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1959 Map of Waunakee

Name: 1959 Topographic Map of Waunakee
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1975
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1975

About this map

Lake Mendota and the northern reaches of Madison anchor the southern portion of this landscape, where the Chicago and North Western railway lines cut through the terrain. The map captures a moment of institutional expansion and rural transition, notably featuring the Mendota State Hospital and the Central Wisconsin Training School near the lakeshore. To the north, the village of Waunakee serves as a hub for the surrounding agricultural townships of Vienna, Westport, and Springfield.

Geologists and local historians can trace the course of Sixmile Creek and the Yahara River as they feed into the lake. The area is dotted with numerous small country schools, such as the Norway Grove Sch and Blackwoods Sch, and family-named burial grounds including Vienna Cem and Matsen Cem. These features, alongside landmarks like the Waunakee Landing Field, provide a window into the mid-century development of Dane County's rural-to-suburban fringe.