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1901 Map of Owensboro

Name: 1901 Topographic Map of Owensboro
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1950
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1950

About this map

Owensboro and the winding course of the Ohio River anchor this turn-of-the-century landscape, illustrating the critical river-to-rail connections of the region. The map captures a period when the riverbank was dotted with landings and islands such as Little Hurricane Island and Yellow Bank Island, before modern navigational changes altered the shoreline. On the Indiana side, the southern terminus of the Southern R. R. Rockport Branch meets the water at Rockport, while smaller settlements like Patronville and Eureka are linked by a complex network of drainage ditches, including the Hooppole Ditch and Rose Pond Ditch.

The interior terrain transitions from the low-lying Willow Pond Bed to the distinct elevations of the Coal Knobs and Bon Harbor Hills. Local industry and rural commerce are evidenced by features like Pedigo Lake Mills and the numerous named drains that managed the fertile but marshy bottomlands. This survey provides a clear look at the early infrastructure of Daviess County, Kentucky, and Spencer County, Indiana, as railroads like the Louisville Henderson and St. Louis R. R. began to compete with river traffic for dominance.