1974 Map of Grassy Butte

About this map

Grassy Butte serves as a prominent landmark in this segment of McKenzie County, where the high plains of western North Dakota are etched by a network of seasonal drainages. In the mid-1970s, the landscape remained predominantly rural and defined by its ranching character, as evidenced by the namesake Ranch Creek and Charlie Bob Creek winding through the terrain. The presence of a Community Cem and a smaller Cem suggests the locations of long-standing local congregations and family plots that anchored this prairie community. Industry is represented by a Scoria Pit near the northern border and a Substation along the southwestern road corridor, indicating the gradual integration of utility infrastructure into the open country. This survey also records the rugged topography around Lone Butte and its tributary, Lone Butte Cr, reflecting the complex erosion patterns typical of the region's badlands borders.