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1961 Map of Wichita East

Name: 1961 Topographic Map of Wichita East
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1983
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1983

About this map

The Arkansas River and Little River converge in a dense urban landscape, revealing the mid-century expansion of Wichita and its surrounding communities like Eastborough and Plainview. The map documents a significant era of aviation and military presence, anchored by the sprawling McConnell Air Force Base in the southeast and the Cessna Aircraft Airport. Industrial infrastructure is prominent, with a large Refinery and scattered oil wells indicating the region's energy economy during this period.

Educational and social institutions are remarkably dense on this sheet, featuring Friends University, the Institute of Logopedics, and the Masonic Home. Religious and community life is anchored by numerous sites like St Marys Academy and Our Lady of Perpetual Help Sch. For local historians, the transition of the rail network—including the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe and Missouri Pacific—alongside the development of the Kansas Turnpike Toll Road provides a clear view of the city's logistical evolution.