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1970 Map of Ortley

Name: 1970 Topographic Map of Ortley
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1973
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1973

About this map

The town of Ortley serves as a focal point in this 1970 landscape, where the Chicago Milwaukee St Paul and Pacific railroad tracks bisect the prairie. Located within the Sisseton Indian Reservation, the terrain transitions from the wetland-heavy northern sections, characterized by Bill Smith Slough and Pearson Slough, toward the headwaters of the Big Sioux River in the south. The settlement of Ortley is supported by local infrastructure including the Ortley Dam, reflecting a landscape managed for both rail transport and water control.

Local history and genealogy details are concentrated in the southern portion of the sheet near Blooming Valley. Here, researchers can identify the Hope Ch, a local Cem, and a dedicated Townhall, suggesting a small but established community center apart from the main rail line. The map also highlights the National Wildlife Management Area, illustrating the conservation efforts surrounding the region's sloughs and lakes like Anderson Lake.