1950 Map of Hebgen Dam

About this map

The Hebgen Dam controls the flow of the Madison River in this 1950s-era study, a period when the surrounding Gallatin National Forest served as a hybrid landscape of industry, recreation, and remote ranching. The mapping captures the area just before the transformative 1959 earthquake, detailing the original shoreline and drainage patterns around Lake Hebgen Lodge and Hilgard Lodge. While the peaks of the Gallatin Range, such as Hilgard Peak, dominate the topography, the valley floors reveal a network of human activity including the Olifee Ranch and Stagger Ranch. An Asbestos Mine (Inactive) and the Beaver Creek Ranger Station highlight the federal and industrial presence in the high country, while the inclusion of a Landing Strip near Watkins Creek Ranch speaks to the logistical challenges of this high-elevation terrain during the mid-century.