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1951 Map of Bismarck

Name: 1951 Topographic Map of Bismarck
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1951
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1951

About this map

The Missouri River corridor serves as the central artery for this 1951 study of the North Dakota capital and its surroundings. The city of Bismarck is shown in detail, dominated by the State Capitol and the Municipal Airport, while across the water, the city of Mandan thrives as a rail hub for the Northern Pacific. This era captures the landscape before modern suburban expansion, highlighting numerous rural schoolhouses such as Riverview Sch No 1 and Square Butte School No 2 that once dotted the prairie.

Historic preservation is prominent on this sheet, featuring the Double Ditch Indian Village Historic Site north of town and the Ft Lincoln Historic Site within the Ft Lincoln State Park. These sites, along with Indian Mounds near Hay Creek, point to the deep human history of the river bluffs. The map also documents institutional footprints like the State Training School and the State Prison Farm, providing a comprehensive look at the mid-century infrastructure of Burleigh and Morton counties.