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1951 Map of Fort Ridge

Name: 1951 Topographic Map of Fort Ridge
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1953
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1953

About this map

The Oregon Trail cuts through the northern reaches of this high-desert landscape, following the course of the Sweetwater River. This 1951 field-checked survey documents a transition between early westward migration history and mid-century resource extraction. Near the river, the Sweetwater Pony Express Sta (Ruins) serves as a physical remnant of the region's 19th-century mail route, situated just north of the prominent Sentinel Rocks.

Industry and infrastructure mark the southern terrain along the Natrona and Carbon County line. A prominent Pipe Line and the roughly north-south Buzzard Road traverse the area, serving sites like Station 8 and a lone Oil Tank. The topography is dominated by high ridges, including Fort Ridge, which divides the drainages of Arkansas Creek and Buzzard Creek. Small-scale ranching or water management is evidenced by several isolated Windmills scattered across the open range.