1983 Map of Woodburn

About this map

Woodburn and Ottawa anchor this rural landscape in the early 1980s, where the topography is defined by the winding drainages of Otter Creek and Brush Creek. The southern portion of the area shows the influence of the Burlington Northern railroad, which runs parallel to the creek through Woodburn. Significant for genealogists and local historians, the sheet identifies several family and community burial grounds including Harrison Cem, Walker Cem, Ottawa Cem, St Marys Cem, and the uniquely named Water Tank Cem. The southeastern corner transitions into the protected timber of Stephens State Forest near White Breast Creek. The distribution of these landmarks reflects a typical Midwestern agricultural pattern, with small settlements and rural cemeteries dispersed across the rolling divides between the many named tributaries like Victory Creek and South Otter Creek.