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1953 Map of Atkinson

Name: 1953 Topographic Map of Atkinson
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1957
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1957

About this map

The village of Atkinson serves as a focal point in this mid-century look at central Henry County, where the industrial presence of the Chicago Rock Island and Pacific railroad meets a landscape shaped by hydraulic engineering. The Illinois and Mississippi Canal (abandoned) runs parallel to the rail line, indicating a shift from nineteenth-century water transport to twentieth-century rail and road dominance. To the north, the Green River meanders across the township boundaries of Phoenix and Loraine, while the surrounding prairie is dotted with a high density of rural institutions.

Local genealogy and social history are well-preserved through numerous landmarked schools and halls. Rural education is anchored by facilities such as the Spring Creek School and Mount Hope School, while the Spring Creek Grange Hall points to the area's strong agricultural community ties. Religious and family history can be traced through sites like Mizpah Cemetery and St Anthony Cemetery, providing a clear map of the settlement patterns in Munson and Cornwall townships.