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1950 Map of Spring Valley

Name: 1950 Topographic Map of Spring Valley
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1950
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1950

About this map

Grant County in the Nebraska Sandhills is defined by a rhythmic landscape of valleys and shallow lakes as it appeared in the mid-twentieth century. This survey, part of a Department of the Interior program for the development of the Missouri River Basin, reveals a landscape sparsely populated but dotted with essential rural infrastructure. Local education and community nodes are represented by School No 2, School No 8, and the Rose Hill Sch, which served the isolated ranching families of the region.

The presence of numerous named water bodies like Long Lake, Egan Lake, and the uniquely named Claw Hammer Lake highlights the importance of the local water table in this semi-arid environment. Grounded in the topographic work of the U.S. Geological Survey, the map also details an extensive system of valleys, including Vinton Valley, Snyder Valley, and Handlin Valley, which dictated the routes of travel and the locations of numerous Windmills critical for livestock and homesteading.