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1894 Map of Clinton

Name: 1894 Topographic Map of Clinton
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1905
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1905

About this map

The Mississippi River serves as the dominant geographic and economic artery of this region, dividing the riverfront communities of Iowa and Illinois. The street grids of Clinton and Lyons are clearly defined along the western bank, while Fulton sits opposite, linked by a complex network of iron and steam. Large river features such as Big Beaver Island and Little Rock Island redirect the main channel, illustrating the river's braided nature before modern lock and dam systems.

A dense web of rail infrastructure, including the Chicago Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad and the Chicago and Northwestern, converges on these river towns, highlighting their roles as vital transport hubs. In the rural hinterlands, small settlements like Almont and Garden Plain are connected by winding country roads and creek drainages such as Cat Tail Creek and Johnson Creek. This map captures the height of the river-and-rail economy at the close of the nineteenth century.