1979 Map of Bijou Hills

About this map

Bijou Hills and the surrounding high ground of South Dakota's Brule County are documented here in detail during the late 1970s. The landscape is defined by the sharp transition between the agricultural plateaus and the drainage systems of Elm Creek, Nelson Creek, and Snake Creek. The settlement at Bijou Hills and the smaller community of Ola serve as the primary focal points for this rural area, which is characterized by a strong historical presence of local institutions. For genealogists, the map is particularly valuable for its recording of numerous community burial grounds, including the German Lutheran Cem, Swedish Lutheran Cem, and Union Cem. The presence of the America Sch and the distinctively named America Lake further illustrate the cultural footprint on these uplands before modern agricultural shifts altered the local landscape.