1950 Map of Renville

About this map

Renville anchors this mid-century survey of the North Dakota landscape, a region defined by the section lines and township boundaries of Sherman, Hoffman, Bank, and Renville townships. The map was produced as part of the Department of the Interior program for the development of the Missouri River Basin, capturing a moment when rural infrastructure supported a sparse but established agricultural community. The terrain is marked by numerous small depressions and ponds characteristic of the prairie pothole region, with Cut Bank Creek providing the primary drainage in the southwestern corner. Social and community life are grounded in the presence of School No 1 and Bethel Ch, which served the outlying farmsteads during this era of post-war development. The survey reflects a transition in mapping technology, utilizing aerial photography from 1948 to supplement traditional plane-table methods.