1964 Map of Girard

About this map

The Great Northern railroad cuts a diagonal line across this landscape, passing through the small settlement of Girard and near Wilds. This 1964 survey captures a region defined by an extensive engineering effort to manage the water of the Red River Valley, evidenced by a dense grid of drainage systems including County Ditch No 112, County Ditch No 69, and County Ditch No 94. These canals parallel the section lines of Andover and Rome townships, supporting the agricultural development of the flat, low-lying terrain. Genealogy researchers can find precisely located burial grounds like Andover Cem and Hanna Cem, while the natural meandering path of Burnham Creek provides a sharp contrast to the straight-line human interventions of the ditches and rail corridor.