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1944 Map of Iona

Name: 1944 Topographic Map of Iona
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1944
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1944

About this map

The Missouri River winds through this 1940s landscape, serving as a natural boundary between Brule and Lyman counties. This era of the river's history shows large riverine features like Bailey Island and Phillips Island before major mid-century dam projects altered the Missouri's flow. Along the northern edge, the White River joins the Missouri, framed by the plateau of Petersons.

Rural life in the Iona vicinity is defined by a dense network of country schools, including Somers Sch and McKinley Sch, reflecting a highly localized educational system. Many of these landmarks, alongside the Iona Cem and the already Dobbins Sch (abandoned), provide crucial coordinates for genealogists tracing family homesteads in this part of South Dakota. The presence of numerous Artesian Wells and Franks Dam underscores the vital role of water management in this high-plains agricultural region.