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1970 Map of Nichols

Name: 1970 Topographic Map of Nichols
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1972
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1972

About this map

Nichols sits at the junction of two major rail lines in this 1970 snapshot, where the Chicago Rock Island and Pacific and the Chicago Milwaukee St Paul and Pacific railroads crisscross the fertile Iowa bottomlands. The landscape is defined by the sweeping curves of the Cedar River and its intricate network of tributaries, including Wapsinonoc Creek and Honey Creek. These waterways once dictated the placement of small rural communities and local infrastructure like the McKeown Bridge.

Genealogists will find a wealth of local history in the numerous burial grounds scattered throughout the agricultural townships of Pike, Oakland, and Fremont. Settlements such as Conesville and Cranston appear alongside vanished landmarks like the Grange Hall and Hockeys. The presence of the Cone Lake marshland and the nearby Slough reflects the river valley's natural drainage before significant modification, while a Gaging Station on the Cedar River marks the era's focus on hydrological monitoring.