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1891 Map of DeWitt

Name: 1891 Topographic Map of DeWitt
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1891
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1891

About this map

The railroad networks of late nineteenth-century Clinton County dominate this survey, highlighting the vital role of transportation in the developing Iowa prairie. Two major lines, the Chicago and North Western Railroad and the Chicago Milwaukee and St Paul Railroad, intersect at Delmar, which serves as a significant junction point in the northern portion of the quadrangle. This infrastructure supported the movement of goods and people between agricultural hubs like Elwood and larger regional centers.

Along the southern boundary, the Wapsipinicon River meanders across the landscape, paralleled by the Burlington Cedar Rapids and Northern Railroad. The settlement of De Witt is meticulously platted with a visible street grid, while the smaller village of Grand Mound sits further west along the rail line. The terrain transitions from these river lowlands to the higher ground of Bloomfield and Brookfield townships, revealing a landscape deeply defined by both natural watercourses and the expanding iron horse.