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1968 Map of Bonaparte

Name: 1968 Topographic Map of Bonaparte
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1983
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1983

About this map

The Des Moines River carves a deep valley through Van Buren County, anchoring the historic riverfront communities of Bonaparte, Bentonsport, and Vernon. This 1968 field survey documents a landscape of steep, wooded ravines and creek drainages, including Honey Creek and Bear Creek, which separate the agricultural uplands. A striking feature of the local infrastructure is the Old Railroad Grade winding through the hills south of the river, marking the path of former transportation routes that once linked these valley towns to wider markets.

Genealogists will find a high density of family-named burial sites scattered across the townships, such as Thomson Cem, Neumann Cem, and Steinmeyer Cem. Recreation is centered on the river and its margins, evidenced by Bentonsport River-Side County Park and the developed area of Indian Lake Park in the southeast corner. The presence of several Quarry sites suggests the local industry of stone extraction from the river bluffs.