1951 Map of Badnation NW

About this map

The White River meanders through this portion of the northern plains, carving a distinct boundary between Jones and Mellette counties. Mapped in 1951 with revisions in the late 1970s, the terrain is characterized by the intricate drainage systems of Thunder Creek, Williams Creek, and Bull Creek as they feed into the primary river valley. The landscape is defined by its administrative townships, including Badnation, Riverside, and Cody. This survey, produced as part of the Department of the Interior's Missouri River Basin development program, captures a specialized view of the Dakota prairie before significant modern infrastructure expansion, highlighting the complex natural topography and the sparse, isolated network of improved and unimproved roads that connected these rural townships.