1950 Map of Stirk Table

About this map

Pine Ridge Indian Reservation land defines this corner of South Dakota, where the drainage of White River meets high, flat-topped plateaus. This 1950 survey, photorevised in the late 1970s, captures the sharp relief of Stirk Table and Cuny Table rising above the surrounding draws. The landscape is carved by the intermittent flows of North Cottonwood Creek and Cottonwood Creek, reflecting the arid and highly eroded character of the terrain. The presence of Cedar Butte serves as a prominent landmark in the southern portion of the quadrangle. Mapping was conducted by the Geological Survey as part of the Department of the Interior's Missouri River Basin development program, documenting the complex topography and sparse water sources within the reservation's boundaries during the mid-20th century.