1953 Map of Blackhawk

About this map

Mississippi River backwaters and the high bluffs of Mississippi Palisades State Park define this stretch of the Illinois and Iowa border. The landscape is a study in contrasting elevations, from the low-lying Upper Mississippi River Wild Life and Fish Refuge with its complex network of sloughs like Pinoak Slough and Hickory Slough, to the steep ridges of Mosquito Hill and Heer Hill. The 1950s infrastructure shows the heavy footprint of the Savanna Army Depot and the convergence of major rail lines, including the Chicago Burlington and Quincy and the Chicago Milwaukee St Paul and Pacific. Rural life is meticulously documented through family-named schools and churches, such as Knapp Sch and Holy Trinity Ch, serving the agricultural uplands of Hanover and Derinda townships. Early recreational developments appear at Santa Fe Beach and the Palisades Country Club, while the small settlement of Blackhawk sits nestled between the bluffs and the river.