1961 Map of Cottonwood SE

About this map

Buffalo Gap National Grassland dominates this section of the western South Dakota plains, showing a landscape defined by expansive drainage systems and high ridges during the early 1960s. The map illustrates the varied topography between Washburn Ridge and the Interior and Weta regions, where the land is carved by Big Buffalo Creek, Fifteen Creek, and Cut Creek. Human intervention in this arid environment is evident through small-scale water management features like Arke Dam and Martin Dam. Transportation through the grasslands is anchored by the Chicago Milwaukee St Paul and Pacific railroad line, which skirts the southern edge of the survey area. A modern interstate-era Rest Area appears as a later revision, contrasting with the older network of trails and jeep tracks that crisscross the rugged badlands terrain.