1975 Map of Bement SE

About this map

Hammond anchors the southwestern corner of this 1975 orthophotoquad, showing the intricate patchwork of central Illinois farmland at the height of the mid-1970s. This aerial perspective, captured by the U. S. Geological Survey, reveals the geometric precision of the township-and-range system, where fields are dissected by straight section-line roads. Small clusters of development at Pierson and Hammond represent the rural hubs of the era, while the drainages of Lake and Fork break the otherwise rigid agricultural grid. These orthophotoquads are particularly valuable for researchers because they provide a literal photographic record of vegetation, farmstead layouts, and drainage patterns that standard topographic symbols often generalize, offering a direct view of the Piatt County landscape as it existed decades ago.