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1956 Map of New Rockford

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

USGS Topo · Published 1956

About this map

Devils Lake and the Fort Totten Indian Reservation dominate the northern landscape of this mid-century survey, where the Fort Totten Indian Agency and St Michael Mission School served as local centers of gravity. The terrain is defined by a dense network of glacial lakes and wetlands, many designated as conservation areas like the Arrowwood National Wildlife Refuge and Stump Lake National Bird Refuge.

Rural life in the 1950s is reflected in the numerous isolated landmarks, including The Church by the Highway and the Bowdon Country Church and Cemetery. Transportation relied on the rails of the Great Northern and Northern Pacific, which connected small agrarian hubs like New Rockford, Cooperstown, and Maddock. The map captures a transitional period of land use, balancing intensive prairie farming with large-scale wildlife management across the Tiffany Flats and Grasshopper Hills.