K. Ross Toole - (1920-1981)
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I. Biography When people talk of Montana history they cannot forget to mention K. Ross Toole's name. One of the leading authors and researchers of Montana's historic literature, he
was legendary in that circle. He was described by Life magazine as "an enthusiast of the value free managerial culture of his day" and also as " an energetic writer". He was born in Missoula, Montana on August 8th
1920. He graduated college and became a teacher. He fought in World War II and he fought journalistically against mining in Montana. He was an extreme environmentalist, especially when pertaining to Montana. He
was once quoted saying, " If we cannot stop the rape here, I don't think it can be stopped anywhere," about the excessive mining in Montana. He expressed much more about these subjects in his book,
The Rape of the Great Plains: Northwest America, Cattle and Coal. This was when he was most popular and he was able to raise a group of environmentalists who campaigned in Washington.
Toole eventually came back to Missoula so that he could teach history at the University of Montana, in the 1960s. He taught the class history 367 "Montana and the West". It was
the University's best-enrolled class. It was once estimated that out of the average four-year students, half had enrolled and listened to him preach against the evils of the
past. In 1965, he was named the Hammond Professor of Western history at the University of Montana, where he worked on most of his essays and other works.
Some of his other occupations that he gained through his travels include directing The Museum of the City of New York and the Museum of New Mexico. He was part of the editorial and managerial staff of American Heritage and
Montana Magazine of Western History. He was the director of the Montana Historical Society and when Malcolm S. MacKay offered his priceless Charles M. Russell collection he was the one that
orchestrated a statewide fundraising campaign. Now the Historical Society owns that collection which is the best in the nation. He was also instrumental in forming the historical
archives at the University of Montana that now bear his name. His one true love in life was the Big Sky and everything underneath. Before his death in 1981 he proudly stated, "If
America is running out of anything, it is Montana." II. Literary Works Montana: An Uncommon Land ( One of the premiere, and still heralded as the best source of Montana historical information)
Twentieth Century Montana: A State of Extremes
This essay was submitted by a student of Steve Gardiner, a teacher at Billings Senior High School in Billings, Montana.
Montana: Images of the Past
The Rape of the Great Plains: Northwest America, Cattle, and Coal