2014 Map of Whetstone Buttes

About this map

Whetstone Buttes dominate this high-plains landscape along the border of Bowman and Adams counties in southwestern North Dakota. The area is defined by a sparse, grid-based network of section-line roads, such as 18th Ave NW and 17th St NW, reflecting the late-era persistence of the Homestead Act's influence on the rural landscape. Water features are seasonal and intermittent, including the winding course of Duck Cr, S Cedar Cr, and the low-lying Russian Slough. Evidence of local heritage and aviation is found in the Whetstone Cem and the Hagen Private Airport, respectively. This landscape remains largely dedicated to large-scale ranching and agriculture, with the land's topography captured just as it appeared in the early 21st century.