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1933 Map of Cairo

Name: 1933 Topographic Map of Cairo
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1933
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1933

About this map

The confluence of the Ohio River and the Mississippi defines the landscape at the southern tip of Illinois, where the city of Cairo sits protected by a complex system of levees and rail embankments. This 1933 survey reveals a highly developed transportation corridor, with lines like the Illinois Central and the Mobile and Ohio converging at this vital river junction. To the north, Mound City and Mounds serve as significant regional hubs, the former notably home to the National Cem.

The low-lying bottomlands between the rivers are a maze of sloughs and lakes, including Cypress Slough and Clear Lake, illustrating the drainage challenges of the era. Scattered across the higher ground of Pulaski and Ballard counties are numerous rural institutions such as Edith Chapel and Woodrow Sch, reflecting a dense agrarian settlement pattern before mid-century modernization altered the rural social fabric.