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1951 Map of Elton

Name: 1951 Topographic Map of Elton
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1953
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1953

About this map

The Yellowstone River cuts through the heart of this mid-century Montana landscape, flanked by the Northern Pacific railroad and a complex network of irrigation ditches. The region's agricultural and industrial life is documented through features like the Upper Windsor Ditch and the Gow Sawmill (Inactive), reflecting a period when water management was central to local ranching operations. The terrain transitions from the river valley up toward Buffalo Hump and through McAdows Canyon, where high-elevation homesteading had already begun to recede by the early 1950s.

Genealogists will find significant value in the numerous family-named properties, many of which are noted as abandoned, such as the Wilcox Homestead (Aban'd), Frelick Homestead (Aban'd), and Mesoydez Homestead (Aban'd). These labels, along with the Locke Creek School (Aban'd) in Oregon Valley, provide a clear picture of the shifting settlement patterns in Park County as small-scale homesteads gave way to larger operations like the Windsor Ranch and Swanson Ranch.