2012 Map of Biggs

About this map

Chaney Cem, Baker Cem, and Sear's Cem anchor this landscape of rural Mason County, reflecting the deep-rooted family history of the Illinois River valley. The terrain is defined by a sophisticated water-management system essential to Central Illinois agriculture, featuring the Herget Drainage Ditch and a network of arterial channels including Biggs Ditch and Newton DITCH. Small settlements like Poplar City and Biggs are situated among a rectilinear grid of county roads, while the southern edge is shaped by the meandering Sangamon River and its associated wetlands like Perry Slough. This modern survey documents the continued reliance on drainage engineering to maintain the productivity of the prairie, showing how modern infrastructure overlays the historic distribution of cemeteries and unincorporated communities like Peterville.