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1960 Map of Mission Creek

Name: 1960 Topographic Map of Mission Creek
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1962
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1962

About this map

The confluence area where the Bighorn River meets the Yellowstone River is defined by a complex network of mid-century irrigation and transport. A massive alluvial plain known as Big Bottom dominates the eastern bank, supported by the Victory Ditch and Two Leggins Canal, while the western hills are carved by numerous coulees including Cubbison Coulee and Andresen Coulee.

Transport is anchored by the Northern Pacific railroad tracks which skirt the riverbanks, connecting isolated outposts like Steele Ranch and Wolfe Ranch. The map captures specific local features such as the Chair Lift near the river bend and the Waco Custer Canal cutting through the northern bluffs. This 1960 survey illustrates the intensive engineering of the Missouri River Basin development, where even seasonal drainages like Sorrel Horse Creek and Mission Creek were integrated into a wider water-management system for the region's ranching economy.