2018 Map of Bentley

About this map

Bentley and Denver anchor this rural Hancock County landscape, where the rectangular grid of the Public Land Survey System defines the placement of farmsteads and transport routes. The area is heavily marked by its pioneer-era heritage, as evidenced by a high density of small burial grounds including Old Sixteen Cem, Harmony Cem, and Groves Cem. These cemeteries are often located along the margins of creeks like Bronson Cr and Panther Cr, where the terrain breaks from flat prairie into more complex drainage patterns. The presence of Mc Pherson Airport amidst these fields highlights the continued importance of regional transit in the agricultural economy. The map reveals how local life is structured around numbered section lines and the seasonal flows of waterways such as Middle Creek and Slater Cr.