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1896 Map of Harney Peak

Name: 1896 Topographic Map of Harney Peak
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1896
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1896

About this map

Harney Peak towers over the landscape of the Black Hills in this late nineteenth-century survey, a period when the region was transitioning from a mining frontier to a more established territorial network. The Burlington and Missouri River railroad serves as the primary artery for the area, threading through the mountains to connect the settlements of Hill City, Custer, and Pringle. This rail corridor highlights the industrial and logistical focus of the era, providing a lifeline for remote outposts and local commerce.

Water sources such as Preacher Spring, Buck Spring, and Antelope Springs are meticulously documented, revealing the importance of reliable hydration in a land defined by deep incisions like Hell Canyon and Gillette Canyon. The presence of Sylvan Lake near the summit of the peak and the winding course of French Creek through the Custer vicinity illustrate the complex drainage patterns that shaped early settlement and movement through this high-altitude terrain.