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1954 Map of Great Falls

Name: 1954 Topographic Map of Great Falls
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1974
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1974

About this map

Great Falls sits at the heart of this mid-century landscape, where the Missouri River is harnessed by a series of hydroelectric structures including Black Eagle Dam, Cochrane Dam, and Ryan Dam. To the east, the aviation and military footprint is prominent at Malmstrom Air Force Base and Great Falls International airport. The surrounding plains are defined by expansive geographic benches such as Greenfield Bench and Truly Bench, which support a network of small agricultural settlements like Fairfield, Power, and Dutton.

Industry and transport are marked by the presence of the Burlington Northern and Chicago Milwaukee St Paul and Pacific railroads, which connect the central hub to outlying points like Fort Benton and Stanford. The terrain transitions from these productive flats into the high elevations of the Little Belt Mountains and Highwood Mountains within the Lewis and Clark National Forest. Ecological preservation is also evident at the Benton Lake National Wildlife Refuge, highlighting the diversity of the Montana landscape.