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1901 Map of Marshall

Name: 1901 Topographic Map of Marshall
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1912
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1912

About this map

The Missouri River and Grand River dictate the landscape of this region at the end of the nineteenth century, carving a path through the rich bottoms of Saline and Carroll Counties. This 1880s survey captures the era's critical rail-and-river economy, where the Chicago and Alton Railroad links agricultural hubs like Marshall, Slater, and Mt. Leonard. Further north, the Wabash Railroad serves river towns including Miami Station and Brunswick.

Genealogists can trace early settlement patterns through many small communities such as Malta Bend, Laynesville, and Napton, while the river's influence is seen in its numerous bars and islands, including Columbian Bar and Wacondah or Cranberry Island. The inclusion of substantial water bodies like Grand Pass Lake and Backbone Lake provides a detailed view of the Missouri's original oxbow and floodplain dynamics before modern channelization.