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1904 Map of West Bend

Name: 1904 Topographic Map of West Bend
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1950
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1950

About this map

The Milwaukee River meanders through the heart of Washington County, anchoring a landscape defined by turn-of-the-century industry and transport. At the center, the growing town of West Bend serves as a hub where the Chicago and Northwestern railroad meets the river's edge. To the north and west, glacial features such as Wallace Lake, Silver Lake, and Cedar Lake dot the terrain, providing a natural contrast to the grid-like organization of rural townships like Jackson and Farmington.

Several smaller, distinct communities reflect the era's settlement patterns, including the riverside hamlet of Young America and the rail-oriented Rugby Junction, where the Wisconsin Central lines converge. The map also reveals the early footprint of places like Kirchhayn and Mayfield, offering a clear view of the county before modern suburban expansion. This survey, conducted by E.C. Bebb and overseen by Jno. H. Renshawe, preserves the early 1900s geography of eastern Wisconsin's river valleys and lake country.