1954 Map of Owanka

About this map

Owanka and the surrounding Pennington County prairie are depicted here during a period of transition in the mid-20th century. The settlement sits along the Chicago and North Western railway, which parallels the winding course of Boxelder Creek. This survey, updated with 1970s revisions, illustrates the persistent rural infrastructure of the Missouri River Basin development era, evidenced by a network of localized schools including Simon Sch, Wayside Sch, and Fuller Sch. The terrain is defined by dramatic drainage patterns such as Pats Draw and Madison Draw, which cut through the high plains toward the deep incision of Hawk Canyon. Genealogists will find the Owanka Cem and the small cluster at Wicksville particularly useful for tracing family ties to this specific corner of South Dakota.