1966 Map of Polebridge

About this map

The Flathead River (North Fork) serves as the primary boundary between Flathead National Forest to the west and Glacier National Park to the east. This mid-1960s survey captures the small settlement of Polebridge and its surrounding infrastructure, including the Polebridge Ranger Station and several remote aviation sites like the Polebridge Airport and the Bowman Landing Strip. The landscape is defined by broad openings in the dense forest such as Big Prairie, Glacier Flat, and Round Prairie, which likely provided the only level ground for homesteading and ranching, evidenced by the Quarter Circle MC Ranch. Transportation is restricted to rugged corridors like Glacier Route Seven and various Pack Trails, emphasizing the isolation of the North Fork Community Center during this era.