1985 Map of Wahpeton

About this map

The Red River of the North defines the border between North Dakota and Minnesota, acting as the central axis for this mid-1980s topographic survey. This region, where the Otter Tail River and Bois de Sioux River converge to form the Red River, is characterized by its heavy concentration of water management and wildlife conservation areas, such as the Orwell State Wildlife Management Area and the Lake Elsie National Wildlife Refuge. The map captures the twin cities of Wahpeton and Breckenridge at a time of established rail and highway infrastructure, including several specialized landing strips like Bagg Landing Field and the Yaggie Landing Strip. Historically significant sites like Fort Abercrombie State Park sit alongside smaller agricultural hubs like Hankinson, Fairmount, and Abercrombie. The landscape is a patchwork of waterfowl production areas and state wildlife management zones, reflecting a managed prairie environment just east of the Sheyenne National Grassland.