1958 Map of Billings

About this map

Billings serves as the regional anchor in this mid-century survey, situated at the convergence of the Yellowstone River and a dense network of major transportation lines including the Northern Pacific and Chicago Burlington and Quincy railroads. The landscape transitions sharply from the agricultural river valleys and the Lake Basin in the north to the formidable peaks of the Custer National Forest in the southwest. This area contains the highest point in Montana, Granite Peak, surrounded by a concentration of glacial features like Rainbow Lake and the Stillwater Plateau. To the south and east, the industrial character of the era is evident in the Elk Basin Oil and Gas Field and scattered oil wells near Bridger. The presence of the Crow Indian Reservation and the Hailstone National Wildlife Refuge underscores the diverse land management and preservation priorities at play during this period of post-war development.