1954 Map of Barlow

About this map

The Ohio River dominates the western edge of this mid-century survey, creating a complex hydrologic landscape defined by the expansive Barlow Bottoms. This lowland area is a dense network of sloughs and lakes, including Swan Pond, Fish Lake, and Honey Lake Slough, which separate the mainland from Cache Island. The landscape transitions sharply from these alluvial bottomlands to the interior uplands where the town of Barlow serves as a local hub. The town is oriented along the Illinois Central Railroad Grade, which cuts west toward the river through the surrounding farmland. Genealogists will find a well-distributed network of rural markers, from the Old Hazelwood Cem to active country congregations like Ohio Valley Ch and Bethel Ch, illustrating the established social fabric of Ballard County during the early 1950s.