1954 Map of Carter Coulee

About this map

The Missouri River defines the northern boundary of this central Montana landscape, where extensive alluvial flats like White Bottoms and Bell Bottoms separate the water from the rising breaks. Much of the northern terrain is occupied by the Fort Peck Game Range, a testament to the mid-century conservation efforts in the Missouri River Basin. In the southern portion of the map, the Little Crooked Creek Sch (Aband) and an Old Trail suggest a more active period of homesteading and early cattle ranching that once centered around remote outposts like the Mathison Ranch and Roma White Ranch. The topography is a complex network of drainage systems, including Carter Coulee and Fritzner Coulee, which cut through the high plains toward the river valley. Landmarks such as Button Butte and Smoky Johnson Hill provide essential navigational points in this sparsely populated region of Phillips and Fergus Counties.