This link provides an image of the original 1856 survey of Kansas Territory.

This link provides access to the 1905 Plat Map of Pottawatomie County, Kansas.

The Kansas Historical Society offers online access to historical plat maps for Riley County and several other counties. To find additional maps, click “Kansas Memory” at the top of the page, then select the county you’re interested in. The 1881 Riley County Plat Book includes county histories, maps, biographical sketches, and illustrations of residences, schools, and businesses.

This link provides access to the 1909 atlas and plat book for Riley County, Kansas. This book also contains a business directory.

This website provides access to the Kansas Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps, a large collection covering 241 towns and cities across the state. Originally created by the Sanborn Map Company for insurance purposes, these maps are now an important resource for locating historic businesses and residences.

Kansas uses the Public Land Survey System (PLSS), a standardized grid of townships, ranges, and sections (T/R/S) established by the U.S. government for legal land descriptions. Townships are numbered southward from the Nebraska border, while ranges are numbered east and west from the Sixth Principal Meridian, which runs north–south through Wichita. This grid creates a unique address for every land parcel, from full sections (640 acres) to quarter‑sections (160 acres) and smaller subdivisions. Kansas lands were surveyed between 1854 and 1877. Key Components of the PLSS in Kansas - Townships (T): Numbered 1S to 35S, beginning at the Nebraska border. - Ranges (R): Numbered 1E to 25E (toward Missouri) and 1W to 43W (toward Colorado), measured from the Sixth Principal Meridian. - Principal Meridian (PM): The Sixth Principal Meridian divides the state’s east and west ranges. - Sections: Each township (6 miles by 6 miles) contains 36 one‑mile‑square sections, each about 640 acres. - Subdivisions: Sections can be divided into half‑sections, quarter‑sections (160 acres), and quarter‑quarter sections for precise legal descriptions. How It Works (Example) A description such as “NE¼ SW¼ Sec 10, T1S R2E” identifies the northeast quarter of the southwest quarter of Section 10, in Township 1 South, Range 2 East. Tools & Resources - GeoKansas / Kansas Geological Survey (KGS): Digital PLSS information and databases. - KDHE PLSS Finder: Interactive map for locating PLSS details across Kansas. - Kansas Geoportal: Provides statewide Township–Range datasets.