1948 Map of Alkali Coulee

About this map

Big Muddy Creek meanders across this northern Montana landscape, anchoring a region defined by the vast Fort Peck Indian Reservation and the early conservation efforts at the Medicine Lake National Wildlife Refuge. The settlement of Medicine Lake sits in the southeast corner along the Great Northern railway, serving as a focal point for the surrounding prairie. Evidence of rural life and early industry is scattered throughout the terrain, from the isolated Rose Valley Sch in the northwest to a small Coal Mine and Gravel Pit located near the southern coulees. The intricate drainage network, including Alkali Coulee, Otter Creek, and Wolf Creek, reveals a landscape carved by seasonal water flow and irrigation projects like Diversion Ditch No 1, which reflect the agricultural adaptations of the mid-20th century.