1969 Map of Mount Sunflower NW

About this map

The North Fork Smoky Hill River winds through the southern reaches of this landscape on the Colorado and Kansas border, where the High Plains terrain is marked by a sparse network of agricultural developments and deep creek beds. In the late 1960s, the rural character of Kit Carson County is defined by its water sources and isolated community centers, such as the Smoky Hill Sch located near the river's path. The small settlement of Janssen sits further north, surrounded by a high density of water wells that indicate the intensive irrigation required for farming in this arid region. Surveyed during a period of steady land use, the map documents the drainage patterns of Sandy Creek and Beaver Creek, alongside their tributaries like Middle Beaver Creek. These features illustrate the essential relationship between the intermittent waterways and the homesteads that dot the plateau.