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Old Maps of Rapid City, South Dakota for Academic Research

Study the evolution of Rapid City with 21 high-resolution historic maps. Whether you're teaching, researching, or modeling changes in land use, these maps provide essential visual documentation of urban, environmental, and geographic change.

  • Analyze long-term change: Track patterns in development, transportation, and natural features.
  • Ideal for environmental or urban studies: Support academic projects with primary historical map data.
  • Use in the classroom or lab: Educators and researchers rely on these maps to bring historical context to life.

These maps are a powerful tool for teaching, research, and visualizing how Rapid City has changed over the decades.

Rapid City, SD maps

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  1. 1893 Map of Rapid
    1893 Map of Rapid
    1893 Rapid
    1893 Print · USGS
    The Black Hills frontier comes alive in the late nineteenth century as rail lines and military outposts shape the territory. Genealogists and researchers can trace the early layout of Rapid, locate Fort Meade, and find family-named landmarks like Doe Dotie Ranch or Piedmont.
    2 unique versions available
  4. 1894 Map of Hermosa
    1894 Map of Hermosa
    1894 Hermosa
    1894 Print · USGS
    The Black Hills gold and ranching frontier comes into focus during the late nineteenth century as mining camps and rail lines began to anchor the territory. Genealogists and historians can trace early families in Keystone, Rockerville, and around the Etta Mine.
    2 unique versions available
  7. 1898 Map of Rapid
    1898 Map of Rapid
    1898 Rapid
    1898 Print · USGS
    The Black Hills foothills come alive in the 1890s, where early railroads meet military outposts and pioneer settlements. Trace the early streets of Rapid City, the grounds of Fort Meade, and localized landmarks like Crystal Cave.
    2 unique versions available
  10. 1901 Map of Hermosa
    1901 Map of Hermosa
    1901 Hermosa
    1901 Print · USGS
    The Black Hills frontier comes alive in this survey of Pennington and Custer counties during the height of the regional mining boom. Researchers can trace the early footprints of Keystone, Rockerville, and Wind Cave, along with vanished industrial sites like Etta Mill.
    4 unique versions available
  13. 1903 Map of Rapid
    1903 Map of Rapid
    1903 Rapid
    1903 Print · USGS
    The Black Hills transition from mountains to plains at the turn of the century, centered on the growing rail hub of Rapid. Researchers can trace the early rail corridor of the Fremont Elkhorn and Missouri Valley through Fort Meade and Piedmont.
    4 unique versions available
  16. 1953 Map of Boxelder, 1954 Print
    1953 Map of Boxelder, 1954 Print
    1953 Boxelder
    1954 Print · USGS
    Pennington County in the early fifties shows a landscape of expanding military aviation and complex prairie irrigation. Genealogists and local historians can trace rural school districts like White Eagle Sch and Lone Tree Sch alongside the tracks of the Chicago and North Western.
    4 unique versions available
  19. 1953 Map of Hermosa NW, 1955 Print
    1953 Map of Hermosa NW, 1955 Print
    1953 Hermosa NW
    1955 Print · USGS
    Pennington County, South Dakota, is captured here in the early fifties as a landscape of isolated homesteads and high plains railroading. Researchers can trace the Chicago and North Western line through Ajax and locate rural landmarks like Neely Sch.
    3 unique versions available
  22. 1953 Map of Blackhawk, 1955 Print
    1953 Map of Blackhawk, 1955 Print
    1953 Blackhawk
    1955 Print · USGS
    The Black Hills eastern foothills meet the prairie in the early fifties, as the Chicago and North Western railroad dictates the pace of local life. Trace rural education and early roadside culture through Benoit Sch and the local Drive-in Theater.
    4 unique versions available
  25. 1953 Map of Rapid City East, 1955 Print
    1953 Map of Rapid City East, 1955 Print
    1953 Rapid City East
    1955 Print · USGS
    Rapid City and the surrounding Pennington County plains are captured here in the early fifties during a period of steady post-war expansion. Researchers can locate vanished landmarks like Halley Airport or trace the early campus of the South Dakota School of Mines.
    7 unique versions available
  28. 1953 Map of Rapid City NW, 1955 Print
    1953 Map of Rapid City NW, 1955 Print
    1953 Rapid City NW
    1955 Print · USGS
    Meade and Pennington counties appear here in the early fifties, showing a rural landscape of scattered ranching and community schoolhouses. Researchers can locate the Elk Vale Cem, Holy Family Ch, and the site of School No 3 (Abandoned).
    3 unique versions available
  31. 1953 Map of Rapid City West, 1955 Print
    1953 Map of Rapid City West, 1955 Print
    1953 Rapid City West
    1955 Print · USGS
    Rapid City was evolving from a Black Hills gateway into a modern regional center during the early fifties. Genealogists and historians can trace institutional roots at the Sioux Sanatorium or locate rural landmarks like Whispering Pine Sett and Red Brick Sch.
    4 unique versions available
  34. 1953 Map of Rapid City, 1964 Print
    1953 Map of Rapid City, 1964 Print
    1953 Rapid City
    1964 Print · USGS
    Western South Dakota's transition from the Black Hills to the open prairie is captured here during the mid-fifties. Researchers can trace the development of Ellsworth Air Force Base alongside historic landmarks like Bear Butte and the Lower Alkali School.
    3 unique versions available
  37. 1955 Map of Hot Springs, 1958 Print
    1955 Map of Hot Springs, 1958 Print
    1955 Hot Springs
    1958 Print · USGS
    The Black Hills and South Dakota badlands are captured here in the mid-fifties, during a peak of military and industrial activity. Researchers can locate the Black Hills Ordnance Depot, early Uranium Mines, and historic rail stops like Pringle or Oglala.
    5 unique versions available
  40. 1957 Map of Rapid City
    1957 Map of Rapid City
    1957 Rapid City
    1957 Print · USGS
    Western South Dakota in the mid-fifties reveals a landscape of high-altitude forests and growing military installations. Researchers can trace the development of Ellsworth Air Force Base, locate the Theodore Roosevelt Monument, and find rural landmarks like Lower Alkali School.
  43. 1977 Map of Mount Rushmore, 1978 Print
    1977 Map of Mount Rushmore, 1978 Print
    1977 Mount Rushmore
    1978 Print · USGS
    The Black Hills landscape of the late 1970s is shown here at a moment when historic mining and modern tourism converged. Genealogists and researchers can trace the rail lines of the Burlington Northern and find sites like Spokane Mine or the town of Pringle.
    2 unique versions available
  46. 2021 Map of Hermosa NW, 2021 Print
    2021 Map of Hermosa NW, 2021 Print
    2021 Hermosa NW
    2021 Print · USGS
    Pennington County southeast of the city center is shown here in the early 2020s as modern subdivisions meet the rural landscape. Researchers can trace land use patterns near Ajax or locate local landmarks like Potato Butte, Gobbler Knob, and the Mulligan Mile.
  49. 2021 Map of Rapid City NW, 2021 Print
    2021 Map of Rapid City NW, 2021 Print
    2021 Rapid City NW
    2021 Print · USGS
    The northern fringes of the Black Hills region come into focus during this era of suburban and rural expansion. Trace the growth of Ashland Heights and Box Elder, or locate the Elk Vale Cem nestled near Elk Creek.
  52. 2021 Map of Rapid City West, 2021 Print
    2021 Map of Rapid City West, 2021 Print
    2021 Rapid City West
    2021 Print · USGS
    Pennington County at the start of the 2020s shows the western expansion of the Black Hills foothills. Genealogists can trace family plots at Mountain View Cem or locate regional landmarks like the Gossage Memorial and NG Camp Rapid.
  55. 2021 Map of Blackhawk, 2021 Print
    2021 Map of Blackhawk, 2021 Print
    2021 Blackhawk
    2021 Print · USGS
    The eastern Black Hills come alive in this modern survey of the growing corridor between Piedmont and Rapid City. Genealogists and local researchers can trace family sites at the Blackhawk Cem or follow the rugged boundaries of the Black Hills National Forest and Stagebarn Canyon.
  58. 2021 Map of Box Elder, 2021 Print
    2021 Map of Box Elder, 2021 Print
    2021 Box Elder
    2021 Print · USGS
    Pennington County near the turn of the decade shows the growth of aviation and irrigation infrastructure east of the Black Hills. Researchers can trace historic water rights and drainage via Hawthorne Ditch and Lone Tree Ditch near Murphy and Green Valley.
  61. 2021 Map of Rapid City East, 2021 Print
    2021 Map of Rapid City East, 2021 Print
    2021 Rapid City East
    2021 Print · USGS
    Pennington County at the start of the 2020s shows the continued growth of Rapid City and Box Elder. Researchers can trace local development through landmarks like the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology and irrigation networks like Iowa Ditch.
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