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1990 Map of Burlington

Name: 1990 Topographic Map of Burlington
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1990
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1990

About this map

The Mississippi River serves as the central artery of this tri-state region, where the borders of Iowa, Illinois, and Missouri converge. Large riverfront centers like Burlington, Fort Madison, and Keokuk anchor the western shore, while Nauvoo and Galesburg define the Illinois side. This late-twentieth-century landscape is shaped by heavy infrastructure, including the expansive Iowa Army Ammunition Plant and the intricate tracks of the Burlington Northern Railroad and the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway.

Conservation areas and public lands are prominent, from the Mark Twain National Wildlife Refuge along the river banks to the interior Shimek State Forest and Sand Ridge State Forest. The map captures a high-water mark for the region's connectivity before subsequent rail consolidations, showing the relationship between major water bodies like the Illinois River and Des Moines River and the industrial hubs that grew around them.