1947 Map of Butte

About this map

The Continental Divide winds through this post-war landscape, marking the transition between the Missouri and Clark Fork drainage basins. Centered on the industrial and mining hubs of Butte and Helena, the map illustrates a complex network of transportation and land management at the mid-century mark. The confluence of three major rail systems—the Chicago Milwaukee St Paul and Pacific, Northern Pacific, and Great Northern—underscores the region's importance as a mountain transit corridor.