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1893 Map of Big Timber

Name: 1893 Topographic Map of Big Timber
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1910
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1910

About this map

The Yellowstone River corridor serves as the primary artery of commerce and travel in this late 19th-century Montana landscape, where the Northern Pacific Railroad tracks parallel the water. The settlement of Big Timber marks the confluence of the Boulder River, anchoring a territory defined by deep drainage basins and prominent creek systems. The survey, conducted in 1889 under the direction of George Otis Smith, reveals a period when river crossings like Harrison Ferry were still vital components of the regional transportation network.

Smaller outposts such as Greycliff and Reed Point sit along the rail line, highlighting the early development patterns of Sweet Grass and surrounding areas before the turn of the century. Notable watercourses including Sweet Grass Creek, Bridger Creek, and the Stillwater River to the south create a complex topography of ridges and valleys, illustrating the difficult terrain encountered by early surveyors like Frank Tweedy.