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1955 Map of Grand Island

Name: 1955 Topographic Map of Grand Island
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1973
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1973

About this map

The Platte River corridor dominates this mid-century survey, tracing a dense network of transport and irrigation through central Nebraska. This era shows the region's heavy reliance on water management, evidenced by the intricate system of the Phelps County Canal, Cozad Canal, and Thirty-mile Canal branching off the river. Industrial footprints like the Cornhusker Army Ammunition Plant near Grand Island stand in contrast to the rural landscape of the Republican River valley to the south.

Along the southern border, the Harlan County Reservoir appears as a major landmark near Alma, while the Republican River flows through a string of smaller settlements including Franklin, Riverton, and Guide Rock. The infrastructure of the period is further defined by the competing routes of the Union Pacific RR and the Burlington Northern RR, which connect major hubs like Hastings, Kearney, and Holdrege. Remote landmarks such as the Bethpage Mission and several scattered radio towers provide specific points of interest for local history researchers.