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1967 Map of Emblem

Name: 1967 Topographic Map of Emblem
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1969
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1969

About this map

Agricultural development in Big Horn County defines the landscape shown in this 1960s photogrammetric survey. The small settlement of Emblem sits at the base of the Emblem Bench, a prominent plateau that dominates the southern portion of the sheet. The reliance on water management in this arid environment is evident through the network of the Dry Creek Lateral Bench Canal and the North Bench Canal, which skirt the lower elevations to support local farming operations.

North of the irrigation works, the terrain rises into a series of draws and gulches, including Sand Draw, Foster Gulch, and Emblem Draw. Named landmarks such as Ruggles and Zion provide specific points of reference across the high ground, while the Sore Finger Reservoir captures runoff in the northern reaches. This map illustrates the transition from the rugged drainage systems of Horse Creek to the engineered canal systems that enabled settlement in the Bighorn Basin.