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1905 Map of Bonneterre

Name: 1905 Topographic Map of Bonneterre
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1905
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1905

About this map

Bonneterre and the surrounding mining and railroad landscape of the Lead Belt are meticulously documented in this 1903 survey. The rail infrastructure of the era is remarkably dense, featuring the St Louis Iron Mountain and Southern RR and the Mississippi River and Bonneterre RR, which served the growing industrial hubs of Desloge, Flat River, and St Francois. These settlements are tightly clustered along the eastern edge of the sheet, contrasted by the more dispersed communities of Bismarck and Irondale to the south.

The topography is defined by the winding course of the Big River and prominent peaks like Simms Mtn, Hughes Mtn, and Sulphur Mtn. To the northwest, the map shows the transition into Washington County, with smaller outposts like Mineral Point and Cadet situated along the rail lines. The intricate network of creeks, such as Terre Bleue Creek and Bonneterre Creek, illustrates the natural drainage patterns that dictated early settlement and industrial placement.