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1906 Map of Madison

Name: 1906 Topographic Map of Madison
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1947
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1947

About this map

Lake Mendota and Lake Monona define the isthmus where Madison established its early urban footprint, long before the city’s post-war expansion. This 1904 survey reveals the region’s institutional and recreational landscape at the start of the 20th century, notably the State Hospital for the Insane on the northern shore and the Monona Assembly grounds. The surrounding Dane County countryside is divided into the townships of Vienna, Windsor, and Westport, where small rail-stop communities like Waunakee and De Forest served as local agricultural hubs.

Transportation is dominated by the competing corridors of the Chicago and Northwestern Ry and the Chicago Milwaukee and St Paul Ry, which funneled traffic toward the capital. Waterways like the Yahara River and Catfish connect the chain of lakes down to Lake Waubesa, while specialized sites like the State Fish Hatchery south of the city reflect early state conservation efforts. For genealogists, the map identifies small residential clusters and schools such as Eagle Heights and Ethelwyn Park before they were absorbed into the modern metropolitan sprawl.