1970 Map of Wild Bill Creek

About this map

The Montana Wyoming state line bisects this 1970s topographical survey, marking the intersection of Powder River Co and Campbell County. The landscape is defined by an intricate network of drainage systems feeding into the Wild Bill Creek and Blacktail Creek watersheds. While the area is largely uninhabited by formal settlements, the map documents a period of active subsurface exploration across the northern plains. Numerous labels for Drill Holes, an Oil Well, and a Flowing Well indicate the industrial footprint of energy prospecting during this era. The terrain itself is carved by deep seasonal watercourses like Coal Gulch and Fuller Gulch, which join larger tributaries such as Bowers Creek and Rock Creek. This survey provides a precise record of the land use and hydrology at the borderlands of the American West before later developments changed the face of the local energy industry.