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1959 Map of Fairpoint SW

Name: 1959 Topographic Map of Fairpoint SW
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1983
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1983

About this map

Elm Butte Divide and Eightmile Divide define the high ground of this rural landscape in western South Dakota, straddling the border between Butte and Meade counties. The survey depicts a sparsely settled cattle-ranching territory where life centered around reliable water sources and established homesteads like the Chaffee Ranch and Glenn Ranch. These family holdings are positioned near an intricate network of seasonal drainages, including the headwaters of Crooked Creek and Eightmile Creek.

The topography is marked by significant drainage systems such as West Elm Creek and Lane Tree Creek, which cut through the high plains. The inclusion of features like Browns Draw and Dry Elm Creek illustrates the importance of understanding the local watershed in a region defined by its grazing potential. This 1950s record provides a clear look at the early post-war land use and property divisions before modern consolidation, preserving the exact placement of remote ranching outposts on the Great Plains.