1953 Map of Montpelier

About this map

The Mississippi River dominates this mid-century landscape, acting as a natural boundary between Iowa and Illinois. In Muscatine County, Iowa, the Old Pine Creek Mill stands within Wildcat Den State Park, a preserved fragment of early industrial history near the banks of Pine Creek. Across the water in Rock Island County, Illinois, the terrain rises into the Loud Thunder Forest Preserve, characterized by wooded ridges and the Fort Armstrong Boy Scout Camp. The agricultural character of the region is evidenced by numerous rural education centers like Hazel Dell School and Green Bush School, along with the Buffalo Prairie Town Hall. Transportation patterns are anchored by the Chicago Rock Island and Pacific railroad and the Andalusia Road, while the river itself features a complex network of side channels like Velie Chute and the Andalusia Slough.