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1970 Map of St James West

Name: 1970 Topographic Map of St James West
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1979
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1979

About this map

The Chicago and North Western railway anchors the regional economy in this portion of Watonwan County, connecting the growing hub of St James to the surrounding agricultural prairie. At the town's edge, St James Lake and Memorial Park provide community spaces, while the surrounding landscape is dotted with small-town nodes like Echols and rural congregations including Kansas Lake Ch and Long Lake Ch.

A network of glacial lakes and sloughs, such as Kansas Lake and Long Lake, punctuates the flat terrain, alongside protected lands like the Turtle Marsh State Wildlife Management Area. The South Fork Watonwan River meanders through the southern portion of the quadrangle, illustrating the natural drainage patterns that shaped early settlement. This survey documents the area's transition into the late 20th century, noting infrastructure changes such as roads marked Under Construction and established community landmarks like the local Townhall.