Image
Description
This is a hand-drawn, bird’s-eye view of Iowa City, Iowa, located in Johnson County. The illustration is from 1868 and shows the city next to the Iowa River. The town is laid out in a grid pattern, and the image shows that there is not a lot of trees and the area is relatively flat, but green. It appears that farmland is located off in the distance.
Source-Dependent Questions
- What year was this image created?
- Describe the image. How is the town laid out?
- Describe the landscape around the town. What do you notice about the land around the city?
- What do you suppose the land around the city might be used for?
- What are three modes of transportation that you can see in the image?
- Compare this photo to the 1881 Railroad Map of Iowa and the photo of farm land in Grundy County. Based on these photos, describe the changes to how people and goods have moved throughout Iowa over the years.
Citation Information
Ruger, A., "Bird's eye view of Iowa City, Johnson Co., Iowa," Chicago Lithographing Co., 1868. Courtesy of Library of Congress