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2018 Map of Brussels

Name: 2018 Topographic Map of Brussels
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2018
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2018

About this map

Brussels and the surrounding peninsula of southern Calhoun County sit between the powerful currents of the Illinois River and the Mississippi River. This landscape is defined by the high limestone bluffs and ridges that rise above the river bottoms, including prominent landmarks like Goat Cliff, McAdams Peak, and the Lone Tree Indian Mound. The map reveals a pattern of small upland settlements and family-named hollows, such as Greenbay Hollow and Coalbank Hollow, which characterize the interior drainage of the wedge-shaped landmass.

Local history is preserved in scattered cemeteries like Hetzer Cem and Christville Cem, which sit alongside historic road traces such as Old Ferry Rd and Mississippi River Rd. The riverbanks themselves are a complex of islands and backwaters, including Sixmile Island and Iowa Island, illustrating the shifting hydrology of the confluence region. Small communities like Meppen, Golden Eagle, and Deer Plain serve as anchors for the rural road network that winds through the dissected terrain of Dividing Ridge and Two Story Hill.