Montana’s first commercially lucrative oil strike occurred in the area in 1920, and soon, the booming oil camp of Cat Creek was flourishing. With an estimated 200-300 men working in the oil fields, Cat Creek grew to include several tar paper shacks, company bunkhouses for single men, a company cookhouse, and a lively recreation hall.
As prosperity continued, a four-inch oil pipeline was built to the railroad station of neighboring Winnett, and more than 150 oil pumps operated during Cat Creek’s peak. Although the boom was over by 1975 and the town’s post office closed, Cat Creek retains an impressive production history of more than 23 million barrels of oil.
Photo Gallery
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Castletown 1 640x480
Castletown 1 640x480
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Castletown 6 640x480
Castletown 6 640x480
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Charles M 640x425
Charles M 640x425
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Fort Logan 2 1920x1277 640x425
Fort Logan 2 1920x1277 640x425
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Fort Logan 3 1920x1277 640x425
Fort Logan 3 1920x1277 640x425
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Ft Logan 1920x1277 640x425
Ft Logan 1920x1277 640x425
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Hwy 12 2 640x425
Hwy 12 2 640x425
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Ingomar 640x425
Ingomar 640x425
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Jersey Lily 2 640x425
Jersey Lily 2 640x425
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Lavina 640x425
Lavina 640x425
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Lennep Church 640x480
Lennep Church 640x480
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Livingston Bluffs 640x480 640x480 640x480
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Martinsdale Train Station 640x425
Martinsdale Train Station 640x425
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Smith River2857
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Smith River2860 640x480
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Smith River2861 640x480
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Smith River2865 640x480
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Smith River2872 640x480
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Smith 01 7 640x480
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Smith 01 3 640x480
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Smith 01 7 640x4806
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Smith 01 10 640x480
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