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1974 Map of Fort Downer

Name: 1974 Topographic Map of Fort Downer
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1977
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1977

About this map

Ruins Fort Downer and the legacy of western expansion define this Trego County landscape. The map traces the Butterfield Overland Trail as it cuts across the northern plains, marked by several Historical Markers that commemorate the early stagecoach and freighting route. This historical corridor runs parallel to Downer Creek, which flows south toward the larger valley of the Smoky Hill River.

The southern portion of the sheet is dominated by the waters of the Cedar Bluff Reservoir. This area includes a dedicated State Game Management Area and a Gaging Station positioned near the river's entry into the reservoir. Scattered Sandpits along the riverbanks indicate local industrial activity, while the township boundaries of Collyer, Wakeeney, Franklin, and Wilcox provide essential reference points for genealogists tracking family land in western Kansas.