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1953 Map of Durant

Name: 1953 Topographic Map of Durant
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1971
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1971

About this map

Durant stands as the primary hub on this mid-century landscape, positioned at the convergence of the Chicago Rock Island and Pacific railroad and major county boundaries. The map illustrates a rural society defined by its township structure, spanning sections of Farmington, Cleona, and Wilton. A significant network of rural education is visible, with numerous local institutions such as Prospect Hill School, Sunnyside School, and Crab Apple School serving the surrounding agricultural community.

Drainage across the region is dominated by Little Elkhorn Creek and Big Mud Creek, while the southern reaches towards Montpelier transition into the Pine Creek valley. A dismantled railroad near the Melpine Cemetery provides a tangible record of shifting transportation patterns in the early 1950s, contrasting with the active rail corridor that supported the town's industrial core and its prominent water tower.