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1937 Map of Lake Frances

Name: 1937 Topographic Map of Lake Frances
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1937
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1937

About this map

Blackfeet Indian Reservation land and the emerging irrigation infrastructure of Pondera County dominate this mid-1930s landscape. The settlement of Valier sits at the eastern edge of Lake Frances, serving as a hub for the surrounding ranching and farming operations. The map documents an extensive network of water management, including the Fisher Canal, Ryan Lauffer Ditch, and several labeled syphons, which transformed these high plains into productive agricultural land.

Resource extraction and local community life are well-represented by a cluster of coal operations like the Kingston Mine and Slezak Mine along the breaks of Birch Creek. Family history is preserved through numerous named ranch sites such as Wagner Ranch and Kuka Ranch, alongside vital river crossings like Aubrey Crossing and Shields Crossing. Small rural schools, including Grand View Sch and Frances Heights Sch, illustrate the distributed nature of the homesteading population during this era.