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1953 Map of Pilot Rock

Name: 1953 Topographic Map of Pilot Rock
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1955
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1955

About this map

The Missouri River carves a deep, winding path through this portion of Chouteau County, creating a landscape defined by dramatic geological formations and erosion-carved coulees. Distinctive landmarks such as Pilot Rock, Fortress Rock, and La Barge Rock stand as sentinels along the river breaks, while the White Rocks mark the bluffs near the center of the sheet. This 1953 field-checked survey reveals the remnants of early regional industry, notably an abandoned Coal Mine located near Coal Mine Coulee in the southern reaches of the quadrangle.

The intricate drainage network, including Crooked Coulee, Eagle Creek, and the curiously named Butcher Knife Can, illustrates the complexity of the Missouri River Basin development area. Beyond the watercourses, high-point survey markers like VABM Sheep and VABM Burned provide a record of the precise topographic mapping techniques employed by the Department of the Interior during the mid-20th century.