1953 Map of Rapid City 1 NW

About this map

Bear Butte Creek winds through the northern portion of this South Dakota landscape, illustrating the rural character of Meade County during the early 1950s. The area is defined by a sparse distribution of essential community landmarks, particularly a network of local schoolhouses that served the agricultural population. To the north, Volunteer Sch and Wolff Sch sit near the drainage of the creek, while the southern terrain is marked by the presence of North Middle Alkali Sch and Lower Alkali Sch. This distribution of schools provides an insight into the localized settlement patterns before significant consolidation, where education was centered along major rural arteries like the Alkali Road. The landscape transitions from the riparian corridor of Bear Butte Creek to the southern drainages of Alkali Creek, with the occasional Gravel Pit highlighting the small-scale local industry of the era.