1953 Map of Happy Spring

About this map

The Green Mountains dominate this high-desert landscape in Fremont County, where seasonal water sources dictate the patterns of human activity. The presence of the Happy Spring Sheep Camp near its namesake Happy Spring reflects the era's reliance on open-range grazing in the Wyoming interior. This survey, conducted as part of the Department of the Interior program for the development of the Missouri River Basin, documents the complex drainage systems of Alkali Creek and West Alkali Creek as they wind through the Bison Basin. To the north, Warm Springs and several unnamed springs emerge from the breaks of Bull Canyon, providing critical relief in an otherwise arid environment. The map captures a moment of transition for the region, showing the established Bison Basin Road as it passes through terrain that would soon be more heavily defined by petroleum exploration in the nearby oil fields.