Loading map...

1968 Map of Smith Flats

Name: 1968 Topographic Map of Smith Flats
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1978
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1978

About this map

Bucknum and the nearby Gowin Ranch anchor this high-plains landscape in Natrona County during the late 1960s and 1970s. The region is defined by the drainage systems of North Fork Casper Creek and Middle Fork Casper Creek, which snake through the eponymous Smith Flats. Resource extraction is evident through several scattered oil wells and drill holes, reflecting the era's energy development.

Transportation and water management are central to the area's layout, featuring the Burlington Northern line and an abandoned Old Railroad Grade. Infrastructure like the Bishop Lateral and Thirtythree Mile Road facilitates movement across the dry terrain, while Gowin-Kesecker Lake and Daly Reservoir provide essential water storage. The presence of a gravel pit near the rail lines suggests local industrial activity supporting the maintenance of these vital transport corridors.