1951 Map of Volunteer

About this map

The Belle Fourche River winds dramatically through this Western South Dakota landscape, creating a complex series of oxbows and river bends along the Butte Co Meade Co line. This early 1950s survey was conducted as part of the Department of the Interior's Missouri River Basin development program, documenting a period of rural expansion. The settlement of Volunteer sits in the southeast, while the surrounding plains are dotted with local educational landmarks, including Wetz Sch, Fourmile Sch, and Meyer Sch. These schools, placed strategically across the terrain, highlight the community's mid-century distribution. Water access was vital, as evidenced by the numerous named drainages like Ninemile Creek and Bear Butte Creek, and a specific Footbridge crossing a tight bend in the main river. Industrial activity is represented by a Gravel Pit located near the western margin, illustrating the local extraction of resources for regional road building.