1965 Map of Red Buttes

About this map

Red Buttes dominates this landscape along the border of Rosebud and Garfield counties in the mid-1960s. This portion of Eastern Montana is characterized by a high-density drainage network of coulees and creeks that define the local topography. Water sources are critical in this arid environment, marked by named points like Potter Spring and Rock Spring. The map documents a landscape primarily managed for ranching or resource extraction, indicated by various Well sites and bench marks such as Rock Springs BM 3087. The intricate flow of North Sunday Creek and its tributaries, including West Fork North Sunday Creek, illustrates the complex erosion patterns typical of the region's sedimentary geology. Local history is reflected in the naming of features like Mackenzie Coulee and Rock Springs Creek, which likely denote early landholders or significant watering holes for livestock during the mid-20th century.