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1953 Map of Williston

Name: 1953 Topographic Map of Williston
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1976
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1976

About this map

The northwest corner of North Dakota meets the Canadian border in this detailed study of Williams, Divide, Burke, and Ward Counties. The Missouri River's transformation is evident in the sprawling waters of Lake Sakakawea, while the northern plains are defined by the extensive wetland complexes of the Lostwood National Wildlife Refuge and Des Lacs National Wildlife Refuge. Cold War military presence is anchored by the Fortuna Air Force Station near the border, overlooking a landscape of prairie potholes and numerous small lakes like Skermo Lake and Bright Water Lake.

Regional commerce in the mid-20th century follows the heavy rail lines of the Soo Line and Burlington Northern, connecting agricultural hubs from Crosby to Stanley. The emergence of the energy sector is visible through various Gas and Oil Field markings and a strip mine near Columbus, illustrating the region's shift from purely ranching and farming to a resource-based economy during the 1950s and 1970s.