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1955 Map of Jewel Cave

Name: 1955 Topographic Map of Jewel Cave
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1956
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1956

About this map

Jewel Cave National Monument and the surrounding Black Hills National Forest are documented here during a period of active cattle ranching and early atomic-era survey. The landscape is defined by deep incisions like Hell Canyon, Tepee Canyon, and Lithograph Canyon, which dictate the placement of local infrastructure. Small-scale industry and education are visible through the King Tut Mine, Stapp Quarry, and the Bull Flats Sch.

A network of family-held properties such as the Morrison Ranch, Wolf Ranch, and Dunbar Ranch suggests a community reliant on scattered water sources like Lithograph Spring and McKenna Spring. This mid-century survey, supported by the United States Atomic Energy Commission, captures the rural character of Custer County before modern development, marking isolated settlements like Lyman and several namesake draws.