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1928 Map of Brighton

Name: 1928 Topographic Map of Brighton
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1928
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1928

About this map

Macoupin Creek and its winding tributaries define the rural landscape of this southwestern Illinois region in the 1920s. This survey illustrates a densely settled agricultural grid across Greene, Jersey, and Macoupin Counties, where small towns like Medora, Shipman, and Brighton served as vital hubs for the surrounding farming community. The area is exceptionally well-documented for its social infrastructure, featuring dozens of country schools such as Washington School and Brush College School, alongside landmarks like Paradise Church.

The economic life of the era is marked by the intersecting lines of the Chicago and Alton and the Chicago Burlington and Quincy railroads. These rails provided essential transport for the region's produce, connecting remote prairie settlements like Fidelity and Woodburn to larger markets. From the wetlands of Foster Lake to the open expanse of Hawkins Prairie, the map preserves the intricate layout of a pre-war Illinois heartland.