1968 Map of Helmville

About this map

Helmville sits at the northern edge of this Powell County landscape, serving as a focal point for ranching and water management in the late 1960s. The local geography is defined by an intricate system of irrigation, notably the Helmville Canal and the Douglas Creek Canal, which divert water from Nevada Creek to support the valley bottom. To the south, the terrain rises toward the foothills and peaks of the Helena National Forest, culminating at Hoodoo Mountain. This area reveals the extractive history of the region through the Roselle Mine and other unnamed mines tucked into Puzzle Gulch and the surrounding heights. Evidence of local infrastructure and community life is visible at the Cem just north of town and the various gulches, such as Chimney Gulch and Pole Gulch, that cut through the undulating landscape.