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1954 Map of Pactola Dam

Name: 1954 Topographic Map of Pactola Dam
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1972
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1972

About this map

Pactola Reservoir dominates the western edge of this landscape, created by the Pactola Dam along the winding course of Rapid Creek. This region within the Black Hills National Forest reveals a mid-century character defined by recreational and educational outposts such as Placerville Camp, Tomaha Camp, and the Wheaton College Summer Camp near Big Bend. The topography is a dense network of gulches and peaks, including Thrall Mountain and Perrin Mountain, where narrow drainages like Wild Irishman Gulch and Gold Standard Gulch cut through the timbered terrain.

Industrial and utility markers are scattered throughout the hills, including a Powerhouse, multiple gaging stations, and the Thunderhead Falls Tunnel. Further east, the small settlement of Hisega sits near the confluence of several streams, while the southern reaches are marked by the Victoria Dam on Victoria Creek. The map documents a specific era of forest management and water control, where the development of the reservoir reshaped the local geography around established points like Johnson and McGee.