2014 Map of Middle Valley

About this map

The Nebraska Sandhills landscape of Grant County is defined here by a series of northwest-to-southeast trending depressions, including Middle Valley, Vinton Valley, and Snyder Valley. These topographic lows often cradle small water bodies such as Spring Valley Lake and the oddly named Claw-Hammer Lake, which are characteristic of the region’s high water table and porous soils. The map reveals a sparsely populated ranching environment where movement is dictated by the terrain, evidenced by the lone named thoroughfare, Snyder Ln. This 2014 survey documents the enduring physical character of the high plains, where named features like Drake Valley and Cogill Lake serve as primary landmarks in an otherwise vast, undulating grassland. Local history and genealogy researchers can use these named valleys and lakes to pinpoint specific rangelands and homestead locations in a region where traditional town centers are distant.