1953 Map of Bend

About this map

Ellsworth Air Force Base dominates the southern landscape of this mid-century survey, showing the military installation’s footprint straddling the Meade Co / Pennington Co line. North of the base, the terrain transitions into a drainage system defined by Antelope Creek and Elk Creek, where a rural ranching or farming economy is evident through the placement of scattered schoolhouses. Small educational centers like Bend Sch, Elk Dale Sch, and Pleasant Hill Sch serve as the primary landmarks for the dispersed population. The small settlement of Bend sits in the northeast corner, while the topography is marked by several excavations, including a Gravel Pit, and technical infrastructure such as Radio Towers. The contrast between the rigid, gridded layout of the air force base and the meandering watercourses like Sweet Gulch illustrates the region’s dual identity as both a strategic military site and a traditional High Plains landscape.