1982 Map of Ridgway

About this map

Ridgway sits as a quiet focal point in this southeastern Montana landscape, captured during a 1982 update of 1970s field data. The area is defined by a dendritic network of drainages including Boxelder Creek, Hawksnest Creek, and Whitetail Creek, which cut through the undulating terrain of Carter County. This map documents a ranching-centric economy, evidenced by the numerous marked wells and a remote Landing Strip near the confluence of Boxelder Creek and Muskrat Creek. The layout of roads and the single prominent Trail suggest a landscape where transportation follows the natural contours of the stream valleys and ridges. Genealogists and local historians can trace the specific water-rights and land-use patterns of the late twentieth century through the placement of isolated infrastructure across the Corral Creek and Sherril Creek basins.