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1950 Map of Devils Fence

Name: 1950 Topographic Map of Devils Fence
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1954
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1954

About this map

Devils Fence dominates the high ground in this 1950 survey, marking the jagged divide between Deer Lodge National Forest and Helena National Forest. The landscape is a complex network of mountain drainages and working ranchland, where the Boulder River flows through the central valley. This era reveals a high-altitude economy still actively tied to extraction and livestock, evidenced by the Spar Mine and Ida Mine, both noted as operational at the time of the field check.

Settlement patterns follow the water and the grazing opportunities of the foothills, featuring family-named locations such as Doughty Ranch and Qualintance Ranch. Near the river, the Boulder Valley Church stands as a focal point for the rural community. Extensive irrigation infrastructure, including the Boulder Valley Ditch and Willow DITCH, illustrates the concerted effort to manage water resources for the many ranches and cow camps, like the Kinsland Cow Camp, that define this Jefferson County backcountry.