1986 Map of Cat Creek

About this map

Oil Field operations define the landscape of this Petroleum County region as it appeared in the late 1970s and mid-1980s. The terrain is marked by a complex network of ephemeral drainages, including Long Coulee and Jackson Coulee, which carve through the high plains toward the namesake Cat Creek drainage. The settlement of Cat Creek itself serves as a focal point for local activity, while Fall Ranch indicates the continued importance of ranching in this sparsely populated stretch of Montana. Industrial markers like the Gravel Pit and numerous resource extraction sites illustrate the economic intersection of energy production and traditional land use during this period of geological survey.