Mouton

1900 · 61672 — Hamilton MT: Hageman & Moore Photographers ca. 1900. One oblong boudoir-sized albumen photograph 8 x 5 in. mounted on beige-coloured studio board sized 11 x 6.75 in. w/ photographer’s imprint stamped on verso minor age toning & slight soiling to fore-edges minor wear & rubbing to corners still VG bright sharp image. Sheep raising was actually introduced into Montana’s Bitterroot Valley by Catholic Missionary Father De Smet and over the 19th-Century often grew in concert with cattle raising with many ranches maintaining both herds. Following the disastrous Winter of 1886-1887 in which thousands of cattle died off sheep ranching became the predominant stock shipped into and out of Montana as they not only handled the Montana Winters well they cost much less to raise and wool was a significant commodity. Hageman 1872-1944 had settled in Montana in 1896 and started operating as a photographer in the Bitterroot Valley by 1898 later partnering with Moore 1869-1955 for a short time in a photo studio in 1890 before both went out on their own by 1891 with Hageman operating as photographer until his death and Moore going first to Missoula and then Los Angeles. Hageman & Moore, Photographers, unknown