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1903 Map of Whitewater

Name: 1903 Topographic Map of Whitewater
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1953
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1953

About this map

Glacial topography defines this corner of Wisconsin, where the Bark River and Scuppernong River wind through a landscape of marshy depressions and prominent hills. At the turn of the century, the Chicago Milwaukee and St. Paul railroad serves as the primary artery for commerce, connecting the established hub of Whitewater with the village of Palmyra. The map documents a rural economy still tied to the water, visible in the siting of Heaths Mills and the small crossroads of Hebron.

In the southern reaches, the kettle-and-kame geology is unmistakable in the clustered basins of Lauderdale Lakes and the isolated waters of Pleasant Lake and County Lake. Settlements like Lagrange, Adams, and Little Prairie dot the prairie openings, while the surrounding townships reflect early territorial survey lines. This 1903 revision by H.L. McDonald preserves the footprint of these lakeside communities and agricultural outposts before modern infrastructure altered the drainage patterns.