1954 Map of Billings

About this map

The Yellowstone River corridor serves as the primary axis of development across this mid-century landscape, anchoring the growing city of Billings and smaller rail towns like Laurel and Columbus. To the south, the dramatic transition from the high plains to the Beartooth Mountains is marked by mining and ranching settlements such as Red Lodge, Washoe, and Bearcreek. The map reveals a specialized economic landscape where oil wells and an extensive oil and gas field are interspersed with irrigation-supported agriculture along the Clarks Fork Yellowstone River.