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1901 Map of Paxton

Name: 1901 Topographic Map of Paxton
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1912
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1912

About this map

The North Platte River and South Platte River converge in this late-nineteenth-century survey, revealing a landscape defined by the arrival of the Union Pacific R. R. and early irrigation efforts. Settled along the rail corridor, the town of Paxton serves as a central hub between the river forks. To the north, the terrain transitions into the sandhills, where isolated outposts like Knights Ranch, Duck Brand Ranch, and Linn Ranch represent the cattle ranching economy of the era.

Water management is prominent throughout the river valley, with an intricate network of canals including the Sutherland and Paxton Canal, the North Platte Canal, and the Hershey Canal. These early engineering works supported agricultural expansion near Hershey and the Rosedale district. Landmarks such as Big Bald Hill and the northern settlement of Lilac provide essential geographic markers for researchers tracing the development of Keith and Lincoln Counties during this pivotal period of plains settlement.