1950 Map of Alma

About this map

The Mississippi River and its intricate network of side channels like Buffalo Slough and Peterson Lake dominate this mid-century survey of the Wisconsin-Minnesota border. The river's industrial character is defined by Lock and Dam No 4 and the twin rail lines of the Chicago Burlington and Quincy RR and Chicago Great Western RR tracing the shorelines. On the Wisconsin side, the river town of Alma sits beneath a complex of ridges and valleys where numerous rural schoolhouses, such as Finnian Creek Sch and Alma Ridge Sch, served the upland farming communities. The interior of Buffalo County is deeply dissected by the Buffalo River and its tributaries, creating a landscape of isolated bluffs like Pine Creek Bluff. Settlement patterns follow the valley floors, with small hubs at Modena, Tell, and Cream anchoring the agricultural district during this period of high rural density.