1944 Map of Milan

About this map

The Mississippi River creates a dynamic northern border for this landscape, dividing the industrial centers of Rock Island and Moline from the Iowa shoreline. Just south of the river, the city of Milan sits near the confluence of Mill Creek and the Kickapoo Slough, with several large islands like Big Island and Vandruff Island defining the river's path. This mid-century survey reveals a transition from these urban riverfronts to the rural uplands of Mercer County, where small settlements like Sherrard, Matherville, and Preemption are connected by a web of rural schools and family-named landmarks.