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1900 Map of Lakin

Name: 1900 Topographic Map of Lakin
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1945
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1945

About this map

The Arkansas River corridor dominates this high-plains landscape at the close of the 19th century, serving as the primary artery for settlement and transportation. Along its banks, the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe River railroad line connects established outposts like Lakin, Hartland, and Deerfield. To the north, the massive Lake McKinney and the Eastern Canal indicate early irrigation efforts designed to harness the river's flow for agriculture.

South of the river, the terrain shifts abruptly into the Sand Hills, a sparsely populated expanse that separates the Arkansas valley from the southern plains. In this more isolated southern half of the quadrangle, New Ulysses stands near the North Fork Cimarron River, marking a center of commerce for the townships of Lincoln and Thomas. The map captures a period of transition, where established rail towns and developing irrigation systems contrast with the open, high-elevation prairie reaches of Sherman and Sheridan.