1951 Map of Dutch Nick Flat

About this map

Dutch Nick Flat and the surrounding rangelands of the Missouri River Basin are defined here by a sophisticated network of irrigation and water management at the start of the 1950s. The southern portion of the map is dominated by the course of Gooseberry Creek, where a series of engineered waterways including the Holder Ditch, Holly and Niccolls Ditch, and Holland Ditch redirect flow across the arid terrain. This infrastructure supported local rural life, anchored by the Shryack School and a visible Pipe Line running parallel to the creek. The drainage patterns of Fifteenmile Creek and its branches, the Middle Fork and South Fork, carve through the central topography, illustrating the vital importance of water rights and access in this part of Wyoming.