1922 Map of Carbondale

About this map

Carbondale serves as the focal point of this Southern Illinois landscape, positioned where the Illinois Central railroad lines intersect. In the early 1940s, the terrain was undergoing a massive transformation with the development of major water bodies like Crab Orchard Lake, Little Grassy Lake, and Devils Kitchen Lake, which dominate the central and eastern portions of the map. South of the city, the dramatic geology of the Shawnee Hills is represented by Giant City State Park and high points such as Tygart Knob and Buck Knob. The rural landscape is remarkably dense with 19th-century educational and religious foundations, including South County Line Church and over two dozen country schools like Covered Bridge School and Poplar Grove School, illustrating the tight-knit settlement patterns of Jackson, Williamson, and Union counties before post-war consolidation.