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1958 Map of Thermopolis

Name: 1958 Topographic Map of Thermopolis
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1958
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1958

About this map

The Bighorn River and its major tributary, the Wind River, dominate this mid-century view of Wyoming's interior. Central to the map is the town of Thermopolis, located just north of the Owl Creek Mountains, where the Chicago Burlington and Quincy Railroad follows the river's canyon. The landscape reveals a complex network of mid-century energy infrastructure, marked by the Hamilton Dome Oil Field, Waugh Oil Field, and Circle Ridge Oil Field.

The vast Wind River Indian Reservation occupies the southwestern quadrant, featuring established communities like Fort Washakie, Ethete, and Arapahoe. Significant water management for the arid Bighorn Basin is evident at Boysen Reservoir and Bull Lake. These landmarks, alongside high peaks of the Wind River Range like Gannett Peak, illustrate an era of balance between traditional tribal lands, federally managed forests, and a growing petroleum economy.