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1950 Map of Manhattan

Name: 1950 Topographic Map of Manhattan
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1950
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1950

About this map

Manhattan sits at the confluence of the Big Blue River and the Kansas River, serving as a regional hub of education and transport in the post-war era. The campus of Kansas State College dominates the northern portion of the city, with Memorial Stadium and nearby residential streets like Anderson Avenue and Poyntz Avenue showing the town's mid-century expansion. The landscape is deeply tied to the railroads, with the Union Pacific and Chicago Rock Island and Pacific lines tracing the riverbanks and supporting local industry, such as the Cattle loading station near Rockford.

Rural life outside the city center is marked by a network of small schoolhouses, including Blue Valley School and Sunnyside School, which served the farming communities in the surrounding hills. Aviation is well-established with both the Mankan Airport and Pottawatomie Airport operational. The map also captures the industrial infrastructure of the day, from the Kansas Power and Light Plant to various pumping stations and water towers.