1985 Map of Storm Lake

About this map

Storm Lake serves as the central focal point for this Northwest Iowa region, which was photoinspected in 1990 to verify the enduring landscape of its agricultural and rail-dependent communities. The map details the transition of the regional economy through the presence of the Illinois Central Gulf and Chicago and North Western railroads, which connect key grain and transport hubs like Cherokee, Aurelia, and Sioux Rapids. Educational and recreational hubs are prominent, from Buena Vista College on the lake's northern shore to Mill Creek State Park and the Wanata State Forest Reserve further north. The winding path of the Little Sioux River and the North Raccoon River defines the drainage patterns of this prairie landscape, punctuated by small municipal airstrips like the Paulina Municipal Airport. This record preserves the late-twentieth-century layout of Buena Vista, Cherokee, and O'Brien counties before significant shifts in rural infrastructure occurred.