1956 Map of Columbus West

About this map

The confluence of the Yellowstone River and Stillwater River anchors this 1956 survey of a vital Montana river valley. The town of Columbus serves as the regional hub, situated north of the river junction where the Northern Pacific railroad tracks parallel the water. The landscape is defined by an intricate network of irrigation systems necessary for high-plains agriculture, including the Merrill-Columbus Ditch, White Ditch, and Shane Ditch. North of the river, the terrain rises toward Bensons Bluff, cut by numerous coulees such as Baney Coulee and Smith Coulee. Local history is preserved in the location of the Cardwell Sch (Aband) and the Mountain View Cem, while smaller named points like Carlton and Craver indicate the spread of early 20th-century settlement along the rail and river corridors.