1949 Map of Bowbells NW

About this map

The international border between Canada and the United States defines the northern edge of this North Dakota prairie landscape, where the Des Lacs Migratory Bird Refuge follows the deep, narrow trench of Upper Des Lacs Lake. Located in the northwestern corner of Burke County, the area showcases a post-war rural infrastructure characterized by a dense grid of section roads and small, numbered schoolhouses. These include School No 1, School No 2, School No 3, and School No 5, which served the farming communities of North Star and Minnesota townships. The topography is marked by the winding path of Stony Run, which drains the glaciated uplands into the Des Lacs valley. This survey reflects the region just before mid-century, capturing the transition of the land from open prairie to a strictly surveyed agricultural and conservation-focused landscape.