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1886 Map of Great Falls

Name: 1886 Topographic Map of Great Falls
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1912
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1912

About this map

The confluence of the Missouri River and the Sun River anchors this late-nineteenth-century study of the Montana Territory. Originally surveyed by the Northern Transcontinental Survey, the landscape is defined by the sharp transition from the Teton Ridge down into the river basins where Great Falls was just beginning to emerge as a regional hub. To the west, the military and missionary influence of the frontier era is visible at Fort Shaw and St. Peter's Mission, indicating the strategic importance of this corridor for travel and settlement.

Downstream transport is marked by the presence of Stickney's Ferry at the southwestern edge, while small ranching or trading outposts like Perrysburgh, Ulida, and Truly dot the vast acreage of Cascade and Choteau counties. The hydrological network is intricately detailed, showing vital water sources for early cattle operations and travelers, such as 28 mile Spring and Alkali Pond. This map documents a brief period when river ferries and isolated missions still served as the primary infrastructure for the region.