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1985 Map of Freeman

Name: 1985 Topographic Map of Freeman
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1991
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1991

About this map

The James River and its numerous tributaries, including Wolf Creek and Beaver Creek, define the agricultural landscape of southeastern South Dakota in the mid-1980s. This survey highlights a unique pattern of communal settlement, documenting several Hutterite colonies such as the New Elm Springs Colony, Tschetter Colony, and Jamesville Colony distributed across the prairie. The regional economy is anchored by established towns like Freeman, Scotland, and Parker, which are connected by the tracks of the Burlington Northern and Chicago and North Western railroads.

Elevations rise toward the prominent Turkey Ridge in the southeast, while the terrain is dotted with significant water bodies like Silver Lake, Swan Lake, and Marindahl Lake. The map also identifies numerous public lands, including various State Game Production Areas and National Waterfowl Production Areas, reflecting a landscape managed for both intensive farming and conservation in the late twentieth century.