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1903 Map of Bonner

Name: 1903 Topographic Map of Bonner
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1949
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1949

About this map

The Northern Pacific railroad corridor dictates the pulse of the landscape here, following the winding course of the Clark Fork through the narrow valleys of western Montana. At the turn of the century, these rail lines facilitated the growth of timber and mining settlements like Bonner and Clinton, while the city of Missoula anchored the western edge of the sheet. The confluence of the Blackfoot River and the Clark Fork marks a significant transition point between the Garnet Range to the east and the Sapphire Mountains to the south.

Industrial and agricultural patterns are evident in the numerous named gulches and prairies, such as Ninemile Prairie and Spring Gulch. The map meticulously preserves the early 20th-century boundaries between Missoula and Granite counties, as well as the initial extents of the Lolo National Forest. Researchers will find a detailed network of drainages including Rattlesnake Creek and Eightmile Creek that defined the early accessibility of these mountain ranges.