1956 Map of Hamilton

About this map

The Bitterroot River valley serves as the primary corridor for settlement and industry on this mid-century survey, flanked by the massive elevations of the Bitterroot Mountains and Clearwater Mountains. In the north, the city of Missoula stands as a transportation hub where the Northern Pacific and Chicago Milwaukee St Paul and Pacific railroads converge. The valley floor is dotted with established towns including Stevensville, Victor, and Hamilton, supporting a landscape that balances agriculture with proximity to vast protected lands like the Selway Bitterroot Wilderness Area. Historical landmarks such as Fort Missoula and the Fish Hatchery near Corvallis highlight the administrative and resource-management character of the region. This 1956 data, revised in the late 1960s, captures the peak of the mountain-and-valley economy before modern expansion, preserving the locations of smaller settlements like Woodside and Darby along the river's path.