Loading map...

1889 Map of Wichita

Name: 1889 Topographic Map of Wichita
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1889
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1889

About this map

Wichita sits at the vital confluence of the Little Arkansas River and the Arkansas River, serving as a massive hub for five major rail lines in the late 1880s. The city's grid-like expansion is already evident, surrounded by a productive landscape divided into townships like Delano, Minneha, and Waco. This survey captures the region just as the "Wheat State's" rail infrastructure reached its peak, with the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad and the Missouri Pacific Railroad threading through dozens of small prairie stations.

Outside the growing city center, rural life is marked by small settlements such as Oatville, Greenwich, and Andover. The map details the intricate drainage system supporting these settlements, including Chisholm Creek, Gypsum Creek, and the Whitewater River. Numerous short-lived stops like Green Station and Gladys provide a rare look at the early settlement pattern before many were consolidated or bypassed by changing transportation needs.