1979 Map of Dead Boy Divide

About this map

The Dead Boy Divide forms a significant topographic spine in this part of Montana, separating the drainages of the southern Plains. The landscape is defined by its water management systems, featuring several named catchments including the Ute Reservoir, Blackfoot Reservoir, Sioux Reservoir, and Long Reservoir. These features, along with the numerous creeks like Lone Tree Creek and Dead Boy Creek, illustrate the vital role of water capture in the high plains environment. In the northwestern corner, the Chalk Buttes rise above the surrounding terrain, providing a distinct geological contrast to the draws and coulees. Evidence of resource exploration is minimal but present, noted by a lone Drill Hole south of the divide. The map preserves a moment in the late 1970s before modern ranching and land use patterns further altered this remote section of Carter County.