1973 Map of Poplar Coulee

About this map

The Fort Peck Indian Reservation covers the entirety of this landscape, where the high plains of Northeast Montana are deeply incised by a network of drainage channels. The terrain is defined by the winding course of Shipstead Coulee in the north and the namesake Poplar Coulee further south, illustrating the erosion patterns characteristic of this part of the Missouri River watershed. A singular Drill Hole in the northeast quadrant suggests early subsurface exploration in an area otherwise dominated by open rangeland and intermittent water sources. The map highlights the intersection of three counties, showing where Daniels, Valley, and Roosevelt counties meet. Numerous locations marked as Spring and Springs indicate the vital importance of surface water for livestock and settlement in this semi-arid environment, while Cottonwood Creek provides further evidence of the localized riparian corridors that break the upland expanse.