1981 Map of Flat Top

About this map

The Lightning Creek Oil Field defines the industrial character of this eastern Wyoming landscape, marked by a dense network of Well and Oil Well sites interspersed with numerous exploratory Drill Hole locations. The terrain is dominated by the Hamilton Hills to the west and the prominent Flat Top elevation to the northeast, creating a high-plains environment where drainage is managed through intermittent streams like Little Lightning Creek and Boggy Creek. In the southwest, water resources are concentrated around the Joss Reservoir and along the banks of Lance Creek, where remote Landing Strips provide essential access to this working landscape. The map captures the specialized infrastructure of the energy industry as it integrated into the Niobrara County ranchlands during the early 1980s, showcasing the intersection of natural topography and resource extraction.