1985 Map of Wright Valley NE

About this map

The boundary between Hooker Co and McPherson Co divides this section of the Nebraska Sandhills, a landscape defined by its isolated cattle ranching heritage in the mid-1980s. The map illustrates a network of family-operated operations, including the R Connell Ranch, H Connell Ranch, and the Moore Ranch, all situated among the characteristic undulations of the terrain. The infrastructure of these remote holdings is notably represented by the Pioneer Ranch Landing Strip, which serves the Pioneer Ranch in the central portion of the sheet. Other local landmarks like the Calhoun Ranch and Haase Ranch further anchor the settlement pattern, showing how these operations were spaced across the hills. This document captures the region just as modern aerial photography was being used to update decades of traditional surveying, providing a clear record of the area's ranching footprint.