1972 Map of Watauga

About this map

Watauga sits at the heart of this 1970s landscape, serving as a primary rail stop within the Standing Rock Indian Reservation. The community is oriented around the Chicago Milwaukee St Paul and Pacific railroad, which cuts a sharp east-west line through the northern Corson County terrain. This area of South Dakota, just south of the border with North Dakota, is defined by a series of drainages including Hump Creek, Red Willow Creek, and Hay Creek. To the west, the label for Bigham marks another small point of human activity along the tracks. The map highlights the agricultural and administrative divisions of the era, noting the boundaries of Prairie View and Pioneer townships. Scattered wells and section lines reveal a sparsely populated ranching or farming region where water sources like Timber Creek were vital for the local economy.