1950 Map of Arthur

About this map

The town of Arthur serves as the central hub of this Nebraska Sandhills landscape, where the settlement pattern is defined by widely spaced family operations like the Eymann Ranch and Reichenberg Ranch. Published at the midpoint of the century, the map details a unique topography of enclosed basins and valleys such as Nostrum Valley and Deans Valley, many of which hold seasonal or permanent bodies of water with colorful local names like Bean Soup Lake and Sand Puddin Lake. A network of one-room schoolhouses, including Meadow View Sch and School No 51, illustrates the rural educational infrastructure required to serve these remote ranching communities before the era of widespread consolidation. The reliance on groundwater is evident through the numerous flowing wells scattered across the terrain near features like Threemile Lake.