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1956 Map of Medicine Mountain

Name: 1956 Topographic Map of Medicine Mountain
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1968
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1968

About this map

Medicine Mountain and the surrounding high-altitude terrain dominate this mid-century survey of the Black Hills National Forest. The landscape is defined by a dense network of drainage draws and gulches, including Reno Gulch and Whitehorse Gulch, which feed into major waterways like Slate Creek and Spring Creek. Human settlement is sparse and focused on ranching and early educational outposts, evidenced by the Medicine Mtn Ranch and the isolated South Slate Sch.

Transportation through these timbered uplands relied on the Chicago Burlington and Quincy railroad line, which skirts the eastern edge near the small settlement of Tigerville. The presence of the Base Line and high points like Copper Mountain illustrates the rigorous surveying required to map this complex topography. The map captures an era when the Gillette Prairie area remained relatively undeveloped, primarily utilized for its natural resources and open rangeland.