1986 Map of Mexico

About this map

Mexico serves as a central hub in this mid-1980s landscape, where the agricultural plains of Audrain County meet the rising hills of the Cuivre River valley. The map documents a period of significant regional water management, dominated by the sprawling reaches of Mark Twain Lake and the Mark Twain State Park in the northwest. To the east, the terrain descends toward the Mississippi River at Louisiana, a riverfront marked by the intersection of US Highway 54 and the Chicago and North Western Railway. These transportation corridors, including the Norfolk and Western Railway, define the settlement patterns of towns like Laddonia and Vandalia. Researchers can trace the layout of small crossroads such as Basinger Corner and Rush Hill, while several state wildlife areas, including Ted Shanks State Wildlife Management Area, illustrate the dedication of large tracts to conservation and floodplain management during this era.