2016 Map of Black Earth

About this map

Black Earth and Cross Plains anchor this landscape of the Wisconsin Driftless Area, where narrow valleys and steep ridges dictate the placement of roads and farms. The terrain is defined by prominent features like Table Bluff and Dunlap Hollow, with the Wisconsin River appearing in the northwest corner. Waterways such as Black Earth Cr and Halfway Prairie Cr follow the low ground, while the Ice Age National Scenic Trail winds across the eastern ridges near Indian Lake. Local history is preserved in several rural burial sites, including Oak Hill Cem near the village of Black Earth and Sunning Hill Cem located in the central hills. The small settlement of Marxville sits at a junction in the northeast, illustrating the historically dispersed nature of agricultural communities in Dane County before modern suburban expansion.