1971 Map of Chalk Butte

About this map

The Charles M Russell National Wildlife Range dominates the northern portion of this landscape, marking a protected transition between the upland breaks and the Missouri River drainage. This 1971 survey captures the area around the small settlement of Brusett, showing a sparse network of unimproved roads and cattle tanks characteristic of Garfield County ranching life in the early 1970s. The terrain is defined by the sharp relief of Chalk Butte in the south and the drainage systems of Snow Creek and the South Fork Snow Creek, which cut deep coulees through the high plains. Researchers will find the map particularly useful for tracing the early fence lines and stock water improvements that supported mid-century livestock operations in this isolated section of the Montana badlands.