2013 Map of Cylinder

About this map

Cylinder and Rodman serve as the primary hubs in this agricultural landscape of Palo Alto County. The terrain is defined by a sophisticated system of water management, visible through numerous artificial waterways like Ditch Number 80, Ditch Number 61, and the aptly named Dry Ditch. These engineered channels cut across the prairie to manage the watershed surrounding Cylinder Creek and the meandering Des Moines River. In the southern portion of the map, the complex hydrology of the river valley is highlighted by the Old Channel, indicating how the natural course has shifted over time. The geometric grid of rural roads, including English Rd and numbered avenues like 510th Ave, reflects the systematic land division that has governed North Central Iowa for generations.