Bridger Canyon Property Owners’ Association

100 million years ago:

Bridger Canyon was an inland sea

1804-1881:

Jim Bridger – “Old Gabe” – was without equal as mountain man, guide, trapper, scout, frontiersman, trader.

1840:

Last rendezvous of the mountain men. Bridger took his 3rd Indian wife, a Shoshone.

1856:

Kit Carson and Jim Bridger visit Bridger Canyon hunting for beaver.

July 1864:

Jim Bridger took first wagon train along Bridger Cut-off Trail through our canyon.

September 1864:

Bridger led second train through canyon.

Bridger Cut-off Trail not used after 1864.

As US Army scout:

Jim Bridger was paid $5 a day,

Jim Bridger never got lost,

Indians never surprised him,

He was never wrong about the way to go.

1867-1887:

Fort Ellis in operation: 13th US Infantry, 2nd Regiment, US Cavalry

1867:

Soldiers from Ft. Ellis built a sawmill and road 16 miles up Bridger Canyon.

Before 1870:

Canyon undisturbed except for Indian raiding parties on their escape route from hunting in Gallatin Valley.

1870s & 1880s:

German immigrants arrived in canyon, including the Papke family.

1870s:

Bangtail Ridge named by Robert Stevens who “banged” or squared his horses’ tails.

1885:

David Christie moved here from Minnesota.

1878:

Horse-stealing Indians fight with cowboys at Battle Ridge. One man shot.

1893:

US Govt bought Davies Spring on Bridger Creek for fish hatchery.

1886:

Upper Bridger School – log cabin on Jackson Creek Road

1896:

Lower Bridger School built at Kelly Canyon and Bridger Canyon Roads. Classes met only 4 months per year.

1900:

Upper Bridger School – frame building.

1906:

White frame church built on Jackson Creek Road. Services were held on Sunday afternoon.

1909:

Telephone service initiated

1910:

US Mail service launched

1912:

Community held its first annual Bridger Canyon Picnic.

October 1915:

The famous “M” at the end of the Bridger Range was created.

1924:

Happy Day Club becomes Bridger Canyon Women’s Club.

Jan 10, 1938:

Northwest plane crashed near Flaming Arrow Ranch. Ten people died. First in MT history.

May 1948:

Rankin & Widmer flew over the Bridgers and found the site for Bridger Bowl.

1949:

Electrical service was extended up the canyon to Sedan.

Brackett Creek was named for Col. Brackett, commander at Fort Ellis.

1954:

Formation of group to develop the Bridger Bowl Ski Area.

Tow tickets at Bridger Bowl Ski Area were $2 a day. Tow was 2600-ft rope.

1971:

Zoning resolution for Bridger Canyon adopted by County Planning & Zoning Board.

September 1976:

Landmark Maiden Rock at south end of canyon was blasted down by road crews.

1978-1980:

Volunteer fire department started. 1st Chief: George Ripley, 2nd Chief: Arnie Jacobs

1985:

Jane Newhall sells 800-acre ranch to Ken Lundberg for Tepee Ridge homes.

2000:

Bridger Canyon enters new millennium as Montana’s “first best place” to live.

2001:

Bridger Canyon fire threatens homes, burns hundreds of acres, requires 15 fire companies, hotshot crews, helicopters