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1892 Map of Savanna

Name: 1892 Topographic Map of Savanna
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1892
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1892

About this map

The Mississippi River dominates this 1890s landscape, serving as the border between Illinois and Iowa where the river narrows between Savanna and Sabula. This era shows a critical junction of river traffic and heavy rail infrastructure, as the Chicago Burlington and Northern Railroad follows the eastern shoreline while the Chicago Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad crosses the water.

Away from the riverbanks, the terrain transitions into the dissected uplands of Carroll and Jo Daviess counties. Small agricultural communities such as Massbach and Pleasant Valley are connected by a network of creeks, including the Plum River and Straddle Creek. The presence of small water bodies like Idens Lake and Dyson Lake provides specific landmarks for genealogists and local historians tracing the late 19th-century development of this upper Mississippi corridor.