1956 Map of Council Bluffs South

About this map

Lake Manawa and its surrounding Lake Manawa State Park dominate the western landscape of this mid-century survey, illustrating the recreational and hydrologic character of the Missouri River floodplain south of Council Bluffs. The map documents a critical period of regional development, with purple revisions from the 1970s highlighting the expansion of the urban fringe and industrial infrastructure, such as the Tank Farm and the sprawling yards of the Burlington Northern and Norfolk and Western railroads. Along the eastern bluffs, the terrain rises into the loess hills, where smaller landmarks like the Lutherische Kirche and Plumer Cem represent the area's rural heritage. The inclusion of specialized institutions like the Iowa School for the Deaf and local education centers like Longfellow Sch provides a look into the community infrastructure serving this portion of Pottawattamie and Mills counties during the postwar era.