1956 Map of Cowdrey

About this map

The Union Pacific railroad line defines the central corridor of this Jackson County landscape, passing through the settlement of Cowdrey as it parallels the Michigan River. This 1956 survey documents an era of intensive water management in a high-elevation ranching environment, evidenced by an intricate network of irrigation channels including the Poquette Ditch, Davis Ditch, and the curiously named Give A Dam Ditch. These systems divert water from the North Platte River and its tributaries to support family operations like the Hanson Ranch, Carlstrom Ranch, and Hill Ranch. To the southeast, the emergence of the local petroleum industry is visible near the Oil Field and Walden-Jackson County Airport. The map also captures the confluence of the Canadian River and the Michigan, illustrating how the natural hydrology was adapted for 20th-century agriculture and energy extraction.