1973 Map of Stony Butte

About this map

Stony Butte and Pearl Butte rise from the high plains of Hettinger County, marking a landscape defined by isolated peaks and expansive township divisions. Surveyed in the early 1970s, the area is organized into the civil townships of Rifle, Madison, Black Butte, and St Croix. Social and spiritual life for this rural community centers on the Zion Ch and adjacent Zion Cem, providing essential points of reference for genealogists tracing pioneer family history in western North Dakota. Drainage for the region is provided by Thirtymile Creek, which winds through the northern sections of the map. The inclusion of a small Landing Strip near the center of the sheet highlights the continued importance of light aviation for agriculture and transport in these open stretches of the Dakotas.