1950 Map of Bonny Reservoir

About this map

Bonny Reservoir and the Bonny Dam dominate this landscape on the Colorado-Kansas border just as the reservoir was reaching its operational capacity. Built as part of a larger effort by the Bureau of Reclamation to control the Missouri River Basin, the project flooded the valley of the South Fork Republican River. The map captures the agricultural infrastructure of the era, recording numerous family holdings such as the Moellenberg Ranch, Foster Ranch, and O'Brien Ranch. Small rural communities and school districts define the social geography, with sites like Hale, the Armel High Sch, and the Gospel Hall Ch serving as focal points for the high plains population. A State Game Refuge and the Bonny Reservation Boundary highlight the shift toward conservation and recreation alongside the region's traditional ranching economy.