1969 Map of Flat Bottom Coulee SW

About this map

Ahlinger Ranch stands as a primary point of human settlement in this high plains landscape of Rosebud County during the late 1960s. The topography is defined by the complex drainage systems of Flat Bottom Coulee and Longfork Creek, where the seasonal flow of water has carved deep, branching channels through the terrain. These watercourses, including the East Fork and Larson Coulee, dictate the layout of the land, reflecting a remote ranching economy dependent on the natural contours and limited water resources of the Montana interior. The map illustrates a transitional period of land management, marked by section lines and fence boundaries that overlay the winding coulees and intermittent streams common to this part of the state.