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1986 Map of Purdum

Name: 1986 Topographic Map of Purdum
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1986
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1986

About this map

The North Loup River winds through this section of the Nebraska Sandhills, defining the landscape where the borders of Cherry, Thomas, and Blaine counties meet. The small community of Purdum sits near the eastern edge, serving as a focal point in a region characterized by sparse settlement and extensive ranching operations. The map documents numerous family-owned holdings, including the Lowe Ranch, Johnson Ranch, and Moody Ranch, which are strategically positioned near water sources or along the valley floor.

Water management is central to life here, evidenced by the frequent labeling of well sites across the terrain. These points of interest, along with the Ryman Bros Ranch and Rodocker Ranch, illustrate the historical land-use patterns of Thomas County in the mid-1980s. The network of unimproved roads and trails connecting these remote outposts provides a clear view of the rural infrastructure required to maintain these large agricultural tracts.