Loading map...

1967 Map of Hills

Name: 1967 Topographic Map of Hills
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1982
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1982

About this map

The agricultural landscape of Rock County at the Minnesota-Iowa border reveals a dense network of early transportation and rural institutions. Three major rail lines crisscross the terrain, including the Chicago and North Western in the north and the Illinois Central serving the southern settlements of Hills and Steen. These small towns were established as vital grain and trade hubs for the surrounding prairie farmsteads.

Genealogists can find significant local landmarks such as Beaver Valley Cem and Flowerfield Cem, along with early educational sites like School No 1851. The drainage patterns of Beaver Creek and Mud Creek dictate the placement of roads and the occasional Gravel Pit, reflecting the area's geological and economic reliance on the land. The presence of the Sewage Disposal Pond near Hills indicates the mid-century infrastructure growth occurring even in these smaller rural communities.