1959 Map of Wild Horse Lake

About this map

The High Plains landscape of Southwest Kansas is defined here by the emerging natural gas industry and the transition of early prairie settlements. Photorevised in 1978 from original 1959 surveys, the map illustrates the rural intersections of Ivanhoe, Haskell, and Lockport townships. The presence of numerous Gas Wells throughout the territory signals the mid-century energy boom that reshaped the economy of this section of the state. Local history is anchored by markers of early community life, notably the Ivanhoe Cem in the southwest and Independence Sch to the east. The namesake Wild Horse Lake sits as a prominent natural feature in a region where surface water is scarce, surrounded by the section lines that dictate the orderly agricultural layout of the county.