2022 Map of Olga

About this map

The Hill River meanders through this portion of Polk County, where a legacy of land reclamation is visible in the extensive network of engineered waterways such as County Ditch Number One Hundred Thirteen and County Ditch Number Eightyfour. These channels represent a significant modification of the natural landscape to support agriculture in a region densely populated with small glacial water bodies like Schneider Lake and Sorby Lake. Settlement is sparse, anchored by the community of Olga. For genealogists and local historians, the area is notable for its numerous rural burial grounds, including the Brandvold Cemetery and the Froen Lutheran Cem, which reflect the early Scandinavian-American congregations that established themselves across these townships. The map documents a landscape defined by its grid of country roads and the persistent management of its marshy terrain.