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1982 Map of May Ranch

Name: 1982 Topographic Map of May Ranch
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1983
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1983

About this map

Isolated homesteads and extensive ranching operations define this West River landscape along the Haakon Co Stanley Co line. Grounded in the late 1970s and early 1980s, the map reveals a system of drainage basins where Cottonwood Creek and Plum Creek carve through the high prairie of Grandfield. The pattern of settlement is sparse, characterized by named family outposts like May Ranch and the Diamond Ring Ranch, which serve as the primary landmarks in an area otherwise defined by topographical contours and intermittent waterways.

A notable modern infrastructure feature is the Steel Tower Transmission Line crossing the northern half of the quadrangle. For genealogists and local historians, these specific ranch names—including Standiford Ranch, Tolton Ranch, and Nemec Ranch—provide exact locations for family holdings during this era. The presence of Big Prairie Dog Creek further illustrates the characteristic drainage patterns of the South Dakota plains.