1973 Map of Medicine Lodge

About this map

The Medicine Lodge River meanders across the southern plains of Barber County, defining the geography of a region shaped by both agriculture and the petroleum industry. During the mid-1970s, Medicine Lodge serves as the central hub, anchored by civic institutions like the Courthouse and City Hall, while its spiritual and educational life is centered at the High Sch and Highland Cem. The landscape reflects a diverse economy, from the heavy infrastructure of the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe railroad to the active extraction at the Bloom Oil Field and various Gravel Pits. Local recreation and transit are well-established, evidenced by the Barber County State Lake to the north and the Medicine Lodge Airport to the southeast. Unique cultural landmarks like the Drive-in Theater and Golf Course illustrate the community's mid-century development patterns during this era of Kansas history.