1955 Map of Rattlesnake Lake SW

About this map

The Cheyenne River carves a winding path through this mid-century West River landscape, serving as the northern boundary for Ziebach and Haakon counties. This portion of the Cheyenne River Indian Reservation is defined by a series of dramatic draws and creeks, including Black Bull Draw and Bull Creek, which feed into the primary river valley. The map reveals the sparse educational infrastructure of the period, noting the Harding Grove Sch and the already Elshers Sch (Abandoned), documenting a shift in rural settlement patterns as families moved away from isolated homesteads. The vast, level expanse of Milesville Flat in the south provides a sharp contrast to the dissected breaks of Straighthead Creek and the low-lying White Thunder Bottom near the river’s edge.