2021 Map of Schumacher Lake SW

About this map

Glacial depressions and small prairie potholes define this landscape in McPherson County, where the topography is shaped by the subtle rise and fall of the northern Great Plains. Settlement patterns are sparse, dictated by the Section-Township-Range system of the Public Land Survey System, with roads like 338th Ave and Co Hwy 8 following the rigid mile-grid of the rural countryside. Historical traces of early families are preserved in small rural burial grounds such as Glueckstahl Cem and Calvin Cem, which stand as quiet landmarks amidst the surrounding agricultural fields and wetlands. The lack of concentrated towns highlights the importance of these local heritage sites for genealogical research in this part of South Dakota.