Re: Where is this?

Thanks David

The photo was taken 10' off of Nevada Gulch Road. I was on the far side of the gaurdrail, but likely still on the road right-of-way.

Mapping accuracy is a primary goal for this project. The net has made data sources and tools available, that for the first time, allows precision mapping of this historic infrastructure. Most valuable has been the USGS Earth Explorer site where I can find 1950's aerial photography of the entire Black Hills. Road beds of railroads that were abandoned as much as 50 years prior to the aerial photography are still visible in most cases. As a result, the vast majority of the map in its current state is within an accuracy tolerance of +- 25'. Even the majority (but not all) of the lumber railroads meet this accuracy, though few of them existed for more than a handful of years.

I spent the last two weeks of May in the Black Hills photographing and ground truthing much of my map. I went on a number of private properties, seeking permission where possible and met a number of interesting people as a result. For example, 90 year old Arial Larson let me on his farm property at Bucks, where I Jeeped the old Nemo branch from Bucks to Reavsaw. Arial has one of his earliest childhood memories of the section crew hand carting the BH&FP line through their property and being told they were boogy men coming to get him. I was given permission by the farmer at the most southerly point of the BH&FP Stage Barn Branch to track the line cut in the sidehill of Steamboat Rock. Railroad ties are still in abundance on this section of line even though it was abandoned 86 years ago. I tracked the entire McLaughlin Tie and Timber Company line, and again found ties in the grade from a line abandoned 101 years ago.

More significant was the time spent with local university libraries and museums. The libraries of the Black Hills University and South Dakota School of Mines and Technology were especially helpful providing full access to the Watson Parker Notes Collection (all 133 three inch binders) and the Mildred Fielder Collection respectively. The South Dakota State Historical Society and the Adams Homestake Archive were also very helpful. I now have over 500 photos of Black Hills railroading that will eventually be attached to the map as soon as Google Maps fixes their photo link bug.

The Watson Parker notes gave me the greatest discovery. That was the extent and general location of the Warren Lamb logging lines. I had originally used Mildred Fielder's description for the Sheridan line until I came across this note from Watson: "Fielder is just WRONG. She generally is when you check her out.” I thought that was a bit harsh given that Fielder’s work remains the most comprehensive documentation of Black Hills railroading that just about everyone pursuing this subject uses as a starting point. Nonetheless, there’s no question that there are numerous errors in her work.

I would definitely be interested in sharing notes. Send me a PM if you want to take this discussion offline.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/20/2016 03:06PM by warc1.