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1893 Map of Dillon

Name: 1893 Topographic Map of Dillon
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1917
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1917

About this map

Dillon serves as the focal point of this late 19th-century landscape, a vital hub where the Oregon Short Line follows the path of the Beaverhead River. The map reveals a region defined by its early mining and ranching economy, with mining camps and settlements like Glendale, Rochester, and Silver Star dotting the foothills of the Highland Mts and Ruby Range. This era of Western development is captured before the consolidation of modern highways, showing a network of mountain passes like Deer Lodge Pass and essential crossings such as Parsons Bridge.

The surveying work by Frank Tweedy highlights the transition from the territorial period to early statehood, marking the boundaries of the Beaverhead National Forest and Madison National Forest. Notable landmarks such as Beaverhead Rock and Point of Rocks emphasize the terrain's importance for navigation along the river valleys, while rail connections like the Northern Pacific RR in the north at Whitehall indicate the expanding industrial reach of the time.