1951 Map of Ridgeview NW

About this map

The Moreau River meanders across the northern portion of this Dewey County landscape, carving a distinctive valley through the prairie. This survey, conducted as part of the Department of the Interior program for the development of the Missouri River Basin, reveals the isolated rural nature of the Cheyenne River Indian Reservation in the early 1950s. The settlement pattern is defined by solitary outposts such as Ewing Ranch and Gunville Ranch, which stand as landmarks in an area dominated by intricate drainage systems like Cottonwood Creek. The fine topographical detail illustrates the complex network of draws and breaks that characterize the terrain south of the river valley, providing an essential look at the land before later infrastructure revisions.