1959 Map of Fairpoint NW

About this map

Butte and Meade counties meet along a high-plains landscape defined by seasonal drainages and prominent topographic rises. This late 1950s survey documents a region of South Dakota where water management is central to the land's utility, marked by numerous small reservoirs and stock tanks scattered across the draws. The winding course of Soft Water Creek and Elm Creek dominate the drainage pattern, while the namesake Elm Butte rises in the southern portion of the quadrangle to provide a significant local landmark. Crooked Elm Creek further illustrates the intricate erosional network carved into the prairie. The map captures the area just before the turn of the decade, showing the sparse road network and scattered ranch improvements that characterize this portion of the western river breaks.