1959 Map of Bolton

About this map

Oil production and agricultural land dominate this landscape in southeastern Kansas, where the Rutland and Independence townships meet. The map reveals an extensive network of Oil Wells scattered across the Oil Field, particularly south of the Elk River. Small rural centers are defined by local institutions like Oak Ridge Sch and Highland Center Cem, which served the farming and oil-working families of the mid-20th century. The transportation infrastructure of the era is anchored by the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe and Missouri Pacific railroads, which facilitated the movement of goods and people through the region. At the edge of the survey, the Independence Municipal Airport stands as a modern landmark of the late 1950s, while terrain features like Timber Hill and Walker Mound break the rolling plains near Chetopa Creek.