Loading map...

1949 Map of Box Butte NE

Name: 1949 Topographic Map of Box Butte NE
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1949
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1949

About this map

Niobrara River winds across the high plains of northwest Nebraska, carving a shallow valley through the sandy tablelands at the intersection of Dawes, Sheridan, and Box Butte counties. This 1940s landscape is defined by the early development of water management, visible in the Irrigation Canal and numerous Windmills scattered across the township sections. These small-scale water improvements supported a sparse ranching economy where distances between landmarks were significant.

Rural social life centered on isolated points like School No 80, located in the southeastern portion of the quadrangle. The map captures a transitional era of prairie land use, where natural drainages like Pepper Creek and the broader Running Water region were being supplemented by a growing network of canals. The labeling of large areas such as Mirage and Craig reflects older land divisions and topographical features important to local navigation.