1957 Map of Billings

About this map

The Yellowstone River corridor serves as the primary artery for trade and travel across this 1957 Army Map Service study, anchoring the regional hub of Billings. The city is a convergence point for the Northern Pacific and Great Northern railroads, which parallel the river through agricultural towns like Laurel, Park City, and Columbus. To the south, the landscape shifts dramatically into the high-altitude wilderness of the Beartooth Mountains, where Granite Peak and the Beartooth Plateau dominate the Custer National Forest. This southern reach highlights the transition from river-valley irrigation to the high timber and mineral resources near Red Lodge. East of the city, the Crow Indian Reservation spans a vast area of the Bighorn River drainage, while to the north, the Lake Basin region includes protected areas like the Hailstone National Wildlife Refuge and Halfbreed Lake.