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1951 Map of Carney

Name: 1951 Topographic Map of Carney
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1953
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1953

About this map

The Yellowstone River cuts a wide, braided path through this Sweet Grass County landscape, serving as the central artery for a complex irrigation network. Early 1950s water management is visible through numerous engineered waterways including the Hunters Hot Springs Canal, Westfall Ditch, and the Mayborn Praether Ditch. These systems supported agricultural efforts near the Northern Pacific railroad line, which follows the river's southern bank through the settlement of Carney.

Local education and land use are centered around small rural hubs like the Carney School and Bridge School. The topography transitions from the broad, level expanse of Airport Flats to the dissected hills carved by Little Timber Creek and Whitetail Creek. Evidence of family-owned ranching operations, such as Yost Ranch and Beley Ranch, illustrates the post-war ranching economy of south-central Montana before modern highway expansion and suburban consolidation.