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1965 Map of Coal Mine Hill

Name: 1965 Topographic Map of Coal Mine Hill
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1987
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1987

About this map

Coal Mine Hill and the surrounding Larb Hills define this high-plains landscape in Phillips County, Montana. The map documents a rugged drainage network where ephemeral watercourses like Coal Mine Coulee and North Shotgun Coulee carve through the terrain. Evidence of early resource extraction is anchored by a Mine site situated near the head of the coulees, while the presence of the Spencer Ranch and Barnard Ranch illustrates the region's enduring reliance on cattle ranching in the mid-20th century.

Prominent geological landmarks such as Square Butte and the Barnard Buttes provide distinct navigational points south of Telegraph Creek. The topography is further defined by Shoemaker Gap, a natural pass through the hills. This 1965 survey, updated in the late 1980s, preserves the specific locations of family-held ranchlands and the complex system of coulees that dictated the movement of livestock and water management in this part of the Missouri River Basin.