1969 Map of Montague Butte

About this map

Archdale sits at the heart of this Custer County landscape, where the winding course of Locate Creek cuts through the high plains of eastern Montana. Surveyed in the late 1960s, the map reveals a remote ranching territory defined by isolated landmarks and prominent geologic features. The terrain is punctuated by significant elevations like Montague Butte, Twin Buttes, and the long ridge of Henry Woods Mountain, which provide clear orientation points in an area otherwise characterized by vast drainage systems. Small-scale aviation infrastructure is evident with the Leland Landing Strip and another Landing Strip near Coal Creek, highlighting how residents managed the great distances of the Big Sky country. The presence of Roadside Park along the main east-west route suggests a moment of transit through a landscape primarily dedicated to cattle and watershed management, including the headwaters of Whitney Creek and Norton Creek.