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1951 Map of Elton

Name: 1951 Topographic Map of Elton
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1978
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1978

About this map

The Yellowstone River cuts through this high-country landscape, serving as the primary corridor for the Northern Pacific railroad and early water management systems. By the early 1950s, the irrigation network was well-defined by the Mission Ditch and a series of Windsor ditches, including the Upper Windsor Ditch and Lower Windsor Ditch. These engineering works sustained a string of ranches along the river valley, such as the Windsor Ranch, Wilburn Ranch, and Peterson Ranch.

Away from the river, the transition to the foothills and canyons of McAdows Canyon and Oregon Valley reveals a shift in land use. The map records a significant number of abandoned sites, including the Locke Creek School and several family homesteads such as the Alkire Homestead and Troutman Homestead. The presence of the Gov Sawmill near Greeley Creek points to a past timber economy that once operated alongside the valley's cattle ranching and rail transport.