1965 Map of Utica SW

About this map

The convergence of North Fork Walnut Creek and Middle Fork Walnut Creek into the primary Walnut Creek channel defines the drainage patterns of this western Kansas landscape. Mapping performed by the Geological Survey during the mid-1960s captures a rural environment where land use was primarily divided between ranching and the emerging petroleum industry. The industrial footprint is concentrated in the northeast corner, where the Arnold Oil Field and Dumler Oil Field represent the subsurface resource extraction of the era. On the surface, the townships of Ohio and Eden are marked by a network of unimproved roads and light-duty paths connecting isolated homesteads. Local infrastructure is further evidenced by several Gravel Pits and Sandpits, likely used for road maintenance and regional construction as the area's transportation network expanded.