1946 Map of Brush Lake

About this map

Brush Lake Resort and the surrounding prairie wetlands define this landscape along the state boundary where Sheridan Co, Montana meets Williams County, North Dakota. The topography, mapped via planetable surveys in the 1940s, reveals a complex system of glacial kettle lakes including Stink Lake, Twin Lakes, and Horseshoe Lake. The distribution of rural landmarks such as St Olaf Cem and small schoolhouses like Wilson Sch and Liberty Sch reflects the late-stage homesteading patterns of the High Plains. Drainage is dominated by the meandering Cottonwood Creek, which cuts through the southern reaches of the township blocks. The presence of these named water bodies and community nodes suggests a period when local social life was centered around the lake shores and neighborhood schools, even as the larger townships of Grenora and Climax provided the broader geographic framework.