1968 Map of Sublette SW

About this map

The Cimarron River winds through the southwestern corner of Seward County, defining a landscape increasingly shaped by the energy industry during the late 1960s. This survey by the U.S. Geological Survey reveals a dense network of resource extraction, with numerous instances of Gas Well and Oil Well sites dotting the plains. Industrial infrastructure is prominent, including a large Pipeline that cuts across the terrain, sometimes noted as Aboveground, and several Gravel Pits concentrated near the riverbank. Away from the water, the terrain is sparsely marked, with a few isolated water features like Mitchell Pond and a rugged Jeep Trail providing the only break in the grid of sections. The map serves as a detailed record of the intersection between natural prairie drainage and the expanding footprint of Kansas petroleum production.