2012 Map of Pelican Lake

About this map

Pelican Lake and Clear Lake dominate the northern and southern landscape of this Glacial Lakes region, south of Watertown. This 2012 survey illustrates the grid-like agricultural settlement pattern characteristic of Codington County, where local life centers around small unincorporated communities and family farms. The tiny settlement of Foley sits along the eastern edge, while Thomas serves as a southern waypoint near the shores of Clear Lake. Genealogists and local historians can find the Oxford Cem located just west of Thomas, marking a critical site for tracing the area's rural heritage. The network of section-line roads, such as 451st Ave and 177th St, reflects the systematic land division that has defined South Dakota's prairie development since the homesteading era.