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1959 Map of Hamilton

Name: 1959 Topographic Map of Hamilton
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1959
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1959

About this map

Missoula and the Bitterroot Valley floor appear as centers of settlement in the late 1950s, bounded by the massive wilderness of the Bitterroot Range and Bitterroot Mountains. The map highlights the historic importance of the Lolo Trail and the military presence at Fort Missoula, while the Bitterroot River serves as the primary drainage for communities like Stevensville, Victor, and Hamilton.

Remote forest management is evident through numerous fire watch points such as the High Line Lookout, Fog Mountain Lookout, and Lookout Butte. The landscape is dominated by five major national forests, including the Bitterroot National Forest and Clearwater National Forest. Transportation follows the valley corridors, where the Northern Pacific RR and the Chicago Milwaukee St Paul and Pacific RR run parallel to the river systems, reflecting an era before modern highway expansion dominated the mountain passes.