1980 Map of Orella

About this map

The Oglala National Grassland dominates this corner of Northwest Nebraska, where the arid high plains are sculpted into the Waldon Hills. This 1980 survey shows the remote settlement of Orella, positioned along the Burlington Northern railroad line which cuts a diagonal path through the prairie. The landscape is defined by the management of water and geography, featuring numerous water catchments like Agate Dam Reservoir, Board Gate Dam Res, and Meng Reservoir. Notable landforms such as Sugar Loaf Butte and Twin Butte provide sharp vertical orientation in an otherwise undulating terrain. The presence of Sugar Loaf Road and the various branches of Big Cottonwood Creek illustrate the intersection of early ranching infrastructure and the natural drainage patterns of the Sioux County panhandle.