1952 Map of Iona NW

About this map

Missouri River meanders through this landscape on the border of Lyman and Brule counties, just before the construction of the Big Bend Dam would fundamentally alter the river's character. The map documents a period of transition, showing the Grandview Sch (Abandoned) while the Walker Sch remained active. The expansive Peterson Bottoms and Bird Island dominate the river channel, indicating the complex hydrology and siltation patterns of the era. Settlement is defined by family-run operations such as Close Ranch, Glaus Ranch, and Krammer Ranch, many of which were situated near Flowing Wells that tapped into the regional aquifer. This survey, conducted as part of the Department of the Interior program for the development of the Missouri River Basin, captures the early 1950s rural infrastructure before significant reservoir inundation downstream.