2011 Map of Thompson Lake

About this map

Little Butte Cemetery stands as a quiet landmark in this corner of Burke County, where the landscape is defined by an intricate network of prairie potholes and named glacial depressions. The terrain is characterized by a high density of water bodies, ranging from the prominent Thompson Lake and Upper Thompson Lake in the southeast to smaller, family-named features like Docs Lake and Kirkland Lake. This 2011 survey by the U.S. Geological Survey reflects the enduring agricultural grid of the High Plains, with a regular system of section-line roads such as 80th Ave NW and 91st St NW navigating around the numerous sloughs. The naming conventions of features like Swensens Slough, Melbys Slough, and Iverson Slough provide a clear genealogical link to the homesteading families who settled this region, illustrating how the natural topography and local history are inextricably linked in rural North Dakota.