1995 Map of Threemile Buttes

About this map

Custer National Forest lands dominate this mid-1990s terrain, revealing a landscape defined by ranching, water management, and the natural contours of the Powder River region. The survey highlights a dispersed settlement pattern where small-scale infrastructure supports life in this arid geography, anchored by sites like Samuelson Ranch and the Bottlee School. Water is the most critical resource mapped here, evidenced by an extensive network of named springs and small reservoirs such as Ridenour Reservoir and Bobbers Reservoir that dot the draws. The influence of local families and early settlers is preserved through features like Doonan Gulch, Skinner Gulch, and McKennon Spring No 1. While the Sterling Mine indicates localized extractive activity, the map primarily illustrates a working landscape of timber and grazing under federal management, with rugged high points like Threemile Buttes overlooking the drainages of Roundup Creek and Tenmile Creek.