1981 Map of Long Island

About this map

The Mississippi River dominates this 1981 survey of the borderlands between Illinois and Missouri. The river’s complex network of side channels and islands includes Long Island, which is largely occupied by the National Mark Twain Wildlife Refuge. On the western bank, the Missouri settlement of La Grange sits at the river's edge, showing its historical orientation toward the water. The surrounding terrain is defined by low-lying wetlands and agricultural drainage, with features like the Rock and Ursa Creek Diversion Canal illustrating efforts to manage the landscape for farming. The eastern side of the river features a series of levees and narrow creek valleys, including Bear Creek and Ursa Creek, which feed into the main river channel.