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1902 Map of Rush Springs

Name: 1902 Topographic Map of Rush Springs
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1949
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1949

About this map

The Old Indian Territory Oklahoma Boundary Line bisects this landscape, a remnant of the Chickasaw Nation’s western edge before the integration of Indian and Oklahoma Territories. Surveyed in 1898, the map illustrates a region transitioning from tribal jurisdiction to an organized agricultural and rail corridor. The Chicago Rock Island and Pacific RR runs north-to-south through the western portion, connecting the primary settlements of Rush Springs, Marlow, and Duncan.

Hydrology dictates the layout of the smaller hinterland communities. The Washita River meanders across the northern half, feeding into a network that includes Rush Creek and the various branches of Roaring Creek. Scattered throughout are small post-settlement hubs like Erin Springs, Purdy, and Robberson, which appear as emerging nodes of commerce and local history before the widespread development of the 20th century. This early topo provides a specific look at the topography and drainage patterns that influenced where these early territorial families chose to build.