1956 Map of Derby

About this map

The Arkansas River corridor south of Wichita reveals a landscape of mid-century suburban expansion and aviation infrastructure. In the northeast, the massive Mc Connell Air Force Base dominates the terrain, while the newly constructed Kansas Turnpike bisects the region, bypassing older rail lines like the Chicago Rock Island and Pacific. Small communities such as Haysville and Derby are shown at a pivotal moment of growth, supported by numerous neighborhood institutions like St Marys Sch and Riverview Sch. Local leisure is represented by the Drive-in Theater and Meadow Lake, while agricultural remnants like Sand Burr Hill and the complex drainage of the Cowskin Floodway persist despite the encroaching residential developments of Oaklawn and Sunset Park.