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1985 Map of Horsethief Coulee West

Name: 1985 Topographic Map of Horsethief Coulee West
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1986
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1986

About this map

The extraction of gold and coal defines the industrial character of this Fergus County landscape during the mid-1980s. High on the slopes of Flat Mountain, an Inactive Gold Mine points to earlier prospecting efforts, while further east, several locations marked as Abn Coal Mines and Abn Coal Mine suggest the region's legacy of subsurface mining. The terrain is a complex network of drainages, including Whisky Creek and South Fork Chippewa Creek in the north, and Horsethief Coulee to the south.

Transportation history is visible along the North Fork McDonald Creek, where an Old Railroad Grade follows the water's path. This feature provides a tangible connection to the era when rail lines were critical for moving minerals and livestock out of central Montana. The presence of these decommissioned mines and the old grade alongside active waterways like Alkali Creek and Parr Creek creates a detailed picture of a landscape transitioning from its mining peak into a more quiet rural period.