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1952 Map of Brewster SW

Name: 1952 Topographic Map of Brewster SW
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1954
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1954

About this map

The Middle Loup River carves a distinct path through this section of Blaine County, serving as the primary geographical focus in a landscape defined by the sandy hills and broad valleys of central Nebraska. This 1952 field-checked survey reveals the rural infrastructure of the era, including the Laughran Bridge crossing and the presence of an Abandoned Canal running parallel to the river's northern bank. These water-management features, alongside names like Edith Valley and Edith, point to the agricultural and ranching history of the Sandhills region.

Local history and genealogy interests are anchored by the specific location of School No 21 (Abandoned) south of the river. The map also traces the drainage of Rayville Creek as it feeds into the larger river system. While the terrain is dominated by the ridges of Dunning and Brewster, the placement of these schools and landmarks provides a clear record of mid-century rural life and the evolving use of the land as part of the Missouri River Basin development program.