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1979 Map of McCook

Name: 1979 Topographic Map of McCook
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1979
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1979

About this map

The Republican River valley defines the character of southwest Nebraska in the late 1970s, serving as the primary corridor for both the Burlington Northern railroad and major highways. This survey illustrates an intensive agricultural landscape supported by an intricate network of irrigation, including the Riverside Canal, Meeker Canal, and Culbertson Extension Canal. These systems feed the lands surrounding established rail towns like Culbertson, Indianola, and Cambridge.

Further north, the map documents the emergence of modern water management and outdoor tourism at Hugh Butler Lake State Recreation Area and Harry Strunk Lake State Recreation Area. The presence of small, private landing strips such as Hock Landing Strip and Hoyt Landing Strip alongside the McCook State Airport (Abandoned) reflects the importance of general aviation for this rural expanse. Numerous canyons, including Massacre Canyon and Tipton Canyon, cut through the terrain south toward the Nebraska-Kansas border.