1962 Map of Brownfield

About this map

The Ohio River forms the southeastern border of this Pope County landscape, where the Sisters Islands sit mid-stream near Ropers Landing. Inland, the terrain is defined by the dense tracts of the Shawnee National Forest, punctuated by family-named cemeteries such as Foreman Cem and Hemphill Cem. Settlement patterns show a clear transition from the river lowlands to the higher ground of Brownfield Bluff, with clusters at Old Brownfield and the contemporary junction at Brownfield. The Illinois Central railroad cuts through the central valley, a critical artery for this rural economy. Significant local infrastructure of the early 1960s is preserved here, including the Community High Sch near the northern border and the Deputy Lookout Tower, reflecting a landscape managed for both timber and small-scale agriculture.