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1957 Map of Lees Summit

Name: 1957 Topographic Map of Lees Summit
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1958
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1958

About this map

The rolling landscape of Jackson County, Missouri, transitions from the southern edge of Kansas City and Raytown into a network of small settlements and mid-century suburban expansion. The Chicago Rock Island and Pacific railroad forms a diagonal corridor through the terrain, connecting Lees Summit and South Lee to the urban center. The influence of large institutional developments is clear, most notably at Unity Village, where the distinctive Unity Tower stands near Unity Lake.

Rural character is still evident in the numerous family-named landmarks and country schools, such as Hazel Grove School and Rockford School, which dotted the countryside before the full integration of these areas into the greater metropolitan region. Water bodies like Military Lake and the winding course of the Little Blue River define the natural drainage of the area, while the presence of the Racetrack and a Drive-in Theater near the southern boundary reflects the leisure culture of the late 1950s.