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1951 Map of De Soto

Name: 1951 Topographic Map of De Soto
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1976
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1976

About this map

The Sunflower Ordnance Works dominates the western edge of this mid-century landscape, providing a striking industrial contrast to the surrounding farmsteads and rural school districts of Johnson County. The Kansas River winds along the northern boundary, flanked by the Union Pacific and the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe railroads, which served the settlements of De Soto and Lenape.

South of the river, the terrain transitions into a network of creeks, including Kill Creek, Camp Creek, and Cedar Creek, where local history is anchored by rural landmarks like North Lone Elm School and the Grange Hall. Newer developments are visible in purple revisions from the 1970s, including the New Olathe Lake and the Cedar Airpark, reflecting the gradual expansion of the area surrounding Olathe and Lexington townships during the postwar era.