1960 Map of Downs North

About this map

The confluence of the North Fork Solomon River and South Fork Solomon River anchors this 1960s study of the north central Kansas plains. The landscape is defined by the grid of township boundaries including Lincoln and Ross, where the city of Downs serves as a local hub. The southern edge of the map follows the Missouri Pacific railroad as it parallels the river valleys. This era shows a rural landscape still supported by small community centers like Dispatch and a network of neighborhood institutions. Genealogists will find notable value in the specific placement of the Rose Valley Cem, Oakdale Cem, and Downs Cem. Educational history is preserved through labels for several country schoolhouses, such as Oak Creek Sch and Twelvemile Sch, which mark the centers of late-nineteenth-century settlement clusters before widespread district consolidation.