1955 Map of Swede Creek

About this map

The branching drainage of McDowell Creek and its many tributaries, including Swede Branch and Deadman Creek, dominates the landscape of the Flint Hills region during the mid-1950s. This survey records a traditional agrarian infrastructure of one-room schools and rural burial grounds before the expansion of modern utilities, though a prominent Pipeline and a Power station indicate the early post-war modernization of the Kansas interior. The map captures the meeting of three counties—Riley, Geary, and Wabaunsee—providing a detailed look at the local landmarks that anchored these townships, such as Briggs School, Cleveland School, and School No 4. Local genealogy is well-supported by the inclusion of Ashland Cem and Briggs Cem, which served the scattered farmsteads found throughout the valleys of East McDowell Creek and the surrounding uplands.