1954 Map of Ordway

About this map

Ordway serves as the primary hub of this high plains agricultural landscape, defined by a complex irrigation network that transformed the prairie. The Missouri Pacific railroad cuts a diagonal line across the terrain, linking the town of Crowley to the regional transport system. This mid-century survey illustrates how water management dictated the local economy, with the Colorado Canal and numerous ditches like the Dayton Lateral and Drescher Lateral feeding the surrounding farmsteads. The presence of the Numa Sch and the Ordway Airport highlights the distribution of community services and infrastructure during the 1950s. To the south, the Arkansas River serves as the natural boundary for the county, while the Lake Meredith Reservoir Outlet Ditch indicates the scale of water diversion efforts necessary for cultivation in this arid environment.