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1955 Map of Owl Ridge

Name: 1955 Topographic Map of Owl Ridge
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1965
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1965

About this map

The Illinois River and its network of irrigation canals define this Jackson County landscape as it appeared in the mid-1950s. The region is characterized by a sophisticated system of water management, visible through named ditches like the Lowland Ditch, Pioneer Ditch, and Midland Ditch. These waterways support a series of family-named agricultural operations, including the Illinois Ranch and Overton Ranch, highlighting the importance of riparian rights in this high-altitude basin.

Along the eastern edge, the topography rises sharply toward Owl Mountain, contrasting with the lower drainage areas of Willow Creek and Indian Creek. Water storage is managed through infrastructure such as the Shawver Reservoir and Thirty one Reservoir. This mapping, part of the Department of the Interior program for the development of the Missouri River Basin, meticulously records the early gravel industry at the Gravel Pits and the specific paths of the First Extension Owl Ditch and other essential hydraulic features.