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1944 Map of Belvidere

Name: 1944 Topographic Map of Belvidere
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1944
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1944

About this map

The Kishwaukee River corridor and the industrial town of Belvidere define the southern portion of this 1944 edition. Surveyed in 1917 with cultural revisions through 1942, the map shows the expansion of the Chicago and Northwestern railroad lines, which linked agricultural hubs like Poplar Grove and Caledonia to larger markets. The landscape is dense with community infrastructure from a previous generation, featuring an extraordinary concentration of rural schoolhouses such as Red Brick School and the uniquely named Quailtrap School.

Cultural identity is visible in landmarks like the Scotch Church and Scotch Cemetery near Argyle. Further south, the Fairgrounds in Belvidere and the riverside Camp Epworth reflect the region's mid-century social life. The terrain is defined by the convergence of Piscasaw Creek, Beaver Creek, and several branches of the Kinnikinnick Creek, illustrating the well-watered prairie geography of Boone and Winnebago Co.