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1953 Map of South Butte

Name: 1953 Topographic Map of South Butte
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1970
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1970

About this map

The Pumpkin Buttes dominate this high plains landscape of Campbell County, rising as prominent landmarks above the surrounding drainage basins. This mid-century survey by the Geological Survey and the Atomic Energy Commission captures a remote ranching territory defined by isolated family outposts like Hardin Ranch, Ruby Ranch, and Sievers Ranch. The presence of the Cactus School near the northern boundary suggests a community center for the dispersed residents of this rugged terrain.

Water management is central to life here, evidenced by numerous Windmill sites and the complex system of seasonal flows, including All Night Creek and South All Night Creek, which eventually feed toward the Belle Fourche River. Significant elevations are marked at South Butte and Indian Butte, providing essential reference points for land navigation in an era before paved thoroughfares crisscrossed the region.