Old Maps of West Des Moines, Iowa

1. 1905 Map of Des Moines, 1954 Print

   

   1905 Des Moines

   1954 Print · USGS

   At the dawn of the twentieth century, the state capital was a thriving rail hub where the Des Moines River met a complex network of iron rails. Genealogists and historians can trace early neighborhood development near the State Fairgrounds or locate family roots near rural landmarks like Red Brick School and Valley Junction.

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4. 1907 Map of Des Moines

   

   1907 Des Moines

   1907 Print · USGS

   The capital city and its surrounding coal-and-rail towns are shown in detail at the start of the twentieth century. Genealogists can locate family homesteads near Fort Des Moines or trace ancestors in vanished settlements like Oralabor, Saylorville, and Valley Junction.

   3 unique versions available

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7. 1908 Map of Waukee

   

   1908 Waukee

   1908 Print · USGS

   Dallas County at the turn of the century shows a landscape shaped by competing railroads and the winding Raccoon River. Genealogists and local historians can trace early schoolhouse locations like Valley Grove School and the original rail footprints of Waukee and Van Meter.

   2 unique versions available

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10. 1931 Map of Indianola

    

    1931 Indianola

    1931 Print · USGS

    Warren County at the end of the 1920s reveals a landscape of thriving rail junctions and rural schoolhouses across central Iowa. Researchers can trace the path of the Chicago Great Western RR through Martensdale and locate local landmarks like Scotch Ridge Sch and the Orillia Mine.

    4 unique versions available

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13. 1951 Map of St. Charles, 1953 Print

    

    1951 St. Charles

    1953 Print · USGS

    Madison and Warren counties are seen here in the early 1950s, when a dense network of rail lines and country schools still knit these rural townships together. Genealogists and local historians can trace family locations near landmarks like Imes Bridge, St Charles Cem, and Blair Chapel.

    2 unique versions available

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16. 1954 Map of Des Moines, 1973 Print

    

    1954 Des Moines

    1973 Print · USGS

    Central Iowa's evolving landscape is captured here in the early seventies, just as major reservoirs were reshaping the river valleys. Genealogists and historians can trace the rail corridors of the Burlington Northern or locate family roots near Pella, Indianola, and Knoxville.

    2 unique versions available

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19. 1956 Map of Des Moines

    

    1956 Des Moines

    1956 Print · USGS

    Central Iowa in the mid-fifties shows a landscape defined by bustling rail hubs and deep-rooted agricultural research. Genealogists and researchers can trace the growth of Des Moines and Ames, locate the Sac and Fox Indian Reservation, or study the paths of the Skunk River and South Skunk River.

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22. 1956 Map of Des Moines SW, 1958 Print

    

    1956 Des Moines SW

    1958 Print · USGS

    Mid-century expansion across Polk County shows the growth of the state capital as suburban neighborhoods reached toward West Des Moines. Researchers can trace historic rail lines, old schools like Plainview Sch, and the layout of Drake University or Glendale Cemetery.

    4 unique versions available

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25. 1956 Map of Des Moines, 1959 Print

    

    1956 Des Moines

    1959 Print · USGS

    The Des Moines metro area is captured in the mid-1950s, showing a landscape defined by rapid suburban growth and deep-rooted military and rail history. Trace the development of Urbandale and Windsor Heights alongside landmarks like Camp Dodge and the State Fairgrounds.

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28. 1957 Map of Des Moines

    

    1957 Des Moines

    1957 Print · USGS

    Central Iowa's post-war landscape is defined here by the converging rail lines and river valleys that shaped its earliest settlements. Genealogists and historians can trace the paths of the Rock Island Railroad and locate community landmarks in Des Moines, Ames, and Newton.

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31. 1965 Map of Waukee, 1966 Print

    

    1965 Waukee

    1966 Print · USGS

    Mid-century Dallas County is defined by the convergence of the North and South Raccoon Rivers and the busy rail lines of the era. Genealogists and local historians can locate several family cemeteries like Williams Cem and trace the paths of the Chicago Rock Island and Pacific railroad through Van Meter.

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34. 1965 Map of Commerce, 1966 Print

    

    1965 Commerce

    1966 Print · USGS

    Suburban development meets Iowa farmland in the mid-1960s as the Raccoon River valley undergoes rapid change. Trace old rail lines like the Chicago Rock Island and Pacific or locate local landmarks like Valley High Sch and Sugar Creek Lake.

    2 unique versions available

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37. 1969 Map of Des Moines

    

    1969 Des Moines

    1969 Print · USGS

    Central Iowa's fertile plains and growing capital are captured here during the late sixties, a time of major highway expansion and reservoir construction. Genealogists and researchers can trace rural township boundaries, local cemeteries, and rail lines serving towns like Pella, Grinnell, and Oskaloosa.

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40. 1972 Map of Norwalk, 1975 Print

    

    1972 Norwalk

    1975 Print · USGS

    Norwalk and the northern Warren County countryside are shown here in the early 1970s as suburban growth began to meet rural farmland. Local researchers can trace family roots at Linn Grove Cemetery or locate old rail stops along the Chicago and North Western Railroad near Martensdale.

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43. 1972 Map of Cumming, 1975 Print

    

    1972 Cumming

    1975 Print · USGS

    Cumming and the surrounding townships in the early 1970s show a transition between rural agricultural life and a structured county road network. Genealogists can trace family connections at St Johns Cem, Calvary Cem, and the village of Churchville.

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46. 1983 Map of St. Charles NW

    

    1983 St. Charles NW

    1983 Print · USGS

    Madison County's rural landscape is captured here in the early eighties, showcasing the intersection of four distinct townships. Researchers can locate family landmarks like the McBride Covered Bridge, Jefferson Cem, and Trinity Ch along the winding North River.

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49. 1984 Map of Indianola

    

    1984 Indianola

    1984 Print · USGS

    South-central Iowa in the mid-1980s reveals a patchwork of established rail hubs and significant new conservation areas. Trace the Chicago and North Western rail lines and explore rural landmarks like Lake Ahquabi State Park or the Strip Mine near Knoxville.

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52. 1984 Map of Des Moines, 1985 Print

    

    1984 Des Moines

    1985 Print · USGS

    Central Iowa's heartland is captured in the mid-1980s as suburban growth met long-standing farm and rail infrastructure. Genealogists and researchers can trace the reaches of the Chicago and North Western through Maxwell or locate Laurel Hill Cem and Camp Dodge Military Reservation.

    2 unique versions available

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55. 2010 Map of Norwalk, 2010 Print

    

    2010 Norwalk

    2010 Print · USGS

    Covers West Des Moines, including Des Moines, Norwalk, and other nearby areas

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58. 2010 Map of Commerce, 2010 Print

    

    2010 Commerce

    2010 Print · USGS

    Covers West Des Moines, including Urbandale, Waukee, and other nearby areas

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61. 2010 Map of Des Moines SW, 2010 Print

    

    2010 Des Moines SW

    2010 Print · USGS

    Covers West Des Moines, including Des Moines, Urbandale, and other nearby areas

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64. 2010 Map of Saint Charles NW, 2010 Print

    

    2010 Saint Charles NW

    2010 Print · USGS

    Covers West Des Moines, including Crawford Township, Lee Township, and other nearby areas

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67. 2010 Map of Cumming, 2010 Print

    

    2010 Cumming

    2010 Print · USGS

    Covers West Des Moines, including Cumming, Crawford Township, and other nearby areas

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70. 2010 Map of Waukee, 2010 Print

    

    2010 Waukee

    2010 Print · USGS

    Covers West Des Moines, including Waukee, Adel, and other nearby areas

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73. 2013 Map of Waukee, 2013 Print

    

    2013 Waukee

    2013 Print · USGS

    Covers West Des Moines, including Waukee, Adel, and other nearby areas

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