also a short grass which makes good pasture.
Although much of the land has been cultivated there are
still pastures and headlands of native grass.

Wild flowers are common to the area and produce an
abundance of color in their turn. The crocuses, yellow bells,
wild geraniums, shooting stars, wild roses, snow drops or
mayflowers, blue lupin, buffalo beans, dandelions, purple
and yellow violets, sunflowers or brown eyed susans, blue
bells, wild flax, flowering cactus, and sand lily add a touch
of color to the country side.

This is naturally a treeless area, but there are wild saskatoon,
goose berry, and choke cherry bushes, as well as wild juniper,
which grows on river hills.

The area is a refuge for many wild animals. Gophers, thirteen
stripe gophers, weasels, skunks, porcupines, red foxes,
coyotes, marmot, racoon, mule deer, white tail deer,
antelope, muskrat, badger, jack rabbit, garter snakes
and salamanders are some animals of the district. In
early days kit foxes and cotton tail were common, but
are rarely seen today.

A variety of birds bring cheerful songs as they come and
go in season. Goldfinch, doves, orioles, meadowlarks,
robins, canaries, red winged blackbirds, red headed
woodpeckers, nuthatches, bluebirds, hummingbirds,
killdeer, sparrows, swallows, chickadees, snipes, loons,
blue herons, pelicans, swans, Canada geese and ducks,
horned larks, eagles, horned owls, hawks, snowy owls,
seagulls, magpies and crows are among feathered friends.

Cultivation of the area has made possible successful
growth of spring wheat, winter wheat, barley, oats,
mustard, fall rye, flax and rape. With cultivation has also
come weeds such as toad flax, stinkweed, Canadian
thistle, Russian thistle, fox tail, tansy and tumbling mustard,
buckwheat, cow cockle, and wild oats. Native weeds
include stinging nettle, sage brush, wild rhubarb, pig
weed or lambs quarter and blue burr. These are kept
under control through the use of sprays and cultivation.

This land supports farming, and ranching activities, and is
a good place to live and raise a family.

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