1904 Map of Iola

About this map

Iola and Erie anchor this early 20th-century landscape, which is defined by a dense network of competing rail lines and the winding course of the Neosho River. The settlement pattern reflects the height of the regional railroad era, with towns like Laharpe, Gas, and Moran positioned along the Missouri Pacific R. R. and the Kansas and Texas R. R.. To the south, Chamute serves as a significant junction for the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe R. R.. The map provides a rare look at the original townships, including Tioga, Big Creek, and Geneva, before decades of rural consolidation. Along the eastern edge, the Marmaton River cuts through Marmaton township near the Allen Co. Bourbon Co. border, highlighting the transition from the river bottomlands to the upland prairies of southeastern Kansas.