2020 Map of La Mars

About this map

La Mars sits at the center of this prairie landscape, where the agricultural grid of the Upper Midwest meets the state line between North Dakota and South Dakota. This modern survey reveals a highly organized township system, defined by a dense network of section-line roads such as 100th St, 472nd Ave, and Co Rd 81. The terrain is characterized by the numerous wetlands and depressions typical of the Lake Traverse District, most notably the seasonal drainage of Big Slough that winds across the southern reaches of the quadrangle. The border between Richland and Roberts counties bisects the map, illustrating how political boundaries and infrastructure follow the rigid geometry of the Public Land Survey System. For those studying local land ownership or the evolution of rural prairie settlements, the map provides a precise account of the connectivity between isolated homesteads and the small community of La Mars.