1953 Map of Andover

About this map

Jenny Lind Church stands as a significant landmark in Andover, anchor of a landscape defined by 1950s agricultural life and expanded by 1970s infrastructure updates. This map shows the rail-reliant development of Orion and Osco along the Chicago Rock Island and Pacific tracks, which bisect the northern prairie. To the south, the Edwards River and South Edwards River carve through the terrain, flanked by a network of rural education sites including Forest View School, Edwards Valley School, and Pleasant Valley School. The presence of the Home for children near Lynn Center provides a glimpse into the social services of the era. The mapping, originally completed in 1953 and revised in 1970, captures the shift from a purely agrarian economy to one increasingly interconnected by new road classifications and industrial pipelines.