1953 Map of Aledo East

About this map

Aledo stands as the primary hub in this mid-century portrait of Mercer County, where the Chicago Burlington and Quincy railroad cuts a straight path eastward toward Gilchrist. The landscape is a network of small, specialized settlements and family-named landmarks, such as Wanlock and Shale City, the latter featuring its own Shale City School. This era of rural Illinois is characterized by the close proximity of social institutions to the land, evidenced by the numerous country schools like Calhoun School and Frew School, and churches such as Sugar Grove Church and Ohio Grove Church.