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1956 Map of Crooks Tower

Name: 1956 Topographic Map of Crooks Tower
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1958
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1958

About this map

Black Hills National Forest land defines this mid-century topographic record, showing a landscape shaped by water and high-elevation relief. The divide between Lawrence Co and Pennington Co cuts through the southern portion of the map, where Crooks Tower stands as a primary landmark near Crooks Lake. Settlement is sparse, limited to localized outposts such as Maca Camp and the McInerny Ranch, which suggest a reliance on ranching and forestry at the time of the 1956 field check.

Water sources are vital to this interior terrain, with numerous named springs and creeks providing the only development markers. The headwaters of Spearfish Creek, South Fork Rapid Creek, and Cold Springs Creek carve through the draws and gulches, reflecting the drainage patterns of the high Black Hills. Several natural clearings, including Stovehole Park and Well Park, break up the timbered reaches of the national forest.