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1979 Map of Centerville West

Name: 1979 Topographic Map of Centerville West
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1980
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1980

About this map

Centerville serves as the focal point for this section of Appanoose County, where the southern edge of town meets a landscape shaped by coal mining and agriculture. Industrial land use is evident in the numerous strip mines dotting the countryside and the presence of a claypit and sewage disposal facilities. This era captures the transition of the local economy as it moves away from heavy reliance on the Burlington Northern and Chicago Rock Island and Pacific railroads, though their routes remain central to the region's geography.

Family history is deeply embedded in the rural landscape, marked by a high density of small burial grounds such as Felkner Cem, Livengood Cem, and Motto Cem. Small settlements like Numa, Cincinnati, and Martinstown anchor the surrounding townships, connected by a network of creeks including Cooper Creek and Shoal Creek. These watercourses, along with the Upper City Reservoir, define the drainage patterns of this fertile Iowan plateau.