1985 Map of Clear Lake

About this map

The Big Sioux River and the high ground of Buffalo Hill anchor this mid-1980s look at the borderlands between South Dakota and Minnesota. The region is defined by a dense network of managed lands, including the Sioux Nation State Wildlife Management Area and numerous waterfowl production sites, reflecting the critical role of the glacial prairie pothole landscape. Small prairie towns such as Toronto, Astoria, and Estelline are connected by a grid of rural roads and the tracks of the Chicago and North Western and Burlington Northern railroads. A notable piece of transportation history is visible in the Old Railroad Grade north of Goodwin, marking a bypass or decommissioned segment of the rail network. The area’s geography is further characterized by large water bodies like Lake Cochrane and Lake Hendricks, which sit along the state line, serving as focal points for local recreation and conservation.