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1950 Map of Clancy

Name: 1950 Topographic Map of Clancy
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1954
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1954

About this map

Clancy (Clancy PO) and Alhambra anchor the northwestern edge of this mid-century landscape, where the Great Northern railway follows the valley of Prickly Pear Creek. The map reveals an area defined by heavy mineral extraction and forest management, with the Helena National Forest and Deer Lodge National Forest covering the high peaks and gulches. A high concentration of mining activity is centered near Elkhorn, including the Elkhorn Skyline Mine, Union Mine, and Hardcash Mine.

Deep in the backcountry, the infrastructure of the early 20th-century forest service is visible at the McClellan Ranger Station and various lookouts. The rugged terrain is accessible only by a network of private roads, jeep trails, and pack trails, reflecting a time before modern highway expansion. From Strawberry Butte to Crow Peak, the names on the land like Slaughterhouse Gulch and Ninety Cent Gulch speak to the local history of prospecting and ranching in Jefferson County.