Practical Exercises in Geography Volume 1 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1915 Excerpt: ...shallow valleys, as is seen especially in some of the rivers in Iowa. Some of the larger rivers, like the Illinois and Mississippi, were in existence before the glacial invasion, and at one time were outlets of the Great Lakes. As a result, their valleys are wider and deeper and are characterized by lines of picturesque bluffs. While agriculture is the leading industry in the Prairie Plains, mining and manufacturing are very important. The output of the great interior coal field in Illinois and Indiana is enormous. The oil industry in this region is also important. Though the flow of oil is waning in Indiana, a new district has been opened up in southeastern Illinois, that is now producing vast quantities of oil. Refineries are often established at the towns and cities near the oil wells. Lawrenceville, Illinois, engages largely in the refining industry. Because agriculture is so important and coal so near at hand, many thriving towns in the Prairie Plains engage in the manufacture of farm implements, wagons, carriages, and tools of all kinds. Indianapolis, for example, has become the metropolis of Indiana. It is in the center of a rich agricultural region, and its growth has been stimulated by the demand for a convenient market. Historically, its location was determined by the intersection of the White River and the National Road. This road still forms the central street of the city and can be traced eastward through Columbus (Ohio), Wheeling (West Virginia), to Richmond (Virginia). In such a rich and productive country as the Prairie Plains, the need of transportation lines would, of course, be great. In the early days the navigable streams furnished the main commercial thoroughfares. The levelness of much of the country, however, made the construction of...