1886 Map of Great Falls

About this map

Great Falls serves as a central hub on the Missouri River in this survey based on triangulation by the Northern Transcontinental Survey. The landscape is defined by the convergence of major waterways, including the Smith River and the Sun River, which met at a time when frontier outposts and early cattle-country settlements were still establishing their footprints. Significant for local historians is the placement of St. Peter's Mission in the southwest and the Stickney Ferry near the settlement of Stickney. The map reveals an era of transition before widespread irrigation, marked by isolated landmarks like 28 Mile Spring and the Alkali Pond. The presence of Fort Shaw on the Sun River underscores the military and logistical importance of this region during the late nineteenth century, while names like Perrysburgh and Truly denote the scattered nature of early township development.