1982 Map of Boxholm

About this map

Boxholm and Pilot Mound anchor this agricultural landscape in Boone County, where the transition from the upland prairie to the more varied terrain of the Des Moines River valley begins. The Chicago and North Western railroad cuts diagonally across the terrain, a vital infrastructure element for these rural Iowa communities in the early 1980s. The map reveals a high density of local heritage sites, from early rural education at Grand Sch to sacred grounds like Union Cem, Lawn Cem, and the noteworthy Pioneer Graves. Hydrological features like Beaver Creek and the man-made Don Williams Lake within Don Williams County Park provide a clear view of how water management and recreation shaped the local geography. The eastern edge of the quadrangle is defined by the wooded slopes of the Pilot Mound State Forest and the winding course of Bluff Creek.