1957 Map of Goodland

About this map

Northwest Kansas in the mid-1950s is defined by its characteristic high plains drainage patterns and the steady expansion of rail and road networks. The landscape is carved by the eastward flow of the Sappa Creek, Beaver Creek, and the Smoky Hill River, while countless intermittent ponds and prairie depressions dot the agricultural sections. The map records a critical era of regional connectivity, showing the parallel paths of the Chicago Rock Island and Pacific railroad and the burgeoning highway system through towns like Goodland, Colby, and Oakley. This survey, compiled from early 1940s and 50s data, provides a detailed record of local grain hubs and settlements such as Brewster, Kanorado, and Bird City at a time when these communities served as vital anchors for the surrounding family farms and ranching operations.