1969 Map of Mount Sunflower SW

About this map

The North Fork Smoky Hill River carves a winding path through this high plains landscape on the Colorado-Kansas border during the late 1960s. This survey illustrates a sparse ranching environment where water sources like Turtle Creek and Goose Creek define the layout of the land. The isolated Beverage Ranch serves as a primary human landmark in a territory characterized by the curiously named Monotony terrain. Spanning the boundary between Kit Carson Co and Cheyenne Co, the map reveals a decentralized settlement pattern dominated by numerous wells, suggesting a heavy reliance on groundwater for the local cattle industry. The presence of the State Line on the eastern edge emphasizes the remote nature of this shortgrass prairie region before modern consolidation altered the rural infrastructure.