1949 Map of Dilts Ranch

About this map

The Emigrant Trail carves a clear historical path across this high plains landscape at the border of Converse and Platte Counties. Surveyed as part of the Missouri River Basin development program, the map documents the intersection of pioneer history and mid-century utility infrastructure. A dedicated Oregon Trail Monument stands as a physical marker of the westward migration route, while modern Pipelines cut across the drainage basins of La Bonte Creek and Sand Creek. The map focuses on a sparsely populated ranching environment where family-run operations like Dilts Ranch and Elkhorn Ranch serve as the primary human landmarks. The intricate network of seasonal waterways, including North Elkhorn and Coffee Creek, illustrates the complex topography that early travelers and later ranchers had to navigate in this arid Wyoming corridor.