1954 Map of Hardin

About this map

The Custer Battlefield National Monument and Reno Benteen Battlefield Monument serve as central historical landmarks on this mid-century survey of southeastern Montana. The landscape is defined by the expansive Crow Indian Reservation and the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation, where settlements like Lame Deer and Lodge Grass anchor the tribal lands. Water management and transport are key features of the era, highlighted by the Tongue River Irrigation Reservoir and the Chicago Burlington and Quincy railroad line following the path of the Little Bighorn River. From the heights of the Wolf Mountains to the valleys of Rosebud Creek, the map details a region where ranching, agriculture, and tribal history converge. Smaller settlements such as Quietus, Kirby, and Decker are shown alongside the extensive Custer National Forest, illustrating the remote nature of the Tongue River and Powder River country before modern interstate development fully transformed the region.