1971 Map of North Branch

About this map

North Branch sits at the intersection of rural life and natural drainage in Guthrie County during the early 1970s. The landscape is defined by the headwaters and winding paths of several waterways, including Frost Creek, Lone Grove Creek, and the aptly named Troublesome Creek. The map documents the enduring spiritual and communal anchors of the region, featuring Bowman Chapel and cemeteries such as Township Cem and Pleasant Hill Cem. Straddling the border between Audubon and Guthrie counties, the area is organized into distinct townships including Union, Bear Grove, and Greeley. A modern industrial layer is introduced by a pipeline that cuts diagonally across the township grids, illustrating the 20th-century utility infrastructure superimposed upon an established agricultural layout. This survey captures the rural character of the Iowa countryside before significant shifts in late-century farming and land use occurred.