1891 Map of Anthony

About this map

The Chicaskia River and Bluff Creek drain a landscape of expanding rail networks and emerging townships at the end of the nineteenth century. Surveyed just years after the opening of southern Kansas to heavy settlement, this topography reveals the essential role of the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad and the Missouri Pacific Railroad in establishing commercial centers like Anthony, Harper, and Attica. The map documents the grid-like progression of settlements, from the established streets of Hazelton to smaller outposts like Ruella, Crisfield, and Crystal Springs. In the southwest, the Medicine Lodge River cuts through the terrain near New Kiowa, while the prominent landmark of Pilot Knob stands as a natural beacon in the eastern half of the survey. The intricate detail of small tributaries, including Sandy Creek and Cottonwood Creek, illustrates the drainage patterns that dictated early farmstead placement across the prairie.