1896 Map of Lexington

About this map

The Platte River corridor serves as the central artery for this late 19th-century survey, revealing a landscape defined by the arrival of the great railroads. The Union Pacific R. R. (Main Line) dictates the placement of thriving trackside settlements like Lexington, Cozad, and Overton. These early prairie towns are connected across the wide river valley by the Lexington Bridge and Overton Bridge. To the south, the Burlington and Missouri River R. R. (Cheyenne Line) carves its own path through Elwood and Smithfield, while the northern hills are home to Sumner along the Kearney and Black Hills Line. The map provides a remarkable view of the region before modern irrigation and highways, showing the original surveyor townships and the early importance of water sources such as Plum Creek and Wood River.