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1967 Map of Ruthton NW

Name: 1967 Topographic Map of Ruthton NW
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1968
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1968

About this map

The agricultural plateaus of Fountain Prairie and Aetna townships define this mid-century landscape on the border of Lincoln and Pipestone Counties. Surveyed in 1965 and field-checked in 1967, the map shows a highly managed water system dominated by industrial-scale drainage projects like County Ditch No 2 and County Ditch No 16, which feed into the Redwood River. A single Townhall stands as a civic landmark in the southwestern corner, reflecting the sparse, decentralized settlement pattern typical of the era's farming communities.

Industrial and transit networks are evident through the numerous Gravel Pit sites scattered across the townships, supporting the local road infrastructure. In the southeastern corner, the Great Northern rail line cuts a path through the terrain near the Rock R, providing a vital link for the region's grain and livestock economy. Small natural watercourses like Pipestone Cr contrast with the straight lines of the surveyor's grid and the drainage canals that reconfigured the prairie for production.