1986 Map of Elsmere

About this map

Elsmere sits at the heart of this mid-1980s topographical study, a remote ranching settlement situated where the winding course of Goose Creek cuts through the Sandhills. The landscape is defined by its hydrology, specifically the numerous Flowing Wells and individual Wells that suggest a high water table critical for livestock in this arid region of the Nebraska panhandle. Straddling the boundary of Cherry County and Brown County, the map captures the vast, open character of the high plains, where man-made infrastructure is limited to occasional ranch tracks, section lines, and a lone Transmission Line cutting across the southern reaches. The placement of wells throughout the township lines indicates a reliance on groundwater to support the sparse population and agricultural life of the era.