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Big Timber, watched over by the Crazy Mountains of Southwest Montana, has always been named for its natural surroundings. Big Timber was originally founded in the late 1800s. An Irish immigrant named the settlement Dornix, from the Gaelic word "durnog," which when translated means "a rock that fits in the hand and is handy for throwing," and there are indeed many such rocks around the region. In 1883, however, when complications with the railroad forced the town to move to its present-day location, it was renamed Big Timber, for the grand and plentiful cottonwood trees along the banks of the nearby Boulder and Yellowstone Rivers. Pioneers began arriving in earnest around 1890, bringing with them sheep, and by 1892, Big Timber was among the world's largest exporters of wool. Later, when a fire devastated the town, the community stood together to rebuild.

Jefferson County was created in 1865 when the legislature of the newly formed Montana Territory met for the first time. Its residents played a significant role in the development of economic stability, educational opportunities, and solid communities in southwestern Montana. Through the efforts of Jefferson County pioneers, ranching, railroading, and mining became a secure way of life. The early towns of Whitehall and Boulder provided lodging for travelers along the Virginia City to Fort Benton stage routes, and Whitehall later became a center for railroad commerce when the Northern Pacific established a base there. In 1883, Boulder became the seat of local government, while the surrounding area provided a viable agricultural economy. Fertile ores of gold and silver yielded riches in the small communities of Elkhorn, Basin, Comet, and Clancy. The hardworking residents of Jefferson County enhanced the history of Montana through their efforts in the mining, ranching, and railroad industries.