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1949 Map of Alto Pass

Name: 1949 Topographic Map of Alto Pass
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1949
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1949

About this map

Fountain Bluff stands as a prominent landmark above the Mississippi River floodplains in this late-1940s survey of southern Illinois. The landscape is defined by the sharp contrast between the flat river bottoms and the heavily dissected hills of the Shawnee National Forest. Along the river, historical transportation routes are well-preserved, including the site of Rattlesnake Ferry and Kings Ferry. The rail network is equally vital, with the Illinois Central Railroad and Missouri Pacific Railroad navigating the narrow corridor between the bluffs and the Big Muddy River.

Cultural landmarks are densely mapped across the ridge country, particularly around Alto Pass and Cobden. Genealogists and local historians will find numerous rural institutions, from the Hickory Ridge School and McCann Sch to houses of worship like Jerusalem Church and Lyerle Chapel. Geological features such as Saltpeter Cave and the Natural Bridge near Pomona highlight the area's complex karst and sandstone topography before modern development altered the rural character of these river towns.