1958 Map of Scottsbluff

About this map

The North Platte River and its parallel rail lines dominate the landscape of the Nebraska panhandle in the late 1950s. The Chicago Burlington & Quincy railroad tracks the river valley through agricultural hubs like Gering, Scottsbluff, and Bayard, while the Union Pacific runs the southern corridor through Kimball and Potter. Prominent landmarks such as Chimney Rock and the Scotts Bluff National Monument rise above the valley, serving as enduring navigational markers just as they did for western emigrants. To the south, the Sioux Ordnance Depot occupies a significant tract of land, reflecting the era's military footprint. The northern portion of the sheet reveals the lake-dotted terrain of the Crescent Lake National Wildlife Refuge, where water bodies like Island Lake and Blue Lake break the expanse of the sand hills.