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1957 Map of Sunshine Reservoir

Name: 1957 Topographic Map of Sunshine Reservoir
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1961
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1961

About this map

The Shoshone National Forest boundary defines the southwestern corner of this mid-century Wyoming landscape, where the high plains meet the mountain foothills. Water management and petroleum extraction dominate the local economy, centered on the Sunshine Reservoir and a network of irrigation works like the Lower Sunshine Wood River Canal. The map reveals an active energy frontier with the Pitchfork Oil Field, Spring Creek Oil Field, and Four Bear Oil Field all in production.

Prominent family-run operations including the Pitchfork Ranch and Palette Ranch are established along the Greybull River and its numerous tributaries. These ranching outposts, some with their own cemeteries, underscore the era's reliance on the river valley for both transport and agriculture. Distinctive geological markers like Schaub Butte and the Meeteetse Rim provide a clear view of the basin's topography before modern development altered these cattle and oil-rich lands.