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1902 Map of Mineral Point

Name: 1902 Topographic Map of Mineral Point
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1902
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1902

About this map

Mineral Point stands at the center of this 1902 survey, anchoring a region defined by its complex geology and early industrial expansion across the driftless area of Southwest Wisconsin and Northern Illinois. The landscape is carved by the Pecatonica River and its numerous tributaries, including Bonner Branch and Ames Branch, which provided the necessary drainage and power for early lead and zinc mining operations. This map documents a dense network of nineteenth-century infrastructure, where the Chicago and Northwestern and the Chicago Milwaukee and St Paul railroads intersect to serve established mining and agricultural hubs.

Smaller settlements such as Mifflin, Rewey, and Belmont are clearly delineated alongside lesser-known locations like Meekers Grove and Ipswich. The topographic contours reveal the transition from the high ridges of Eden and Linden down toward the Galena River drainage basin. This record captures the precise state of the Upper Mississippi Valley lead district just after the turn of the century, showing the established town plats and rural school sites that defined the social geography of Iowa and Lafayette Counties.