1965 Map of Commerce

About this map

The Raccoon River meanders through the heart of this landscape, marking a transition between the developing suburban fringes of Polk County and the agrarian fields of Dallas County. In the mid-1960s, this area was a critical transport corridor defined by the intersection of major rail lines and nascent interstate highway developments. The small settlement of Commerce sits near the river bend, while Waukee and Campbell anchor the northern reaches. The infrastructure of the era is evident in the sprawling rail networks of the Chicago Milwaukee St Paul and Pacific and the Chicago and North Western, which traverse the terrain alongside established thoroughfares like Hickman Road. Recreational and utility landmarks such as Walnut Woods State Park and the Dale Maffitt Reservoir provide a look at how public lands and water management shaped the local geography before suburban sprawl fully overtook the region.