1959 Map of Pratt

About this map

The Arkansas River curves through this mid-century landscape of south-central Kansas, illustrating the dense network of grain elevators and rail sidings that defined the region's economy in the 1950s. Highlighting the intersection of major transit routes, the map shows the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe and Chicago Rock Island and Pacific railroads connecting rural hubs like Pratt and Kinsley. Local social centers such as the Blue Ridge Community House and Prairie Oak School appear alongside essential water sources including Rattlesnake Creek and the Medicine Lodge River. This survey captures the transition of the High Plains into a highly organized agricultural grid, evidenced by the presence of the KSC Exp Farm and established county seats, while southern areas near the Oklahoma border show the rugged drainage of Bear Creek and Cavalry Creek.