1985 Map of Bean Soup Lake

About this map

The isolated ranching landscapes of Arthur County and Grant County are meticulously documented in this mid-1980s topographical record. The terrain is defined by a series of closed depressions and interdunal basins, many holding named bodies of water such as Bean Soup Lake and Mechoglan Lake. The map illustrates a specialized land-use pattern where human presence is concentrated around family-named ranching outposts, including A Kramer Ranch, C Kramer Ranch, and both the R Ellingrod and B Ellingrod properties. These sites are linked by unimproved roads and trails winding through the natural troughs of Winslow Valley and Baldy Valley. The lack of conventional townsites highlights the characteristic Sandhills settlement pattern, where life revolves around the water sources and grazing lands necessary for cattle operations. Researchers can trace the specific spatial relationship between these homesteads and features like Threemile Lake and Claw Hammer Lake.