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1954 Map of Pactola Dam

Name: 1954 Topographic Map of Pactola Dam
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1963
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1963

About this map

Pactola Reservoir dominates the western edge of this mid-century survey, a landscape defined by the winding course of Rapid Creek and its many tributary gulches. The terrain is a complex network of elevations within the Black Hills National Forest, featuring prominent heights like Norris Peak and Thrall Mountain. Significant cultural features include the specialized Wheaton College Science Camp and the historic Abandoned Flume, which traces a path through the steep topography near Big Bend.

Educational and recreational outposts like Placerville Camp, Tomaha Camp, and the settlement of Hisega are tucked into the valley floor, alongside technical infrastructure like the Thunderhead Falls Tunnel and a Gaging Station. The southern portion of the map transitions into the Bald Hills, where Victoria Creek and South Victoria Creek drain toward the east. This 1950s record captures a specific era of resource management and academic retreat in the Black Hills, before later developments altered the local footprint.