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1899 Map of Lexington

Name: 1899 Topographic Map of Lexington
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1899
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1899

About this map

Lexington and the broad valley of the Platte River anchor this late 19th-century survey of south-central Nebraska. The map illustrates a landscape defined by two competing transportation corridors: the Union Pacific R. R. Main Line following the northern bank of the Platte, and the Burlington and Missouri River R. R. (Cheyenne Line) cutting through the loess hills to the south. These iron rails dictated the placement of emerging rail towns like Cozad, Overton, and Elwood.

Beyond the river valley, the terrain is partitioned into named districts such as Hillside, Westside, and Williamsburg, reflecting the early organization of the prairie. Local travel is marked by key infrastructure including the Lexington Bridge and Overton Bridge, while water sources like the Wood River (Kearney Branch) and various creeks—East Buffalo Creek and Plum Creek—dictate the placement of settlements like Sumner and Smithfield.