1950 Map of Burdock

About this map

Cheyenne River valley life and high-plains agriculture define this mid-century survey along the border of Fall River and Custer counties. The landscape is marked by a complex network of irrigation infrastructure designed for the Missouri River Basin development, including the Griffis Canal, Angel Canal, and Tubbs Dam. These man-made features contrast with the natural drainage of Beaver Creek and the deep cuts of Bennett Canyon. Local life centers on the small settlements of Burdock and Marietta, each supported by its own schoolhouse, Burdock Sch and Marietta Sch. The Chicago Burlington and Quincy railroad cuts a diagonal path across the terrain, providing a vital link for the isolated ranches such as Doran Ranch. This map records a specific era of South Dakota land management where federal forest boundaries and industrial water projects met the traditional ranching economy.