1950 Map of Dilts Ranch

About this map

Old Oregon Trail tracks through the high plains of the Converse and Platte County border, marking a landscape defined by historic migration and ranching. Surveyed in the late 1940s, this map documents the cattle-country economy centered around the Dilts Ranch along La Bonte Creek and the Elkhorn Ranch situated near the headwaters of Elkhorn Creek. The cartography captures the literal markers of the westward expansion, specifically identifying an Oregon Trail Monument and the various paths that diverged across the arid terrain. While the geography is shaped by drainages like Sand Creek and Indian Creek, the 20th-century imprint is visible through the infrastructure of Pipe Lines and scattered features like a Windmill, illustrating how the land was adapted for modern use while preserving the physical memory of the pioneer trail.