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1888 Map of Three Forks

Name: 1888 Topographic Map of Three Forks
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1888
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1888

About this map

Virginia City and the territorial-era mining camps of Nevada City and Adobe anchor the southwestern reaches of this survey, conducted just years after the gold rushes that shaped the region. The landscape is defined by the convergence of the Jefferson River, Madison River, and Gallatin River to form the Missouri River near Gallatin City and Three Forks. This junction served as a vital corridor for both early river navigation and the Northern Pacific Railroad, which links settlements like Moreland and Central Park across the Gallatin Valley.

Away from the rail lines, the map traces a network of early infrastructure including Barton's Bridge and Fly's Bridge, while naming high-country landmarks like The Sphynx, The Wedge, and Gallatin Peak. These labels provide a window into the late 19th-century economy, where ranching outposts like Grims Ranch and thermal destinations like Matthews Hot Springs operated alongside established towns such as Bozeman.