Loading map...

1908 Map of Lancaster

Name: 1908 Topographic Map of Lancaster
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1932
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1932

About this map

Lancaster serves as the central hub of this turn-of-the-century survey, situated amidst the deeply dissected plateaus of Grant County. The landscape is defined by the winding course of the Grant River and Platte River, which carve through the terrain toward their confluence with the Mississippi River. This era shows a robust transportation network where the Chicago and Northwestern RR and Chicago Milwaukee and St Paul RR navigate the ridge-lines and river valleys to connect agricultural centers like Fennimore and Bloomington.

Evidence of early mining and settlement patterns are visible in the clusters of British Hollow, Beetown, and Potosi, while prominent topographical landmarks such as Sherrill Mound and Sinsinawa Mound punctuate the horizon. The map captures the intricate relationship between the river-and-rail economy, showing river landings and ferry points along the Mississippi across from North Buena Vista and the Illinois-Wisconsin state line near Dunleith.