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1915 Map of Crystal City

Name: 1915 Topographic Map of Crystal City
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1915
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1915

About this map

Valles Mines and the glass-manufacturing hub of Crystal City anchor this 1915 study of the riverfront and interior hills where Jefferson, Saint Francois, and Ste. Genevieve counties meet. The landscape is defined by the industrial gravity of the Mississippi River, where river islands like Calico Island and Rush Island shift alongside the heavy rail infrastructure of the St Louis Iron Mountain and Southern and the Mississippi River and Bonne Terre railroads.

Away from the riverbanks, the map reveals a dense network of early 20th-century rural life, documented through numerous one-room schoolhouses such as Telegraph School and Stony Point School. The rugged terrain is carved by Joachim Creek and Plattin Creek, providing a detailed view of small settlements like Hematite and Silica during an era when local mining and river commerce dictated the region's development. This survey serves as a vital record for tracing vanished property boundaries and the original placement of community landmarks.