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1971 Map of Johnson Lake

Name: 1971 Topographic Map of Johnson Lake
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1984
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1984

About this map

Hydraulic engineering and the legacy of western migration intersect along the Dawson and Gosper County line in this early 1970s survey. The landscape is defined by the Platte River and the massive irrigation and power infrastructure of the Tri-County Supply Canal, which feeds into Johnson Lake and the southern Elwood Reservoir. This water network supported a growing mid-century recreation economy, evidenced by the State Recreation Area, a Golf Course, and the Johnson Lake Landing Field.

Tracing through the northern bluffs, the Emigrant Trail marks the historic path of pioneers through the Platte Valley, running parallel to the river and passing near Danielson Island. Local civic life is anchored by rural landmarks such as School No 15, School No 4, and the Chapel of the Lake, providing essential points of interest for genealogists and local historians studying the rural settlement patterns of central Nebraska.