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1932 Map of Alma

Name: 1932 Topographic Map of Alma
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1932
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1932

About this map

The Mississippi River and the winding Buffalo River dominate this 1932 survey, illustrating the complex hydrology of the Driftless Area before modern land-use changes. The landscape is defined by its deep coulees and ridges, including Alma Ridge and Huber Ridge, which hem in a network of small rural school districts like Tell Sch and Lakeview Sch. These isolated educational centers, often named for nearby creeks or landowners, reflect the highly localized social structure of the early 20th-century Wisconsin bluff country.

Along the riverbanks, the Chicago Burlington and Quincy railroad follows the shoreline through Alma, passing the intricate backwaters of Pomme de Terre Slough and West Newton Chute. The presence of the U S Game Refuge and its Lookout Cabin indicates an early federal commitment to wildlife conservation in this critical river corridor, while the inland settlements of Modena and Cream serve as the primary hubs for the surrounding farming valleys.