2017 Map of Kester School

About this map

Kester School sits at the heart of this rangeland in Garfield County, serving as a rare focal point for a remote ranching community. The landscape is defined by the high ground of the Piney Buttes and a branching network of seasonal drainages, including Crooked Cr and Pass Cr. Water management is critical in this arid environment, illustrated by the Buffalo Hill Reservoir and the divergent flows of N-Fork Woody Cr and S Fork Woody Cr. The map reveals the isolation of this corner of Montana, where Haxby Rd provides the primary transit artery across the township and range lines. Researchers can trace the layout of early 21st-century cattle country, where land use is dictated by the rugged topography of the buttes and the availability of water at small reservoirs and creek forks.