State & County Maps of Iowa

Maps of Iowa are a great resource to help learn about a place at a particular point in time. Old Iowa maps are effective sources of geographical information and useful for historical, genealogical and territorial research.

Our collection of Iowa maps includes many different historic and modern types of maps. The maps date from the 18th century to the present and include:

• Save

Historical Maps of Iowa are a great resource to help learn about a place at a particular point in time. Iowa Maps are vital historical evidence but must be interpreted cautiously and carefully.

Iowa Maps can be very useful in conducting research, especially in light of the now extinct communities. Also, because old Iowa maps were usually commissioned by the county seat, they often display information about the county, including town names.

Iowa Map Collections

All fire insurance maps (Sanborn and others) have been compiled into one microfilm collection that is at both branches of the State Historical Society research library, the University of Iowa, and the Library of Congress.

Of the approximately 4,000 Iowa maps included in both locations of the State Historical Society of Iowa library, the Des Moines branch has original plat maps created by the territorial land surveyors.

Current county maps for Iowa can be ordered from the Iowa Department of Transportation. The maps are fairly easy to read, divided by townships and sections, and show highways, railroads, cities and towns, and rivers and streams.

Old Historical Atlas Maps of Iowa

This Historical Iowa Map Collection are from original copies. Most historical maps of Iowa were published in atlases and spans over 200 years of growth for the state.

Some Iowa maps years have cities, railroads, P.O. locations, township outlines, and other features useful to the Iowa researcher.

Save	Morse’s 1845 State Map of Iowa and Wisconsin Map Date: 1845 (Entered 1844) Map Locations: Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota, South Dakota and North Dakota Map Publication: Morse’s North American atlas. Containing the following beautifully colored maps Map Type: National Atlas Map Cartographer: Sidney Edwards Morse (1794-1871 ) and Samuel Breese (1802-1873) View Map
Save	Colton’s 1856 State Map of Iowa Map Date: 1856 (Entered 1855) Map Locations: Iowa and parts of Nebraska, Missouri, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois Map Publication: Colton’s Atlas Of The World, Illustrating Physical And Political Geography. Map Type: World Atlas Map Cartographer: Joseph Hutchins Colton (1800-1893) View Map
Save	1866 State Map of Iowa Public Survey Sketches by the Department of Interior Land Office Map Date: 1866 Map Locations: Iowa Map Publication: Maps accompanying Report of the commissioner of the General Land Office. Map Type: National Atlas Map Cartographer: United States. General Land Office. View Map
Save	Mitchell’s 1880 State, County and Township Map of Iowa and Missouri Map Date: 1880 (Entered 1879) Map Locations: Missouri , Iowa Map Type: World Atlas Map Cartographer: Samuel Augustus Mitchell Jr. (1827-1901) View Map

Map of Iowa County Formations 1816-1872

This Interactive Map of Iowa Counties show the historical boundaries, names, organization, and attachments of every county, extinct county and unsuccessful county proposal from the creation of the Iowa territory in 1816 to 1872.

Iowa County Maps of Road and Highway’s

The Iowa D.O.T. Highway Department has prepared a series of 2016 county road maps free online. These Iowa road maps contain more detailed information about man-made features than the geological survey maps.

In addition to roads and boundaries, these maps include rural communities, churches, and cemeteries. These Iowa maps are Free to downloade are in PDF format.

External Iowa Map Resources