Investigate a Pioneer Past

If you have ancestors that were early settlers on the plains, a good resource for learning about the place and time they lived is an historical atlas. The Historical Atlas of Sedgwick County, Kansas, originally published in 1882, is one good example. It is an excellent resource for anyone with an ancestor that lived in the county at that time. In it you will find maps of every township in the county. The ownership, land use, buildings, natural resources, roads, and railroads that existed are all shown. For the towns that were settled, you will find labeled street maps. A history of the county and each township tells about the community and business leaders, the schools, newspapers, and churches. A 1982 reprinting added an index that will make finding the location of your great-great-great grandfather's farm much easier. Even if you don't find your family's name in this atlas, it is valuable for envisioning the world the pioneers lived in and learning about how the cities we live in today began.

Edwards, J. P. (1982). Historical Atlas of Sedgwick County, Kansas. Sedgwick County, KS: Midwest Historical and Genealogical Society. (Reprinted from the 1882 original).