1963 Map of Petrolia Lake

About this map

Petrolia Lake serves as a central landmark in this 1963 survey of Petroleum County, where the high plains meet the intricate drainage systems of Flatwillow Creek and Mc Donald Creek. The landscape is defined by its water management and grazing infrastructure, evidenced by the presence of numerous Well sites and the prominent spillway. Settlement patterns in this portion of central Montana are sparse, centered around essential communal and geographic markers such as the Box Elder Sch and the distinct elevation of Rattlesnake Butte. The mapping of fine red dashed lines to indicate selected fence lines provides a rare glimpse into the historical parceling and ranching boundaries of the era. Significant terrain features like Racehorse Coulee and Johnson Coulee slice through the topography, illustrating the erosional character of the region as it transitions between the flat benchlands and the coulee-broken breaks.