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1956 Map of Council Bluffs South

Name: 1956 Topographic Map of Council Bluffs South
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1970
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1970

About this map

The southern outskirts of Council Bluffs reveal a mid-century landscape defined by the winding Missouri River and the significant recreational anchor of Lake Manawa State Park. This 1956 survey, updated with 1969 revisions, captures the complex rail infrastructure where lines like the Norfolk and Western and Chicago and North Western converge near the Iowa-Nebraska border. Beyond the growing urban grid of the city, the map transitions into the bluffs and bottoms of Pottawattamie and Mills counties.

Local landmarks such as Island Park and Manawa Park offer insight into early 20th-century community spaces, while the presence of the Lutherische Kirche and Plumer Cem provides vital touchstones for family historians. The drainage patterns of Mosquito Creek and the Pony Creek Ditch illustrate the ongoing efforts to manage the river valley for agriculture and development during this period of suburban expansion.