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1889 Map of Burden

Name: 1889 Topographic Map of Burden
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1895
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1895

About this map

Winfield serves as a primary hub in this late nineteenth-century portrait of southeastern Kansas, where three distinct rail lines converge to define the local economy. The Kansas City and South Western Railroad cuts diagonally through the northern townships, connecting Atlanta and Wilmot to the larger network, while the Southern Kansas Railroad links Burden and New Salem. This density of rail infrastructure highlights a period of intense settlement and agricultural expansion across the prairie landscape.

Watercourses like Grouse Creek, Otter Creek, and Timber Creek divide the townships of Dexter and Sheridan, providing vital resources for early homesteads. Genealogists can trace small nineteenth-century communities such as Floral, Torrance, and Maple City along these riparian corridors. The southern boundary reveals the growing settlement of Cedarvale and the intricate drainage of Beaver Creek, documenting the transition of Cowley County into a developed ranching and farming district.