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1896 Map of Jamestown

Name: 1896 Topographic Map of Jamestown
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1925
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1925

About this map

Jamestown serves as the central hub of this late 19th-century prairie landscape, situated at the confluence of the James River and Pipestem Creek. The settlement pattern follows the early expansion of the Northern Pacific (Main Line), which cuts westward through Eldridge and Bloom. To the south, the Fargo and Southwestern Branch connects the smaller outposts of Alfred and Jud, reflecting the critical role of rail infrastructure in the territorial development of Stutsman and La Moure counties.

The topography is defined by the winding valley of the James River, where the riverside towns of Ypsilanti, Montpelier, and Adrian are established. Away from the river corridors, the map reveals a surveyed grid of named townships such as Mount Pleasant and Glenmore. These divisions, alongside features like Beaver Creek and Sevenmile Coulee, illustrate the transition from open range to a formalized agricultural and transport network during this era of Dakota settlement.