1958 Map of Great Bend

About this map

Great Bend and the surrounding central Kansas plains are defined by an intensive petroleum economy and a landscape shaped by three major river systems in the late 1950s. The Arkansas River flows through the southern reaches, while the Smoky Hill River and Saline River traverse the northern counties. The era's industrial footprint is visible through the density of oil production centers like the Chase-Silica Oil Field and the Bemis-Shutts Oil Field. Water management is prominent with the presence of the Kanopolis Reservoir and Cedar Bluff Reservoir, which were relatively new additions to the landscape at the time of this compilation.