1951 Map of Soap Holes

About this map

Crooks Mountain dominates the southern landscape of this 1951 survey, its high ridges and peaks providing a stark backdrop to the drainage systems of the Great Divide Basin. The map details the complex hydraulic patterns of the Wyoming high desert, where ephemeral and seasonal water sources like Ice Slough and Happy Spring Creek crisscross the northern flats. The eponymous Soap Holes are clearly marked, snaking through the center of the sheet towards the eastern slopes. Evidence of mid-century resource exploration is found in the presence of an Oil Well and the VABM Green survey marker, reflecting the Missouri River Basin development program's interest in mapping this region. The terrain is further defined by Haypress Creek, which flows along the eastern flank of the mountain, illustrating the sparse but vital water network essential to local land use.