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1891 Map of Medicine Lodge

Name: 1891 Topographic Map of Medicine Lodge
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1891
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1891

About this map

Medicine Lodge serves as the primary hub of this 1890 survey of Barber County, where the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad terminates at the river's edge. The landscape is defined by an intricate network of drainage, with the Medicine Lodge River winding through the center while the Salt Fork Creek traverses the southern reaches near Etna. The map captures the early settlement patterns of South Central Kansas, showing small communities like Sun City and Lake City established along the valley floor.

The distribution of township names such as Elm Mills, Springvale, and Nippewalla reflects the organized agricultural expansion of the late nineteenth century. Beyond the rail lines, smaller outposts including Hardtner, Canema, and Roundup are visible, connected by a dense system of tributary creeks including Turkey Creek and Crooked Creek, which shaped the early commerce and ranching of the region.