Loading map...

1968 Map of J B Hill

Name: 1968 Topographic Map of J B Hill
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1971
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1971

About this map

Custer National Forest encompasses the prominent high ground of Slim Buttes, a dramatic landform dominating this portion of Harding County. This late-1960s survey captures a landscape of remote cattle ranching and specialized public land use, anchored by the State Experiment Farm and Antelope Reserve in the northwest. The terrain is defined by a series of springs—such as Barney Castle Spring, Gray Spring, and Blomberg Spring—which were vital for livestock across the North Divide and South Divide.

Evidence of local rural infrastructure is clear along Hoover Road, where the Rock Ranch Sch served the families of the Rock Ranch, Thybo Ranch, and Phillips Ranch. The map also details the transition from traditional wagon roads to modern aviation, noting a Landing Strip and numerous Jeep Roads that cross J B Pass and Deer Draw. The intricate network of draws and buttes, including Square Top Butte and J B Hill, illustrates the topographic complexity of this western South Dakota range.