1981 Map of Cheyenne Wells

About this map

Union Pacific tracks define the east-west corridor of this High Plains landscape, connecting the primary settlements of Cheyenne Wells and Kit Carson across the Colorado-Kansas border. The terrain is a complex network of intermittent drainage systems, where the headwaters of the Smoky Hill River—including its North and South Forks—begin their journey toward the Kansas River basin. These seasonal watercourses, such as Wild Horse Creek and White Woman Creek, dictate the historical placement of ranching outposts and small communities like Arapahoe and Mt Pearl. The map illustrates a rural economy reliant on these vital water sources and the transit infrastructure of the railroad. Beyond the rail corridor, the presence of an Oil Field and various gravel pits indicates the subsurface industrial activity that supplemented the region's agricultural character in the early 1980s.