1886 Map of Little Belt Mts.

About this map

White Sulphur Spring and the mining camp of Neihart anchor this 1886 study of Central Montana, conducted during a period of rapid territorial transition. The landscape is dominated by the massive uplifting of the Little Belt Mountains and the northern reaches of the Crazy Mountains, where peaks like Crazy Peak and Conical Peak provide dramatic topographic relief. The map reveals an early network of water routes and nascent settlements, including Martinsdale and the now-historic site of Copperopolis. This survey reflects the region's geography before significant 20th-century development, following the course of the Musselshell River and the Judith River. Notable landmarks for local history include Elk Peak and the high elevation of Porcupine Butte, which serve as permanent reference points for the shifting boundaries of Fergus, Meagher, and Gallatin counties as they appeared in the late nineteenth century.