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1981 Map of Chain Lake

Name: 1981 Topographic Map of Chain Lake
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1982
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1982

About this map

The boundary between Holt and Garfield Counties runs through this section of the Nebraska Sandhills, a landscape defined by its distinctive hydrogeology and ranching history. The prevalence of Flowing Wells and isolated water bodies like Willow Lake and Sunfish Lake indicates the region's reliance on the high water table of the Ogallala Aquifer. Scattered ranching operations, including the Ballagh Ranch and Lowery Ranch, represent the primary human imprint on this undulating terrain.

Social and community centers are found near the valley floor of Big Cedar Creek, where the Erina Ch and a nearby Cem serve as primary genealogical landmarks for the local ranching families. The presence of a Rush Lakebed suggests the shifting nature of these prairie wetlands over time. This 1981 survey provides a clear view of a rural environment where infrastructure is minimal, consisting largely of unimproved roads connecting family holdings like the Cassidy Ranch and Chaffin Ranch.