1982 Map of Crookston NE

About this map

Townhall and the small community of Belgium anchor this portion of Polk County, where the landscape is defined by the rigid geometry of township borders and agricultural drainage. Managed conservation lands such as the Belgium State Wildlife Management Area and Pembina State Wildlife Management Area provide breaks in the grid, preserving wetlands and prairie habitat amidst the heavy industrial agriculture of the Red River Valley. The Burlington Northern railroad corridor cuts a diagonal through the southwest, while an extensive network of man-made waterways, including Judicial Ditch No 147 and Judicial Ditch No 60, reveals the massive engineering effort required to drain this fertile flatland for farming. Local landmarks like the Radio Tower and numerous Gravel Pits serve as modern navigational markers in this expansive landscape.