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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 forms a complex boundary between Illinois and Iowa on this survey, where the river's dynamic nature is evidenced by the Old Channel and various backwaters like Jordan Chute and Shokokon Slough. The landscape is dominated by the floodplains of Gladstone, Carman, and Stronghurst, where a network of rural schools—including Merry Dell Sch and Kirby Sch—served the agricultural community.

Industrial development is centered on the Chicago Burlington and Quincy railroad, which crosses the river near Gulfport. This transit corridor shaped the development of the region, linking riverfront commerce with inland farming. Drainage projects like the Diversion Ditch and the presence of numerous small lakes, such as Crystal Lake and Stony Point Lake, reveal the ongoing effort to manage the marshy terrain of the river valley during the early 20th century.