1972 Map of Fairchild Ranch

About this map

Fairchild Ranch and the nearby settlement of Fairchild anchor this high-plains landscape in western Nebraska. This 1970s topographical record captures the sparse, working nature of the borderlands between Morrill County and Cheyenne County, where the terrain transitions from the broken draws of Cedar Creek in the north to the flatter agricultural and grazing lands to the south. The map documents essential infrastructure for this rural economy, including a long Pipeline cutting diagonally across the southern townships and several localized industrial sites such as a Gravel Pit. To the southeast, the outlier of Sidney and the Radio Tower mark the modern development of the era, while scattered water sources like the Springs near the northern boundary indicate the vital importance of groundwater in this arid environment.