1982 Map of Melrose

About this map

Melrose serves as the primary settlement on this 1980s topographic record, situated along the Burlington Northern railroad corridor. The landscape is defined by the significant southern expanse of Rathbun Lake, an artificial reservoir that dominates the lower half of the map. Surrounding this water body is a network of managed lands including the Rathbun State Wildlife Area and the State Wildlife Refuge, which cover the transition from open water to the wooded creek drainages of Cedar Creek and Blenbaugh Creek. Genealogists will find a cluster of rural burial grounds preserved here, such as Mt Calvary Cem near the town site and the more isolated Milledgeville Cem on the lake's northern shore. The presence of Murphys Landing Strip north of the lake indicates the rural aviation infrastructure of the era, while several sewage disposal ponds reflect the utility requirements for the surrounding townships of Jackson and Independence.