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1956 Map of Mackay Ranch

Name: 1956 Topographic Map of Mackay Ranch
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1957
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1957

About this map

Mackay Ranch and several family-owned homesteads like George Place and Brown Place anchor this mid-century survey of the rugged Montana landscape along the border of Stillwater and Carbon counties. The map documents a sophisticated water management system critical to high-country ranching, featuring an extensive network of irrigation infrastructure including the Peabody Canal Main Ditch, Phillips Ditch, and Antelope Ditch, alongside a functional Flume.

The southern portion of the quadrangle is dominated by the Custer National Forest, where the terrain rises sharply toward Black Butte. Transportation in this era relied on a network of unpaved routes, from the Jeep Trail near the Landing Strip to various foot trails winding through the forks of Butcher Creek. The map also captures an early Oil Well north of Antelope Basin, marking a point of industrial interest amidst the established cattle ranches and the winding paths of West Rosebud Creek.