1956 Map of Gretna

About this map

Gretna and the surrounding agricultural landscape of eastern Nebraska appear in transition during the mid-1950s, as traditional rural landmarks remain prominent alongside emerging transport corridors. The map records a dense network of country schools that served the farming community, including Iron Bluff Sch, Lone Hill Sch, and Willowdale Sch. These small educational hubs, along with family and community burial grounds such as Pennsylvania Cem and the La Borde Cem, anchor the rural census of the era. Settlement is concentrated at the rail crossings in Millard and Chalco, where the Union Pacific and Chicago Burlington and Quincy railroads facilitated movement through the valleys of West Papillion Creek and South Papillion Creek. This survey captures the county line dividing Douglas and Sarpy counties before modern suburban growth significantly altered the landscape.