1954 Map of Taffy Ridge

About this map

The Missouri River cuts through the northwest corner of this 1954 Montana landscape, defined by the swirling waters of Dauphin Rapids at the border of Blaine and Fergus counties. The terrain is dominated by a series of high, flat-topped divides, most notably Whiskey Ridge and the extensive Taffy Ridge that separates the drainage of Taffy Creek from Cutbank Creek. This survey was conducted as part of the Department of the Interior's program for the development of the Missouri River Basin, documenting a sparsely settled ranching and mining area. Evidence of early resource extraction appears at a Coal Mine (Inactive) located near a southern tributary, while the settlement at Whiskey Ridge represents the primary human footprint in this high-plains environment. The network of unimproved roads and intermittent springs indicates a landscape where water and topography dictated movement and habitation.