1961 Map of Burlington

About this map

The Mississippi River serves as the central artery for this tri-state region, connecting the river towns of Burlington, Fort Madison, and Keokuk in Iowa with Dallas City and Warsaw in Illinois. The industrial and military footprint of the early Cold War era is evident at the sprawling Iowa Ordnance Plant located west of the river. To the east, the Illinois landscape is defined by a dense grid of agricultural towns and a robust transportation network including the Chicago Burlington and Quincy railroad and the Toledo Peoria and Western. Significant water features such as the Illinois River and Spoon River traverse the eastern half of the map, supporting natural areas like the Sanganois Conservation Area. This survey documents a critical junction of midwestern commerce and geography, where major tributaries like the Des Moines River and Skunk River converge with the Mississippi.