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1951 Map of Long Lake

Name: 1951 Topographic Map of Long Lake
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1951
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1951

About this map

The northern portion of this Cherry County landscape is defined by the Valentine National Wildlife Refuge, a dense network of lakes and wetlands that includes South Marsh Lake, Center Lake, and Rat Lake. These sandhills water bodies provided essential resources for a ranching economy that spread across the high plains in the mid-twentieth century. Settlement is characterized by numerous family-named operations, such as the Hoef-Scheer Ranch, Shaul Ranch, and Higgins Bros Ranch, which are dispersed across the valleys.

South of the refuge, Goose Creek winds eastward toward the corner of the map near the Loup River. This area was served by small rural institutions like School No 102 and School No 183, which anchored the scattered community. The map also captures the topography of Sweetwater Valley and Wilson Valley, illustrating the specific terrain that dictated the placement of homesteads such as the Thomas Place and Hartgraves Place.