1963 Map of Kelley

About this map

Kelley (Site) sits at the heart of this mid-century survey of the high plains, positioned along the border of the Petroleum and Musselshell county line. The landscape is defined by the drainage patterns of Mud Creek and the intermittent flows of Salt Sage Coulee and Johnson Coulee. This era of mapping documents a transition from early settlement to industrial extraction, evidenced by the presence of Oil Wells and an Oil Well scattered across the northern sections near Rattlesnake Butte. The scarcity of permanent structures and the reliance on features like the Spring for water highlight the arid, demanding nature of this Central Montana ranching and oil country during the early 1960s.