1894 Map of Mechanicsville

About this map

The winding course of the Cedar River dictates the landscape of east-central Iowa in this late nineteenth-century survey, cutting through the corners of Linn, Jones, Cedar, and Johnson counties. The primary corridor of commerce follows the Chicago and North Western Railroad across the northern reaches of the map, linking the established agricultural centers of Mt. Vernon, Lisbon, and Mechanicsville. These rail-side settlements contrast with the smaller river-oriented landings and crossroads, such as the village of Cedar Bluffs.