1956 Map of Crows Nest Peak

About this map

Black Hills National Forest land dominates this 1950s survey of Pennington County, centered on the high point at Crows Nest Peak with its prominent Lookout Tower. The map documents a landscape defined by an extensive network of family-owned ranching operations, including the Mickelson Ranch, McCullough Ranch, and Soholt Ranch. These homesteads are situated along the complex drainage systems of the Black Hills, where water sources like Miller Spring and Oatman Spring were essential for survival. The terrain is marked by numerous draws such as Manganese Draw and Bjornland Draw, which feed into larger watercourses like the South Fork Castle Creek. In the southwest, the Beaver Creek Camp indicates the area's role in forest management or recreation during the mid-20th century.