1951 Map of Jamison SW

About this map

The Niobrara River carves a deep valley across the southern portion of this landscape, marking the boundary between Keya Paha and Rock counties. In the post-war era of the late 1940s, this region of the Nebraska Sandhills remained sparsely populated, defined by isolated schoolhouses and cattle ranching across the Simpson and Kirkwood townships. The map documents the rural infrastructure of the period, including Bothwell Sch in the north and Holton Sch further south near Willow Creek. Water sources were critical to the local economy, evidenced by named features like Big Anne Spring and the small settlement of Dyer situated just north of the river. The terrain transitions from the high, relatively flat prairie of the north to the heavily dissected breaks leading down to the river valley, illustrating the geomorphology that dictated settlement patterns in this part of north-central Nebraska.