1950 Map of Storm Lake

About this map

Deep in the Nebraska Sandhills during the late 1940s, this area of Morrill and Garden Counties reveals a landscape defined by an extensive network of alkaline and freshwater basins. The southeastern portion of the map covers the Crescent Lake National Wildlife Refuge, a critical sanctuary for migratory birds. Numerous family-run operations such as Storm Lake Ranch, Hill Ranch, and the Avery Ranch highlight the importance of cattle ranching in this interior drainage basin. Evidence of early 20th-century rural education is preserved through the locations of School No 10, School No 84, and School No 83, which served the isolated ranching community. The map illustrates a complex hydrology of closed basins, including the namesake Storm Lake, the large Alkali Lake, and dozens of smaller water bodies like Johnson Lake and Blue Stem Lake, many of which were accessed by primitive trails and the Refuge Road.