1952 Map of Burwell NW

About this map

Garska Ranch sits at the heart of this Nebraska Sandhills landscape, where the terrain is defined by the sweeping dunes of the Kinkaid and Rockford regions. This 1952 field survey, part of the Department of the Interior's Missouri River Basin development program, documents a sparsely settled ranching environment. While large bodies of water like Nichol Lake and Bald Lake occupy the northern reaches, the southern portion relies on seasonal drainage such as Dry Creek and the localized flow of Willow Springs. The map provides a look at rural education and infrastructure in the mid-20th century, noting the active School No 29 alongside the already School No 32 (Abandoned). Windmills are scattered throughout the quadrangle, indicating the critical role of groundwater in sustaining the livestock and isolated homesteads of the Loup and Garfield County line.