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1907 Map of Belleville

Name: 1907 Topographic Map of Belleville
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1907
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1907

About this map

The industrial and agricultural landscape of Southwestern Illinois at the start of the 20th century is defined by a dense web of interlocking rail lines. Belleville and Collinsville anchor this survey, showing the expansion of these communities along the Louisville and Nashville RR and the Pennsylvania and Collinsville RR. The map captures an era of rapid transit development, featuring several electric interurban lines like the St Louis O'Fallon and Lebanon Electric RR that connected smaller settlements such as O'Fallon and Lebanon.

Beyond the towns, the topography reveals the transition from the Mississippi river bluffs to the flat prairie, drained by Silver Creek and its many tributaries like Sugar Fork and Lake Fork Creek. Smaller communities like Summerfield, Shiloh, and St. Jacob are documented alongside rural infrastructure including scattered Schoolhouses and family cemeteries, providing a clear look at the early settlement patterns of Madison and St. Clair Counties.