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1897 Map of Fort Benton

Name: 1897 Topographic Map of Fort Benton
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1914
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1914

About this map

Fort Benton stands as a pivotal river hub at the confluence of the Maria's River, Teton River, and Missouri River. This late-nineteenth-century survey captures the region during a transition from river-based commerce to rail dominance, marked by the presence of the Great Northern Ry. passing through Tunis. The terrain is dominated by two massive volcanic uplifts: the Highwood Mountains, with peaks like Highwood Peak and Arrow Peak, and the northern edge of the Little Belt Mountains.

Lower-elevation settlements such as Armington, Cora, and Stanford are connected by a network of drainage-following trails, while the map reveals numerous water sources like Shonkin Lake and Mallard Lake. Genealogists may find value in the early locations of isolated ranching and mining communities such as Riceville, Monarch, and Grafton, located along the winding paths of Belt Creek and Dry Fork Belt Creek.