2021 Map of Alda

About this map

Alda and Doniphan anchor this central Nebraska landscape, which is defined by the complex, braided hydrology of the Platte River. In this 2021 study, the river is shown divided into the North Channel, Middle Channel, and South Channel, creating substantial landforms like Shoemaker Island and Mormon Island. These river islands and the surrounding floodplain dictate the local road grid, which must navigate around water features such as the Wood River and the Lautenschlager Reservoir. Genealogists and local historians can pinpoint specific burial sites at the Alda Cem and Campbell Cem, while the inclusion of a portion of Grand Island at the northeastern corner provides a look at the expansion of larger settlements toward these historically agricultural lands. The map illustrates how modern infrastructure, including the diagonal path of the interstate, cuts across the traditional section lines of the Public Land Survey System.