1967 Map of Hope

About this map

The Straight River winds through the eastern portion of this Steele County landscape, providing a natural corridor for the Chicago Rock Island and Pacific railroad and the burgeoning Interstate 35. This intersection of traditional rail and modern highway infrastructure centers on the community of Hope, which serves as a local hub amidst a patchwork of townships including Le Mond, Somerset, Berlin, and Summit. The map captures a well-established rural social fabric, indicated by the distribution of several one-room schoolhouses like School No 2140 and distinct burial grounds such as the Danish Cem and Berlin Cem. In the southwest, the waters of Beaver Lake and Lonergan Lake offer a break from the agricultural grid, complete with a designated Picnic Area. The landscape is heavily modified for drainage, evidenced by Judicial Ditch No 2 and Ditch No 29, reflecting the intensive land management required for local farming.