1974 Map of Garrison NW

About this map

Garrison stands as the primary hub of this North Dakota landscape, shown here in a mid-1970s orthophotograph that reveals the intricate patterns of prairie agriculture. The map provides a literal photographic record of the town’s layout, showing the residential grid and grain handling facilities at a time when the region's economy was deeply tied to the surrounding wheat fields. To the south, the massive expanse of Lake Sakakawea dominates the lower margin, its rugged shoreline and backwaters indicating the significant impact of the Garrison Dam project on the local geography. The contrast between the stark, geometric lines of the section-line roads and the organic, winding coulees leading toward the reservoir captures the transition from high-plains farming to the managed waters of the Missouri River system.