1950 Map of Des Lacs

About this map

Des Lacs and the surrounding Ward County prairie are defined by an intricate network of coulees that drain toward the Souris River and Des Lacs Res. This 1950 survey, photorevised in 1980, shows a landscape of distributed farmsteads and rural infrastructure, including School No 3 and the Town Hall located west of Foxholm. The deep cuts of Tasker Coulee, Lonetree Coulee, and Glick Coulee illustrate the dramatic erosion patterns typical of this region's glacial geography. Transportation is anchored by the Burlington Northern railroad, which follows the natural corridor of the river valley. The map also documents the southern edge of the Upper Souris National Wildlife Refuge, where the river loops through the northeast corner, providing a vital contrast to the surrounding agricultural townships of Wayland, Saint Marys, and Burlington.