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1896 Map of Osborne

Name: 1896 Topographic Map of Osborne
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1944
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1944

About this map

The South Fork Solomon River defines the northern landscape of this Kansas region, where the Pacific RR follows the valley through early rail towns like Alton and Osborne. Surveyed in the 1890s, the map reveals a high density of small rural settlements and post offices that served a growing agricultural population. To the south, the topography transitions into the drainage of Wolf Creek and Paradise Creek, where the boundary between Osborne Co and Russell Co is clearly marked.

Genealogists will find a wealth of specific ranch and community names, from the isolated Meade Ranch to local hubs like Tipton, Waldo, and Lucas. The township structure, including Independence, Delphi, and Victor, organizes a landscape of section lines and early homesteads. Features such as Round Mound serve as distinct landmarks in a territory characterized by the intersection of river valleys and high prairie divides.