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1958 Map of Blanchard Ranch

Name: 1958 Topographic Map of Blanchard Ranch
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1994
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1994

About this map

Blanchard Ranch and the surrounding high plains of Valley County, Montana, appear here during the late 1950s as part of a focused study for the development of the Missouri River Basin. The landscape is defined by an extensive network of small-scale water management, including the Retention Levees Experimental Area and numerous local catchments like Archambeault Retention Res, Jack Rabbit Reservoir, and Newton Reservoir.

South of the eponymous ranch, Archambeault Flats gives way to the northern reaches of the Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge. This terrain, carved by Willow Creek and Mud Creek, reflects a mid-century period of intense hydraulic experimentation aimed at stabilizing this arid ranching environment. Local landmarks such as Baldy Pit and the Aitken Reservoir provide specific points of interest for those researching the agricultural and conservation history of the Big Sky Country.