1923 Map of Alexis

About this map

Edwards River meanders through the northern reaches of this Illinois prairie landscape, where the rural economy of the early 1920s is marked by a dense network of country schoolhouses. Named for local landmarks or family estates, these institutions like Maple Grove School, Silver Lake School, and the specialized Carbon High School served as the primary social anchors for a farming population. The village of Alexis sits at the intersection of three counties, while industrial activity is evidenced by Shale City and the coal-related naming of Carbon High School. The regional transportation network is dominated by the Rock Island and Southern and the Chicago Burlington and Quincy railroads, which facilitated the movement of agricultural goods and passengers between centers like Aledo and Viola. The map preserves the specific locations of long-lost rural corners such as Alexis Junction and Shadyside School.