1967 Map of Sanish

About this map

Lake Sakakawea dominates this mid-century landscape, a flooded segment of the Missouri River valley that reshaped the geography of the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation. The map captures the settlement of Sanish perched above the water, near the point where the Four Bears Memorial Bridge spans the reservoir to connect Mountrail and McKenzie counties. Significant changes in transportation are evident along the shoreline, most notably the Old Railroad Grade winding through the hills, a remnant of the rail infrastructure displaced by the rising waters. Local social and religious centers are scattered through the uplands, including Grand Valley Ch and the Riverview Cemetery, while recreational and cultural sites like Four Bears State Park and the Crow Flies High Butte Historic Site highlight the era's focus on the new shoreline's public and historical value.