2013 Map of Bonaparte

About this map

The Des Moines River carves a deep southeastern arc through Van Buren County, anchoring a cluster of riverfront settlements established during Iowa's early decades. Bonaparte and Lexington sit on the northern bank, while the twin hamlets of Bentonsport and Vernon face each other across the water to the west, linked by the Bentonsport Bridge. This geography reflects a 19th-century reliance on river power and transport, where the narrow flats between the bluffs and the water dictated the town plans. Away from the river, the landscape transitions into a grid of county roads and agricultural plots drained by numerous tributaries like White Oak Cr and Little Indian Cr. The inclusion of the Des Moines River Access and Indian Lake illustrates the modern shift toward conservation and recreation in a region where the industrial importance of the river has evolved into a cultural and natural corridor.