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1929 Map of Albia

Name: 1929 Topographic Map of Albia
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1929
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1929

About this map

Albia serves as the focal point of this 1920s survey, anchoring a landscape defined by the intersection of major rail lines and industrial coal mining. The Chicago Burlington and Quincy RR and Wabash RR facilitate the movement of resources from extensive operations like the Smoky Hollow Mines, Riteman Mine No 10, and the Rex Mine. This era represents a peak for small mining settlements such as Hiteman, Lovilia, and Rexfield, many of which were built specifically to house the workforce for these nearby pits.

Rural life is meticulously documented through an exhaustive network of country schools, including Halfway Prairie Sch, Egypt Sch, and Shiloh Sch. The terrain is etched with numerous waterways like Bluff Creek and Cedar Creek, while family history is preserved at sites like Zion Cem and the Liberty Cemetery. The presence of several unincorporated communities and namesake ridges, such as Dry Ridge, illustrates the densely populated agrarian and industrial character of Monroe County before later economic shifts.