1978 Map of Indian Butte

About this map

The South Fork Moreau River cuts through the high plains of the northwestern South Dakota borderlands in this late 1970s topographic survey. The landscape is defined by its prominent landforms, notably Indian Butte in the south and Gustave Butte to the north, which serve as regional landmarks across the open terrain. This survey captures a moment of modern utility infrastructure, tracing a Pipeline that traverses the northern sections alongside several identified Drill Hole sites. The drainage pattern of the region is highly detailed, showing the convergence of North Indian Creek, Crooked Creek, and Fourmile Creek. Situated along the boundary where Harding and Butte Counties meet, the map illustrates the stark, unpopulated character of the western rangelands before significant further development occurred.