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1947 Map of Alto Pass

Name: 1947 Topographic Map of Alto Pass
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1954
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1954

About this map

Bald Knob dominates the high ground of southern Illinois in this mid-century survey, looking down upon the tight bends of the Big Muddy River and the sweeping bottomlands of the Mississippi River. The landscape is a study in contrasts, where the wooded ridges of the Shawnee National Forest meet the fertile, drained lowlands of Oakwood Bottoms. Settlement patterns here follow the older river routes and the rail lines of the Illinois Central and Missouri Pacific, connecting established towns like Grand Tower and Alto Pass.

Genealogists and local historians can locate numerous rural community anchors, from the Mt Pleasant Church to isolated educational sites like the McGuire Sch and Hickory Ridge School. The presence of Rattlesnake Ferry and Kings Ferry along the river highlights a period when water-based transit still shaped local commerce. Detailed markings also identify the Union County State Forest and distinct terrain features like Fountain Bluff, providing a clear view of the region's land use before later development.