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1932 Map of Libby

Name: 1932 Topographic Map of Libby
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1947
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1947

About this map

The Kootenai River carves a dominant path through this corner of Northwest Montana, where the Northern Pacific railroad tracks follow the water's edge past Kootenai Falls. The settlement at Libby serves as a hub for the surrounding peaks, while more remote outposts like Old Town and Smead dot the landscape. This era reflects a transition between early frontier survival and organized resource extraction within the Kootenai National Forest.

Evidence of the region's mining heritage is scattered across the mountains, from the Snowstorm Mine in the north to the Snowshoe Mine and Midas Mine farther south. Local infrastructure for timber and land management is visible through sites such as the Troy Ranger Sta and the Cabinet Ranger Sta. For genealogists, the map preserves the locations of rural schoolhouses, including Bull Lake Sch and Bull River Sch, which served families settled along the major river valleys and ridges like Hillick Ridge.