1956 Map of Minnesota Ridge

About this map

Minnesota Ridge and the surrounding drainages of the Black Hills National Forest define this 1950s landscape during a period of transition for local industry and infrastructure. The small settlement of Rochford sits at the confluence of several gulches, serving as a focal point near the Lawrence and Pennington county line. The map captures evidence of the region’s extractive history, from the Montana Mine (Inactive) to the rail lines of the Chicago and North Western and the Burlington and Quincy railroads that once navigated these complex mountain contours.