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1954 Map of Nowlin

Name: 1954 Topographic Map of Nowlin
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1956
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1956

About this map

The Bad River winds through the heart of this mid-century Dakota landscape, carved into the high plains of Haakon County. The settlement of Nowlin serves as a small anchor along the Chicago and North Western RR, illustrating the critical role of rail infrastructure in sustaining remote prairie outposts. To the north, the terrain transitions from the river valley into the expansive Kunkle Flat and the plateau of Pleasant View.

A network of seasonal drainages, including Nowlin Creek, Squaw Creek, and Jack Dailey Creek, dissects the rolling hills, revealing the complex erosion patterns typical of the region. Local history is etched into the landscape at the Nowlin Cem, while the course of Indian Draw and South Creek to the south further defines the local topography. This survey was produced as part of the Department of the Interior's Missouri River Basin development program, documenting the area's geography just as modern road networks, like Route 14, began to supersede the older steam-age rail corridors.