1968 Map of Snowline

About this map

Union Pacific rail lines cut through this high-altitude landscape in the late 1960s, following the drainage of Snowline Creek toward the Snowline Ranch. The map captures a transition from the industrial utility of the railroad and scattered Gravel Pits to the preserved wilderness of the Beaverhead National Forest. This southern Montana terrain is defined by a complex network of watercourses, including Big Beaver Creek and its various branches, which flow around the prominent landmark of Diamond Butte. The distribution of creek names like Shineberger Creek and Junction Creek reflects a history of local land use and geographic navigation in a region where water sources and topographic breaks dictated the placement of ranching outposts and transportation corridors.