1972 Map of Skull Butte

About this map

Skull Butte rises as a prominent landmark in this prairie landscape of the early 1970s, located entirely within the Standing Rock Indian Reservation. The area is defined by the drainage patterns of Dirt Lodge Creek and Cedar Boy Creek, where the terrain is marked by fine red dashed lines indicating fence and field boundaries visible during the 1972 aerial survey. The small settlement of Duncan sits in the southeastern portion of the map near a mapped Well, reflecting the localized agricultural and ranching infrastructure of this part of Corson County. The map also delineates large territorial divisions including Custer, Pioneer, and Sherman, alongside industrial traces like a Gravel Pit. This survey captures the rural character of the reservation before modern shifts in land use, showing a world of isolated wells and sprawling section lines.