1901 Map of Paxton

About this map

The North Platte River and South Platte River converge toward the east in this turn-of-the-century topographic study, defining a landscape dominated by the early development of irrigation and the Union Pacific railroad corridor. The complexity of water management in the Platte Valley is evident through an extensive network of artificial waterways, including the Sutherland and Paxton Canal, the Nichols and Hershey Canal, and the Rosedale Irrigation Canal. These projects speak to the agricultural transformation of the semi-arid High Plains during the late 1800s.