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1951 Map of Clifton

Name: 1951 Topographic Map of Clifton
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1977
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1977

About this map

Clifton stands as a tiny rail-side settlement along the Chicago Burlington and Quincy railroad, marking a transition between the open prairie and the high timber of the Black Hills National Forest. The presence of the Clifton School (Aban'd) suggests the decline of a once-active rural community center by the early 1950s. To the east, the terrain rises sharply toward Wildcat Peak and the Elk Mountains Lookout Tower, a landscape defined by deep drainages like Clifton Canyon and Rock Canyon.

Water is a critical resource in this arid boundary region between Wyoming and South Dakota, evidenced by a high density of named springs such as Slate Spring, North Spring, and Gurney Spring. The Blaine Ranch sits isolated in the northeast, while the southern reaches show early industrial activity near the tracks with several Gravel Pits. This map documents a period when the timber and grazing resources of the Elk Mountains were managed through a network of remote outposts and ranching infrastructure.