1962 Map of Hawley Hill

About this map

The international boundary between the United States and Canada defines the northern edge of this landscape, where Liberty County, Montana, meets Alberta's Medicine Hat District. In the early 1960s, the high plains here supported a mix of energy extraction and ranching operations. The Whitlash Gas and Oil Field dominates the central terrain with numerous oil wells and a gas well connected by a dedicated pipeline. Despite the industrial presence, traditional family-named ranching properties remain the primary markers of settlement across the coulees and ridges. From Bingham Ranch in the northeast to the Old Hawley Ranch and Thompson Ranch in the south, these holdings followed water sources like Whitlash Creek and Keller Creek. The presence of the Bear Gulch Sch near the center of the sheet indicates a small, localized community center serving the families working this isolated borderland.