1968 Map of Belle Plaine

About this map

The Iowa River valley dominates the southern reaches of this landscape, where the Salt Creek confluence meets the floodplain just west of Belle Plaine. This 1960s era survey captures the town's industrial and civic footprint, including the Chicago and North Western rail yards and local institutions like Williams Park and the Longfellow Sch. To the north, the terrain transitions into the rolling hills of York and Kane townships, marked by a high density of rural burial grounds such as St Marys Cem and the National Cem. The presence of a Gaging Station and several Wells along the creek beds highlights the region's reliance on its waterway network. Transportation routes converge on the settlement, with an Old Railroad Grade and 21 tracing the historical paths of commerce and travel through Benton Co and Tama Co.