Old Maps of West Des Moines, Iowa for Metal Detecting
Plan your next treasure hunt with 24 historic maps of West Des Moines. Find old homesites, ghost towns, trails, and gathering spots that may be lost to time — perfect for identifying promising metal detecting locations.
- Locate forgotten sites: Uncover places like long-lost settlements, abandoned rail lines, or gathering spots.
- Plan better hunts: Use map overlays combined with LiDAR or satellite views to narrow in on historically rich areas.
- Made for detectorists: Thousands of hobbyists use these maps to discover relics, coins, and hidden history.
Use these historic maps to boost your research and find new opportunities beneath the surface of West Des Moines.
West Des Moines, IA maps
(24)- 1905 Map of Des Moines, 1954 Print
1905 Des Moines1954 Print · USGSCovers West Des Moines, including Des Moines, Ankeny, and other nearby areas - 1907 Map of Des Moines
1907 Des Moines1907 Print · USGSThe 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 - 1908 Map of Waukee
1908 Waukee1908 Print · USGSDallas 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 - 1931 Map of Indianola
1931 Indianola1931 Print · USGSWarren 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 - 1951 Map of St. Charles, 1953 Print
1951 St. Charles1953 Print · USGSMadison 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 - 1954 Map of Des Moines, 1973 Print
1954 Des Moines1973 Print · USGSCentral 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 - 1956 Map of Des Moines
1956 Des Moines1956 Print · USGSCentral 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. - 1956 Map of Des Moines SW, 1958 Print
1956 Des Moines SW1958 Print · USGSMid-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 - 1956 Map of Des Moines, 1959 Print
1956 Des Moines1959 Print · USGSThe 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. - 1957 Map of Des Moines
1957 Des Moines1957 Print · USGSCentral 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. - 1965 Map of Waukee, 1966 Print
1965 Waukee1966 Print · USGSMid-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.2 unique versions available - 1965 Map of Commerce, 1966 Print
1965 Commerce1966 Print · USGSSuburban 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 - 1969 Map of Des Moines
1969 Des Moines1969 Print · USGSCentral 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. - 1972 Map of Norwalk, 1975 Print
1972 Norwalk1975 Print · USGSNorwalk 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. - 1972 Map of Cumming, 1975 Print
1972 Cumming1975 Print · USGSCumming 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. - 1983 Map of St. Charles NW
1983 St. Charles NW1983 Print · USGSMadison 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. - 1984 Map of Indianola
1984 Indianola1984 Print · USGSSouth-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. - 1984 Map of Des Moines, 1985 Print
1984 Des Moines1985 Print · USGSCentral 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 - 2022 Map of Cumming, 2022 Print
2022 Cumming2022 Print · USGSWarren County at the dawn of the 2020s shows the meeting point of suburban growth and traditional Iowa farmland. Genealogists and local historians can trace family plots at Saint Johns Cemetery or Calvary Cemetery and follow the natural course of North River. - 2022 Map of Saint Charles NW, 2022 Print
2022 Saint Charles NW2022 Print · USGSMadison County farmland near the North Branch of the North River is documented here in the early 2020s. Genealogists and local historians can trace legacy sites like the German Lutheran Cem, Farris Cem, and Payton Cem. - 2022 Map of Norwalk, 2022 Print
2022 Norwalk2022 Print · USGSWarren County at the dawn of the 2020s shows a landscape in transition as suburban expansion reaches southward from the capital. Researchers can trace historic local sites like Linn Grove Cem, the small settlement of Greenbush, and the length of the Great Western Trl. - 2022 Map of Waukee, 2022 Print
2022 Waukee2022 Print · USGSSuburban growth meets the river valleys of Dallas County in the early 2020s. Researchers can trace family history through many local burial sites like Iowa Veterans Cem and Booneville Cem or locate the junctions of the North Raccoon River. - 2022 Map of Des Moines SW, 2022 Print
2022 Des Moines SW2022 Print · USGSGreater Des Moines at the start of the 2020s shows a sophisticated landscape of urban development and riverfront greenways. Researchers can trace historic cemeteries like Woodland Cem or find smaller sites like Orilla and Millman near the Des Moines International Airport. - 2022 Map of Commerce, 2022 Print
2022 Commerce2022 Print · USGSCentral Iowa's western suburbs emerge from the river valleys in this early 2020s study. Genealogists and local historians can trace legacy sites like Huston Cemetery and Ashawa or the namesake settlement at Commerce.
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