1953 Map of Rolling Pin Ranch

About this map

Rolling Pin Ranch and Pumpkin Butte Ranch anchor this livestock-focused landscape in the early 1950s, a period when the United States Atomic Energy Commission was actively surveying the area for mineral potential. The terrain is dominated by the striking profiles of the Pumpkin Buttes, including North Middle Butte and South Middle Butte, which rise above the surrounding drainage networks. The map details a high-plains environment where water is the critical resource, marked by numerous Windmills, a Water Tank, and a Well scattered across the range. A complex system of seasonal watercourses like Willow Creek, Cottonwood Creek, and Collins Draw carve through the land, illustrating the topographical challenges of ranching in the Wyoming interior. This survey provides a precise record of ranch boundaries and essential improvements during a decade of transition for the Western range.