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1959 Map of Mason City

Name: 1959 Topographic Map of Mason City
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1960
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1960

About this map

Mason City serves as the industrial and transportation hub of North Central Iowa in this late 1950s survey. The city's landscape is defined by its deep relationship with local geology, evidenced by the numerous quarries, claypits, and kilns that flank its western and northern borders. These resources fueled a robust manufacturing economy, while the Winnebago River and Willow Creek provided the essential water network for the growing municipality.

Transport lines including the Chicago Great Western and the Chicago Rock Island and Pacific crisscross the region, connecting outlying areas like Portland and Freeman to the urban core. Local history is preserved in the detailed layout of neighborhood landmarks, such as Elmwood Cemetery, MacNider Park, and several educational institutions including Monroe Jr High Sch and McKinley Sch. The mapping of communication infrastructure, like the Radio Towers (KGLO), reflects the mid-century modernization of this Iowa community.