1963 Map of Lombard Buttes

About this map

Lombard Buttes and the high plains of Sweetwater County define this landscape during the mid-twentieth century, centered on the confluence where the Big Sandy River meets the Green River. This riverine corridor is protected within the Seedskadee National Wildlife Refuge, where the water supports narrow ribbons of green through the Little Colorado Desert. The presence of the historic Emigrant Trail cutting through the center of the sheet highlights the area's legacy as a vital thoroughfare for westward travelers. Small-scale irrigation and cattle ranching are evident through features like Hamp Ditch No 2, Otterson Ditch, and isolated outposts such as Dunkle Ranch and Johnson Ranch. The map also details river islands like Freezout Island and Telephone Island, showing the shifting channels of this critical Wyoming waterway before late-century developments changed the local hydrology.