2010 Map of Balltown

About this map

The Mississippi River dominates this tri-state borderland, where the Iowa and Wisconsin shorelines are separated by a complex network of side channels and islands. On the Iowa side, the settlement of Balltown and its precursor Old Balltown sit atop the high bluffs overlooking the river valley, near the Saint Francis Assisi Cemetery. The landscape is deeply dissected by drainages like West Basswood Creek and Haberkorn Creek, which carve steep routes toward the river plain. Across the water, the Wisconsin riverfront features small landings and points of interest such as McCartney and Cameron. The river itself is filled with named features of the Upper Mississippi, including Hurricane Island, Snyder Slough, and Rosebrook Island. This survey illustrates the intricate relationship between the elevated agricultural uplands and the swampy, island-choked riparian corridor, connected by crossings like the Burton Bridge and Masseyville Bridge.