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1954 Map of Roundup

Name: 1954 Topographic Map of Roundup
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1973
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1973

About this map

The Musselshell River carves a path through this central Montana landscape, where the high peaks of the Big Snowy Mountains and Little Snowy Mountains dominate the northern horizon. In the mid-1950s, this region remained a vital corridor for western rail transport, anchored by the Chicago Milwaukee St Paul and Pacific and the Great Northern lines. These tracks connected ranching hubs like Harlowton and Roundup to larger markets, while also serving smaller sidings such as Shawmut and Judith Gap.

Water management is a central theme of the era, visible in the Ackley Lake and Deadmans Basin Reservoir developments. The map also highlights significant land conservation areas, including the Lake Mason National Wildlife Refuge and the Hailstone National Wildlife Refuge. From the Gibson Ranch Headquarters in the south to the ranching settlements of Gage and Straw, the map documents a transition between montane forest and the expansive high plains ranching economy.