1963 Map of Akin

About this map

The Southern Illinois landscape between Akin and West End is captured here during a period of transition in the early 1960s. The terrain is marked by the complex drainage systems of Middle Fork Saline River and Rector Creek, where the wooded hills of South Flannigan meet the agricultural flats of Eastern township. Small rural communities and church-centered settlements like Rural Hill and West Rural Hill are connected by a network of winding country roads and the Illinois Central railroad, which cuts through the southwestern corner near Ferber. Numerous family-named cemeteries and landmarks, such as Good Hope Cem, Little Springs Cem Ch, and Oak Grove Ch, serve as significant markers for genealogists tracing the legacy of Hamilton and Saline counties. The map also documents the prevalence of the oil industry in this era, with numerous wells scattered across the north and central sectors.