1948 Map of Reserve SE

About this map

Medicine Lake National Wildlife Refuge anchors the southern portion of this Sheridan County landscape, where the waters of Sand Creek and Cottonwood Creek meet the protected marshlands. This post-war survey by the Department of the Interior reflects a shifting rural education system, noting several decommissioned schoolhouses such as Hawthorne Sch (Aban'd), Richwine Sch (Aban'd), and Griffin Sch (Aban'd). These rural landmarks, alongside the Dagmar Ch and its neighboring Cem, suggest a tight-knit prairie community during an era of regional consolidation. The terrain north of the refuge is marked by a scattering of small dams and a Gravel Pit, pointing to local efforts in water management and road development. Genealogists may find value in the location of the Eden Valley Cem, which sits isolated on the high ground in the northwestern corner of the quadrangle.