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1966 Map of Russell

Name: 1966 Topographic Map of Russell
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1967
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1967

About this map

Russell serves as the primary rail-side settlement on this mid-1960s Iowa landscape, positioned along the Chicago Burlington and Quincy railroad. The map captures a significant period of transformation as the Chariton River valley prepares for inundation. Blue hatching across the central terrain indicates extensive areas designated to be submerged by the Rathbun Reservoir, a project that redefined the local geography and habitat.

South of the township lines, the Rathbun State Wildlife Area occupies the bottomlands where the Chariton River meets its tributaries like Lost Branch and Ragtown Branch. For genealogists, the map preserves the locations of local landmarks such as Center Community Ch and the Ragtown Cem, while industrial markers like a Sandpit and a Gaging Station reflect the managed use of the river basin before the full reservoir pool was established.