1960 Map of Manderson NE

About this map

Potato Ridge dominates the central landscape of this 1960 survey, cutting a northwest-to-southeast diagonal across the high desert terrain of Big Horn County. This area, mapped as part of the Department of the Interior program for the development of the Missouri River Basin, reveals a landscape defined by drainage patterns and early petroleum exploration. The drainage network is particularly detailed, showing the convergence of North Sheldon Gulch and South Sheldon Gulch as they carve through the arid ridges. To the north, Red Gulch and Mc Dermotts Gulch further articulate the complex topography. Evidence of industrial activity is scattered across the northern sections, marked by several Oil Well locations and a network of Jeep Trails that provided access for mid-century surveyors and prospectors. In a region where water was essential for both travel and labor, the inclusion of a lone Spring near the center of the sheet highlights a vital natural landmark for the era.