2013 Map of Gifford

About this map

Gifford and the surrounding rural landscape of Jasper County are defined by an intricate network of drainage engineered to support agriculture in this low-lying region. Small settlements like Lewiston, Newland, and Laura are spaced along a grid of county roads, connected by long straight stretches such as Division Rd. The land is heavily inscribed with water management features, including the Stalbaum Hershman Ditch and the Iliff Slough Lateral, which channel water away from the fields toward larger tributaries. This hydraulic architecture reveals the concerted effort required to maintain the productivity of the local soil. In the northeast corner, the whimsical name of Alley Oop Airport stands out against the more functional nomenclature of the ditches and laterals, such as Griggs Ditch and Ryan Ditch, that dominate the topography of this agricultural heartland.