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1935 Map of Harding

Name: 1935 Topographic Map of Harding
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1935
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1935

About this map

The high plains of the Harding County and Butte County border are defined by the dramatic rises of the West Short Pine Hills and East Short Pine Hills. Surveyed by N. H. Darton, this landscape is shaped by the complex drainage systems of the North Fork Moreau River and the South Fork Moreau River, which cut through the arid terrain. Small settlements like Harding, Gustave, and Redig appear as vital hubs in an area otherwise dominated by expansive ranching lands and the protected acreage of the Custer National Forest.

Transport through this part of the Dakotas during the mid-1930s relied heavily on Highway US 85, which provided the primary north-south link between scattered landmarks such as Mud Butte and Crow Buttes. The mapping reflects a transition from early pioneer trails to established highways, while keeping fine topographic detail of landmarks like Long Mt and the various coulees and creeks that dictated the movement of livestock and water in this corner of the state.