1951 Map of Elton

About this map

The Yellowstone River cuts a wide path through this northern Park County landscape, defining the corridor for the Burlington Northern railroad and the small settlement of Elton. This 1951 survey, updated with 1977 aerial revisions, shows a rural economy pivoting between active cattle ranching and a fading era of early homesteading. While working operations like the Windsor Ranch, Francis Ranch, and Peterson Ranch persist, the map is heavily marked by the remnants of the original settlement era. Many structures, including the Locke Creek School and numerous family dwellings such as the Tenland Homestead and Alkire Homestead, are noted as abandoned. The intricate irrigation network, including the Upper Windsor Ditch and Middle Windsor Ditch, demonstrates the complex water management required to support agriculture in the high country between McAdows Canyon and Oregon Valley.