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1914 Map of Madrid

Name: 1914 Topographic Map of Madrid
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1914
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1914

About this map

The Des Moines River carves a deep valley through the heart of central Iowa, creating a striking topographical contrast with the surrounding prairie townships. This 1914 edition reveals the early 20th-century landscape of Boone, Dallas, and Polk counties, where the Chicago Milwaukee and St Paul Railway and the Inter-Urban Line intersect to connect bustling rural hubs. The rail network was the lifeblood of the region, supporting agricultural centers like Madrid, Woodward, and Luther.

Education is a defining feature of the era, with dozens of rural schoolhouses such as Marcy Center School, Gildea School, and Elk Ridge School serving as community anchors every few miles. Smaller settlements like Scandia, Zook, and Moran appear at key transit points, illustrating the dense social and economic fabric of the Iowa countryside before the consolidation of rural services and the automotive shift of the mid-century.