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1980 Map of Birney

Name: 1980 Topographic Map of Birney
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1980
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1980

About this map

Large-scale resource extraction and rural settlement patterns define this section of Big Horn and Rosebud counties during the 1980s. The landscape is dominated by massive industrial footprints such as the Spring Creek Mine, West Decker Mine, and Tongue River Mine, signaling the era’s significant coal mining operations near the Wyoming border. These industrial sites contrast with the sparsely populated ranching and forest lands to the north, where small communities like Birney and Quietus persist alongside the Birney Day School.

The presence of the Northern Cheyenne Indian Res Boundary and the expansive Custer National Forest indicates complex land management throughout the region. Water remains the primary lifeblood of the area, with the Tongue River and Otter Creek carving deep drainages through a terrain marked by distinctive landmarks like Eagle Nest Peak and Pyramid Butte. Transportation is anchored by the Burlington Northern railroad, which services the heavy industry of the southern coal fields.