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1959 Map of Madison

Name: 1959 Topographic Map of Madison
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1980
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1980

About this map

Lake Mendota and Lake Monona define the landscape of this 1959 survey, where the state capital is surrounded by a complex system of waterways and educational institutions. The University of Wisconsin campus occupies a prominent position on the southern shore of Lake Mendota, while the Arboretum and Forest Hill Cemetery represent significant preserved spaces within the growing city. To the northeast, Truax Field and the Mendota State Hospital signal the military and institutional presence that shaped the region’s mid-century development.

Rural Dane County retains a dense network of one-room schoolhouses and country cemeteries, such as Pumpkin Hollow Sch and the Burke Ch Cem. Small outlying settlements like Waunakee, De Forest, and McFarland are shown as they existed before the significant suburban expansion of the later twentieth century. The map also captures specialized land uses, from the Waunakee Landing Field to the Fish Hatchery near Fitchburg, illustrating a diverse local economy transitioning from traditional agriculture toward a more integrated regional hub.