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1949 Map of Cathay

Name: 1949 Topographic Map of Cathay
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1949
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1949

About this map

The Minneapolis St Paul and Sault Ste Marie railroad cuts a diagonal line across this Wells County landscape, serving as the primary lifeline for the town of Cathay. This 1949 survey, compiled from early 1940s aerial photography and 1948 plane-table fieldwork, documents the rural infrastructure of the Missouri River Basin during the mid-century. The settlement of Cathay is the central hub, supported by local industry like the nearby Gravel Pit and proximity to Rocky Run.

Beyond the town center, the map illustrates the organized township structure of Germantown and Fairville. Evidence of the area's rural education system is preserved through the locations of School No 3 and School No 2, while Lake View Cem stands on the outskirts of the village. The drainage pattern is defined by the winding course of Pipestem Cr at the southern edge, highlighting the prairie terrain that dictated early North Dakota homesteading and development.