1954 Map of Bell Ridge West

About this map

Missouri River bottomlands and the rugged breaks of central Montana define this 1954 topographic record. The landscape is marked by a series of named riverside terraces, including Kendall Bottoms, Knox Bottoms, Le Clair Bottoms, and Gardipee Bottoms, illustrating the historical importance of these flat, arable pockets along the water. To the north, the terrain rises into the distinctive ridges of the Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Range, where Bell Ridge and Siparyann Ridge overlook deep drainage systems like Duval Gulch and Bogg Gulch. Evidence of mid-century land use is found at the Kendall Cow Camp and a remote Landing Strip near the river, reflecting the ranching and resource management practices in Phillips and Fergus Counties during the post-war era.