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1959 Map of Weskan

Name: 1959 Topographic Map of Weskan
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1960
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1960

About this map

The Union Pacific railroad serves as the primary east-west corridor for this High Plains landscape, connecting the small community of Weskan with the larger town of Sharon Springs. Published in 1960 from surveys conducted in the late 1950s, the map reveals a land defined by its drainages, including the Smoky Hill River and several branches of Ladder Creek. Local history and genealogy are centered around landmarks like the Weskan Cem and the small siding at Sunland.

Surface water is a notable rarity in this arid terrain, highlighted by the naming of the Old Maid Pool and various seasonal creeks such as Eagletail Creek and Goose Creek. The presence of several Gravel Pits and the localized development at Lakeview Park in Sharon Springs suggest the regional importance of road-building and recreation at mid-century. Distinctive elevations like Rock Hill and the eroded breaks of Rattlesnake Gulch provide the few vertical interruptions in this otherwise vast, horizontal expanse of Wallace County.