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1959 Map of Plains

Name: 1959 Topographic Map of Plains
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1967
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1967

About this map

The confluence of the Flathead River and the Clark Fork anchors this mid-century survey of western Montana. The town of Plains serves as the primary regional hub, situated along the Northern Pacific railroad as it follows the river valley. The landscape is dominated by the Coeur d Alene Mountains and the heavily forested slopes of the Lolo National Forest, where industrial activity is visible at sites like the Nancy Lee Mine and a local Gravel Pit.

Resource extraction and transit define the area's economy, with timber and mining operations connected by a network of unimproved roads and a Jeep Trail. To the southeast, the settlement of Paradise marks a significant bend in the river, while high-altitude points such as Patricks Knob and Combest Peak overlook the narrow canyon floors. Isolated outposts like Pardee Camp and Keystone suggest the era's ongoing reliance on mountain-bound resource work.