1950 Map of Wolf Lake

About this map

Wood Lake and Johnstown anchor this mid-century portrait of the Nebraska Sandhills, where the Chicago and North Western railroad cuts through the center of the landscape. The map reveals a highly decentralized ranching economy, with family names marking the vast drainage basins of Plum Creek and the South Fork Fairfield Creek. Notable landmarks include Woodlawn Cem and East Woodlawn Cem, alongside several rural schoolhouses that served the dispersed population. The terrain is defined by complex creek systems and intermittent water bodies like Leach Lake. One particularly striking detail for local historians is the Porter Valley Sch (Abandoned), which points to shifting demographics and the consolidation of early prairie school districts by the time of the 1950 field check. Numerous ranch names, such as McNamara Ranch and Burrows Ranch, provide a spatial record of long-standing family holdings in Cherry Co and Brown Co.