1967 Map of Pearl School

About this map

Pearl Sch and the small settlement of Decker anchor this remote landscape in Big Horn County during the late 1960s. The terrain is defined by a complex network of drainage and irrigation, centered around Squirrel Creek and the Tongue R. The presence of several major water-management features, including the Cormack Ditch, Powers Cormack Ditch, and Powers Brothers Ditch, highlights the region's reliance on managed water for agriculture and ranching in a dry climate. A lonely Landing Strip and a Drill Hole suggest the varied economic activities of the era, from aviation-supported ranching to resource exploration. Named tributaries like Pearson Creek, Pond Creek, and Youngs Creek carve through the topography, illustrating the natural watershed before reaching the larger river system. This survey documents the intersection of rural education, family-scale irrigation engineering, and the quiet persistence of small Montana communities.