This is the earliest known mammoth plate photograph of the Crow Indian Agency on the Yellowstone River in Montana Territory taken by William Henry Jackson (1843-1942) for the Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey of the Territories, the Hayden Survey Expedition of 1871. The Fort Laramie Indian Treaty of 1868 closed travel on the Bozeman Trail and the Yellowstone Valley as well as stipulated a new agency for the Crow. The first Crow Agency was thus built about eight miles east of present-day Livingston, Montana in fall of 1869, named Fort E.S. Parker or Fort Parker, and also known as the Mission Agency by some Crow. Within a year of the fort’s completion, Professor Ferdinand Vandeveer Hayden / F.V. Hayden (1829-1887) led America’s first federally funded geological survey into the Yellowstone region, which included painter Thomas Moran and famous photographer William Henry Jackson, and at the steps of this fort. On October 30, 1872, only a year from when this image was taken, the agency was completely destroyed by fire. Indian Agents L.M. Black (Bozeman businessman and trader), Major E.M. Camp, Fellows David Pease, and Dexter Clapp were based at Fort Parker, which, following the fire was temporarily replaced by buildings made of adobe (since timber was becoming scarce) and eventually moved to the Rosebud on Butcher Creek near present day Absarokee, Montana to be abandoned in 1875. This is a mammoth plate albumen photograph circa 1871 and is on the original mounting which is marked, “W. H. JACKSON PHOTO. / DEPT. OF THE INTERIOR, U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF THE TERRITORIES. / PROF. F. V. HAYDEN IN CHARGE.”, as well as hand written in the lower left corner, “Crow Agency on the Yellowstone – Montana" possibly in Jackon’s hand. There is a thin gilt gold border surrounding the photo. The back is handwritten in pencil, “Crow Agency on the Yellowstone, Near (Mission Creek) Shield’s River. Destroyed by Fire. Oct. 30, 1872. Photo taken in 1871 BAE Bulletin 83. Ft. Parker built in 1869 Fellows, Pease & Dexter Clapp were agents. In 1875 moved to the Rosebud on Butcher Creek.” The photograph prominently shows the square-hewn timber logs, shingle roof with storehouses as well as two bastions that served as guard towers. Outside of the agency approx. Nine individuals pose for the image, no doubt one of these men being the fort’s Agent. In the background the towering Montana mountains. The piece is well kept with fine detail, well-preserved strong tones, no apparent major damages and the original well kept photographers mounting, some corner wear and small staining on mount. This mammoth plate photograph mounting measures 13 7/8-inches by 10 7/8-inches and the visible photo area is 7 3/8-inches by 5 ¼-inches. Think of the rarity of this image, the Fort only existed from the end of the year 1869 to being destroyed in 1872. The Hayden Expedition, where this photo was taken by William Henry Jackson in 1871, was instrumental in convincing Congress in establishing Yellowstone as the first U.S. National Park, aided by Jackson’s stunning large-format photographs such as this piece.