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1902 Map of Rush Springs

Name: 1902 Topographic Map of Rush Springs
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1902
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1902

About this map

The Washita River snakes through the northern reaches of the Chickasaw Nation in this 1898 survey of the Indian Territory. The landscape is defined by a dense network of watercourses, including Rush Creek, Roaring Creek, and Wildhorse Creek, which dictated early settlement patterns before statehood. The Chicago Rock Island and Pacific railroad provides the primary north-south transportation artery, connecting the growing hubs of Rush Springs, Marlow, and Ninnekah.

A notable boundary line separates the Oklahoma and Indian Territories along the western edge, reflecting the complex political geography of the era. Small rural communities like Erin Springs, Purdy, and Alex appear as early focal points for local commerce and social life. The detailed topography, surveyed by C.H. Fitch and Van H. Manning, reveals the transition from the river valleys to the surrounding uplands, capturing a pivotal moment just years before the land was formally organized into the state of Oklahoma.