1965 Map of Dell

About this map

The Union Pacific railroad corridor anchors this 1965 survey of the Centennial Valley, where the settlement of Dell sits at the base of the prominent Red Butte. This landscape is defined by the drainage of the Red Rock River and its major tributaries, including Big Sheep Creek and Little Sheep Creek. While the valley floor supports transportation infrastructure like the Dell Airport and its accompanying Airway Beacon, the southwest portion of the sheet rises sharply into the Beaverhead National Forest. This mountainous terrain is characterized by a network of named water sources such as Garr Spring and Hansen Spring, and features like Chute Canyon and White Pine Ridge. The map captures a high-desert ranching environment where water rights and access to the timbered ridges were essential for local survival and operations in Beaverhead County.