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1951 Map of Thunder Butte

Name: 1951 Topographic Map of Thunder Butte
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1953
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1953

About this map

The Cheyenne River Indian Reservation landscape is defined by the winding course of the Moreau River as it cuts through the plains of Ziebach County. Surveyed in the early 1950s, this area centers on the prominent landmark of Thunder Butte, which rises above the surrounding drainages. The river's path is marked by numerous fords, indicating the essential crossing points for local travel before modern infrastructure became widespread.

Evidence of rural community life appears at St Luke Cem and the nearby High Point Sch, serving the families settled along the creek systems. A complex network of waterways including Beaver Trap Creek, Sophia Creek, and Thunder Butte Creek feeds into the main river valley, illustrating the drainage patterns that shaped ranching and settlement in this portion of South Dakota during the mid-twentieth century.