Loading map...

1955 Map of Signal Hill

Name: 1955 Topographic Map of Signal Hill
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1979
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1979

About this map

Black Hills National Forest land dominates this 1955 survey of the southwestern Black Hills, where the high-altitude landscape is defined by deep drainages and ranching outposts. The topographic detail reveals a network of canyons, most notably Hell Canyon and its tributaries, West Hell Canyon and Fork Hell Canyon. Higher elevations are marked by the Signal Hill Lookout Tower, which provides a vantage point over the complex terrain of Elliot Ridge and Antelope Ridge.

Social and economic life is centered on scattered family properties such as Doll Ranch, Yount Ranch, and Hammock Ranch. The inclusion of the Alkali Sch (Abandoned) offers a specific genealogical clue to the shifting settlement patterns of the mid-20th century. Water sources, critical in this environment, are meticulously mapped, including named sites like Bull Spring, Mud Spring, and the Blacktail Well.