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1958 Map of Lost Wells Butte

Name: 1958 Topographic Map of Lost Wells Butte
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1991
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1991

About this map

Lost Wells Butte anchors this landscape in the Fremont County region, revealing the complex water management system central to the area's development. The map details the Riverton Reclamation Withdrawal Area, where a network of man-made waterways like the Pilot Canal, Lost Wells Lateral, and Pavillion Drain work to transform the arid terrain. This reclamation infrastructure defines the local geography, illustrating the transition from natural drainage to a managed agricultural environment.

In the southern portion of the quadrangle, the community of Paradise Valley serves as a local hub, featuring the Paradise Valley Community House and the Union Church. Evidence of local industry and transportation is found in several Gravel Pits and the path of the Missouri Valley Road. The natural flow of Fivemile Creek and Sand Gulch contrasts with the engineered irrigation lines, showing how early 20th-century water policy reshaped the Missouri Valley for settlement and ranching.