1950 Map of Manhattan

About this map

Kansas State College and the surrounding neighborhoods of Manhattan define this 1950 portrait of the confluence where the Big Blue River meets the Kansas River. The urban core is detailed with civic landmarks like Memorial Stadium, the Post office, and City hall, while the outskirts reveal a landscape of rural education with numerous small institutions including Blue Valley School, Oak Grove School, and Sunnyside School. Industrial and infrastructure elements are prominent, from the Kansas Power and Light Plant near Rockford to the intersecting tracks of the Union Pacific and the Chicago Rock Island and Pacific railroads. The topography shifts from the river flats to the elevated terrain of Fremont Point, illustrating the geographic constraints that shaped the town's early mid-century expansion.