Loading map...

1939 Map of Lake Mc Bride

Name: 1939 Topographic Map of Lake Mc Bride
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1958
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1958

About this map

El Quartelejo Pueblo Ruins Monument stands as a focal point along the winding course of Ladder Creek, highlighting the deep cultural history of this western Kansas landscape. Surveyed just before the Second World War, the map documents a transition in land use where traditional ranching and farming intersect with early state-level conservation and recreation efforts. The development of Lake McBride and Christy Lake, supported by the Christy Dam, indicates the mid-century push for water management in the arid High Plains.

Rural education is well-represented by localized schoolhouses like Glendale Sch and Prairie View Sch, which served the dispersed homesteads across Beaver and Michigan townships. The rugged topography is defined by a series of dramatic breaks and drainage features, including the aptly named Suicide Bluffs and numerous deep-cut canyons such as Garvin Canyon and Battle Canyon. The presence of the Grade Railroad further illustrates the infrastructure supporting the local economy during this era.