1985 Map of Eli

About this map

Eli and the high plains of northern Cherry County sit along the Nebraska and South Dakota border in the mid-1980s. The landscape is defined by the unique topography of the Sandhills, featuring expansive areas like Connelly Flat and scattered water bodies including Winslow Lake, Nelson Lake, and Clubhouse Lake. These isolated basins and the meandering course of Bear Creek reflect the area's specialized ranching environment. This survey captures a moment when the rural infrastructure was anchored by essential water sources, such as a mapped Well, and the thin thread of the railroad passing through the small settlement of Eli. The map provides a precise record of the section lines and township boundaries that partitioned this territory, including the intersection of Bennett and Cherry counties.