1958 Map of Great Bend

About this map

Great Bend dominates the northern edge of this landscape, its urban grid defined by a dense concentration of civic institutions and schools like Harrison Jr High Sch and St Rose Hospital. The Arkansas River flows through the center, flanked by an extensive Levee system that protects the developing town from the shifting sands and seasonal flows of the riverbed. South of the river, the terrain transitions into the petroleum-rich Buffalo Field, where numerous Oil Wells are scattered across the township lines of Liberty and South Bend. This 1950s survey shows the city's growth toward the Great Bend Airport and the presence of rural landmarks such as the Shady Grove Sch and Chaffee Sch, illustrating the intersection of Kansas agricultural life and the mid-century energy boom.