1952 Map of Burns Mountain

About this map

Argenta Flats dominates the northern landscape of this Beaverhead County region, where the high-altitude terrain transitions from broad plains into the prominent elevations of Burns Mountain and Timber Butte. This 1952 survey documents a ranching economy defined by isolated family holdings and vital water sources. Strategic waypoints such as Tenmile House and various Windmill sites are scattered across the landscape, connected by a network of unimproved roads and a prominent Telephone Line. The importance of water management in this arid environment is evident through the placement of Dillon Reservoir and numerous named springs, including Albers Springs and School Section Spring. The mapping of family-named properties like the John Shaffner Ranch and Christensen Ranch provides a specific look at mid-century land use in Southwest Montana, while the deeply etched path of Ermont Gulch illustrates the area's natural drainage patterns leading toward Rattlesnake Creek.