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1940 Map of Burlington

Name: 1940 Topographic Map of Burlington
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1940
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1940

About this map

The Mississippi River dominates this landscape, defining the state boundary between Iowa and Illinois. Along the eastern bank in Henderson County, a complex network of backwaters and sloughs creates a distinct riverine environment, featuring Stony Point Lake, Crystal Lake, and Carthage Lake. The settlement of Gulfport sits at a critical junction where the Chicago Burlington and Quincy railroad crosses the river, illustrating the vital role of rail transport in the mid-20th-century Midwestern economy.

Further inland, the rural character of the region is evidenced by numerous local educational sites such as Merry Dell Sch, Crystal Lake Sch, and Kirby Sch. The presence of the Diversion Ditch and Old Channel suggests a history of hydrological management and changing watercourses. Large portions of the Iowa side are marked as an Unsurveyed Area, contrasting with the detailed drainage and cultural features documented on the Illinois side by the U.S. Geological Survey and the Air Corps, U.S. Army.