1955 Map of Rangeley NW

About this map

Copperdahl Hill rises above the glacial plains of North Dakota in this mid-1950s survey of the northern Great Plains. The landscape is defined by the unique topography of the Missouri River Basin, characterized by hundreds of small depressions and seasonal wetlands. Rural life in McHenry County is anchored by local landmarks such as Rosebud Sch, situated along the section lines that organize the prairie into a distinct grid of farmsteads. To the west, the waters of Heffner Lake provide a rare permanent water feature in a terrain otherwise dotted with ephemeral ponds. This study, compiled in part from 1951 aerial photography, captures the region's agricultural layout and natural drainage patterns before modern irrigation and land leveling significantly altered the character of the pothole prairie.