2015 Map of Holmes

About this map

Holmes and the surrounding prairie of Wright County are defined by a complex network of agricultural drainage, showing the intensive land management of the modern era. The landscape is crisscrossed by numeric water features such as Ditch Number 9 and Ditch Number 192, which channel water toward the meandering Eagle Cr and Little Eagle Cr. This drainage system is essential to the local farming economy, turning the low-lying glacial till into productive acreage. For genealogists, the map preserves the location of Holmes Cem and Saint Joseph's Cem, while the inclusion of the Clarion Municipal Airport and the eastern edge of Clarion marks the regional importance of this transport hub. The rectilinear road grid, from Franklin Ave to Lee Ave, illustrates the persistence of the Public Land Survey System in organizing the rural Iowa township.