1955 Map of Bement

About this map

The Sangamon River and its accompanying Willow Branch drainage define the northern landscape of this central Illinois territory. At the mid-century mark, the region is characterized by a dense grid of agricultural townships including Cerro Gordo, Unity, and Lovington. The rail network serves as the primary economic skeleton, with the Wabash and Illinois Terminal lines converging at Bement, while the Baltimore and Ohio and Pennsylvania railroads service southern settlements like Hammond and Lake City.