1958 Map of Columbus

About this map

Columbus sits at the vital confluence where the Loup River meets the braided channels of the Platte River. By the late 1950s, the city displays a dense civic infrastructure, including multiple neighborhood schools like Emerson Sch and Williams Sch, alongside central landmarks such as Fountain Square and Buffalo Square. The industrial and transportation character of the region is defined by the Union Pacific and Chicago Burlington and Quincy railroads, which parallel the river systems. North of the city, hydraulic engineering is evident in the massive Levee and Spoil Bank system surrounding Lake Babcock, feeding the Powerplant near the river bend. The map also records rural education through outlying sites like School No 80 and School No 44, while the local leisure culture of the era is captured by the Drive-in Theater and Pawnee Park.