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1951 Map of Great Falls

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

USGS Topo · Published 1951

About this map

Great Falls is the industrial and transport hub of this mid-century landscape, positioned at the critical junction where the Missouri River meets the Great Sun River. The map illustrates a thriving post-war community supported by the Great Northern and the Chicago Milwaukee St Paul and Pacific railroads. Significant industrial activity is evident through the Oil Refinery and numerous Gravel Pits, while the presence of institutions like Columbus Hospital and multiple neighborhood schools—including McKinley Sch and Whittier Sch—points to a maturing urban center.

North of the city, the terrain transitions into the expansive Benton Lake National Wildlife Refuge, bordered by the historic Bootlegger Trail. Smaller outlying settlements like Manchester and Black Eagle, near the Black Eagle Falls, reflect the era's regional growth. This 1951 edition provides a detailed look at the rural-to-urban transition of Cascade County, documenting the local school system with locations such as East Benton Lake School and Haveron School.