Loading map...

1953 Map of Blackhawk

Name: 1953 Topographic Map of Blackhawk
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1955
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1955

About this map

Black Hills National Forest land dominates the western portion of this 1953 survey, where the timbered slopes of the Black Hills give way to the prairie. The Chicago and North Western railroad forms the primary corridor through this landscape, running past the settlement of Blackhawk and through a series of canyons and creek valleys. Notable landmarks include the Petrified Forest near Piedmont Butte and the Black Hills Kennel Club further south.

Evidence of mid-century community life is found in the distribution of rural schools, including Benoit Sch, Holmes Sch, and Evergreen Sch. The map also captures the early automotive era in the region, featuring a Drive-in Theater near the Meade Co Pennington Co line. From the headwaters of Stagebarn Canyon to the winding course of Elk Creek, this survey provides a look at the transition between industrial rail traffic and the local agrarian and recreational economy.