1969 Map of Coal Bank Spring

About this map

Coal Bank Spring and the surrounding drainage basins of Custer County dominate this 1969 landscape, providing a detailed look at the seasonal water sources vital to life in eastern Montana. The map illustrates a network of ephemeral watercourses, including Harris Creek and Muster Creek, which carve through the terrain and define the local topography. This document serves as a critical record of land use before modern developments, showing the established routes like Caprock Road and the significant geographic breaks of Caprock Coulee. Smaller features such as a centrally located Spring and the West Fork Sand Creek in the southwest quadrant reveal the intricate natural plumbing of this semi-arid region during the late 1960s. For researchers, the map provides precise locations for these water points and the primitive road network that connected the disparate parts of this ranching country.