1953 Map of Bozeman

About this map

Bozeman serves as the focal point of this 1950s survey, showing the city's early post-war footprint including Montana State College, the Fair Grounds, and the Sunset Hills Cemetery. The map captures the transition from the urban grid to the expansive Gallatin Valley, where an intricate network of irrigation systems like the Valley View Ditch and Mammoth Ditch support a landscape dotted with numerous small country schools. To the south, the terrain shifts abruptly as the valley floor meets the Forest Boundary of the Gallatin National Forest, rising toward Wheeler Mountain. Transportation is defined by the dual presence of the Northern Pacific and the Chicago Milwaukee St Paul and Pacific railroads, which helped establish rural hubs such as Gallatin Gateway and Bozeman Hot Springs. The detailed mapping of family-named ranches and irrigation ditches reflects the region's deeply rooted agricultural and water rights history.