1969 Map of Flat Bottom Coulee NW

About this map

Gold Butte rises as a prominent landmark amidst the drainage network of eastern Montana in this late 1960s topographic study. The landscape is defined by the winding course of Blacktail Creek and its tributary, East Blacktail Creek, which cut through the coulees of Rosebud County. The map captures a transition in terrain where the water-carved breaks provide a stark contrast to the surrounding high plains. Access through this sparsely populated cattle country is primarily facilitated by the Stellar Creek Road, which follows the path of Stellar Creek through the eastern half of the quadrangle. The lack of established townsites or schoolhouses underscores the remote, ranch-based economy of the region during this period, focusing instead on the natural topography and the surveyed township boundaries that organize the open range.