1958 Map of Burlington

About this map

The Mississippi River serves as the dominant geographic spine of this regional survey, marking the borders of Iowa, Illinois, and Missouri during a period of significant industrial and agricultural coordination. In the Iowa sector, the Iowa Army Ammunition Plant stands out as a major federal installation near Burlington, while the network of the Chicago Burlington and Quincy RR and the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe RR illustrates the vital mid-century rail corridors connecting the Midwest. The landscape is defined by the drainage basins of the Des Moines River, Skunk River, and Illinois River, which supported numerous riverfront settlements like Keokuk, Fort Madison, and Warsaw. This map records the integration of heavy transport with protected landscapes, such as Lacey-Keosauqua State Park and the Mark Twain National Wildlife Refuge, capturing the tri-state area before modern interstate expansions altered the rural character of the river bluffs and bottomlands.