1960 Map of Mission Coulee

About this map

Mission Coulee cuts through a landscape defined by deep drainages and cattle ranching in Big Horn County during the early 1960s. Surveyed as part of a Department of the Interior program for the development of the Missouri River Basin, the map captures the remote ranching operations of the Siemion Ranch and Wolf Ranch. The terrain is characterized by a series of significant coulees and basins, including West Dipping Vat Coulee and Cooper Basin, which historically served as vital corridors for livestock movement and water access in this semi-arid environment. Prominent landmarks such as Rattlesnake Butte provide orientation points across the high ground between the drainage systems of Rotten Grass Creek and Soap Creek. The presence of fence lines and unimproved roads across this topography reflects the mid-century land use patterns of the Crow Indian Reservation region before significant modern development.