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2014 Map of Vandalia

Name: 2014 Topographic Map of Vandalia
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2014
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2014

About this map

Vandalia and the surrounding townships in Cass County are defined by a glacial landscape of kettle lakes and prairie openings. The map captures the interface between small lakeside communities and deep-rooted agricultural settlements like Penn and Wakelee. To the south and west, larger water bodies such as Diamond Lake and Donnell Lake show established shorefront developments at Spring Beach and Diamond Shores, including the prominent Diamond Island.

Genealogists will find a high density of burial sites throughout the area, from the Little Fish Lake Cem in the north to the Birch Lake Cem near Brownsville. These sites, along with names like Youngs Prairie Cem and Prairie Grove Cem, point to the early 19th-century pioneer heritage of the Michigan prairie lands. The road network, including Dutch Settlement St and Quaker St, further reflects the cultural history of the groups that first settled this part of the county.