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1953 Map of Buffalo Prairie

Name: 1953 Topographic Map of Buffalo Prairie
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1977
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1977

About this map

The borderlands of Rock Island and Mercer County reveal a highly organized rural landscape during the mid-20th century, defined by a dense network of district schools and township centers. Buffalo Prairie serves as a primary hub, supported by a remarkable concentration of local education buildings, including North Buffalo Prairie, South Buffalo Prairie, and East Buffalo Prairie School. This layout reflects the persistence of small, localized school districts in Illinois before widespread consolidation.

Agricultural life is further anchored by civic and spiritual landmarks like the Duncan Town Hall and Antioch Church. The physical geography is carved by several winding waterways such as Eliza Creek, Copperas Creek, and Camp Creek, which break up the geometric precision of the township grids. For researchers, the map provides precise locations for family burial grounds including Duncan Cemetery and the Edgington Cemetery, alongside small water bodies like Lake Nelson.