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1956 Map of Fargo

Name: 1956 Topographic Map of Fargo
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1956
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1956

About this map

Fargo and Moorhead anchor this 1950s study of the Red River Valley, where a sprawling network of rails and highways defines the region's agricultural economy. The landscape is dominated by the complex hydrology of the Sheyenne River, Wild Rice River, and Maple River, which cut through the flat plains toward the Sand Hills and the lake-heavy terrain of western Minnesota. Major rail corridors including the Northern Pacific, Great Northern, and the Soo Line serve as the lifeblood for numerous small elevator towns like Casselton and Wheatland.

Evidence of conservation and managed land use is found in the south at the Tewaukon National Wildlife Refuge and the Sisseton Indian Res. The transition from the open prairie of North Dakota to the glacial lakes of Minnesota is marked by features like Pelican Lake and Lake Lida, while landmarks such as the Sheyenne Valley Church and Strong State Recreational Park highlight the social and natural gathering points of the mid-century borderlands.