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1947 Map of Box Butte NE

Name: 1947 Topographic Map of Box Butte NE
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1977
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1977

About this map

Niobrara River winds through the northern half of this landscape, flanked by the distinct terrain of Mirage Flats and the narrow corridor of Sand Canyon. Topography compiled in the late 1940s reveals an agrarian landscape defined by essential water infrastructure, most notably the Mirage Flats Canal and several scattered windmills. These features, along with intermittent streams like Pepper Creek, underscore the vital role of irrigation and water management in this corner of the Nebraska panhandle.

While the map focuses on the physical geography of Running Water, it also preserves important markers of local social organization. The location of School No 80 provides a fixed point for family history research, while named locales such as Potmesil and Craig offer insights into the early ranching and farming divisions of the region. Boundary lines for Dawes Co, Sheridan Co, and Box Butte Co converge here, highlighting the map's significance as a junction of local jurisdictions.