1952 Map of Tappen NE

About this map

Salt Alkaline Lake dominates this prairie landscape in Kidder County, illustrating the complex hydrology of North Dakota's pothole region in the early 1950s. The southern edge of the map features the industrial corridor of the Northern Pacific railroad, which supported the development of Tappen and the small station at Ladoga. This survey, conducted under the administration of Governor C. Norman Brunsdale, captures a rural society organized around small district institutions like School No 1 and School No 2. Further north, the presence of Camp Whitney State Park on the shores of Sweetwater Lake highlights early state efforts toward conservation and recreation amidst the agricultural townships of Westford, Buckeye, and Crystal Springs. The map’s fine-grained detail, including Kleiter Slough and various unnamed prairie potholes, reflects a landscape shaped by glacial activity.