1893 Map of Dillon

About this map

Dillon serves as the focal point of this southwestern Montana landscape, situated along the Oregon Short Line railroad. The map documents a critical period of territorial development where mining activity and ranching intersected at the base of the Ruby Range and the Tobacco Root Mountains. In the west, high-altitude mining settlements like Hecla and Glendale appear near the Continental Divide, while the eastern portion is dominated by the Passamari and Jefferson River drainage systems. Topographers Frank Tweedy and A.H. Thompson captured the region's complex terrain, from the Sweetwater Basin to the prominent landmark of Beaverhead Rock. The presence of numerous gulches, such as Harris Gulch and Bivin Gulch, underscores the era's focus on mineral extraction and the rapid growth of towns like Rochester and Sheridan.