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1950 Map of Alma

Name: 1950 Topographic Map of Alma
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1973
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1973

About this map

Mississippi River navigation and transport dominate this mid-century look at the border between Wisconsin and Minnesota. The river's complex network of sloughs and lakes, including Peterson Lake, Robinson Lake, and the Pomme de Terre Slough, is anchored by the presence of Lock and Dam No 4 near Alma. The terrain shifts abruptly from the wide river valley to a high, dissected landscape of ridges like Alma Ridge and Huber Ridge, separated by deep coulees and valleys such as Norwegian Valley and Dry Coulee.

Rural life in the 1950s is reflected in the dense network of country schools and small settlements. Local history researchers can identify the sites of Lyster, Modena, and Tell, along with numerous one-room schoolhouses like Little Bluebell Sch, Rose Valley Sch, and Iron Creek Sch. The industrial and transit corridor is defined by the Chicago Milwaukee St Paul and Pacific railroad, which follows the river's edge, connecting towns like Kellogg and Minneiska.