1947 Map of Noonan

About this map

Blooming Valley defines the southern reach of this 1940s survey, where the prairie landscape of Divide County meets the industrial footprint of the northern plains. This area is a significant corridor for the Great Northern and the Minneapolis Sault Ste Marie railroads, which converge near the town of Noonan. The map captures the region's duality, balancing small-town life and rural education at sites like Bluffton School No 4 and Brown School No 4 with the heavy extraction of the local Coalfield. Along the northern edge, the international boundary between Canada and the United States follows a straight survey line just north of the winding Long Creek. The presence of a Strip Mine southeast of Noonan indicates the importance of lignite mining to the local economy during this era, while scattered schoolhouses like School No 1 and School No 3 trace the distribution of early agricultural families.