1971 Map of Lucas

About this map

Lucas sits atop the high plains of Gregory County, a small settlement defined by its rural crossroads and local ties in the early 1970s. The landscape is deeply dissected by the dendritic drainage patterns of North Fork Whetstone Creek and South Fork Whetstone Creek, which carve through the prairie toward the Missouri River valley. To the northeast, the impounded waters of Lake Francis Case (Missouri River) dominate the horizon, with underwater contours reflecting the valley's profile before the reservoir's creation. For those researching local families, the map identifies specific burial sites including Lucas Cem and the more remote Petersen Cem. This survey, based on 1970 photography, captures the area during a period of established agricultural use within the Rosebud Indian Reservation boundaries, showing a network of section-line roads that link isolated farmsteads across the undulating terrain.