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1941 Map of Carbondale

Name: 1941 Topographic Map of Carbondale
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1955
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1955

About this map

Crab Orchard Lake dominates the landscape in this 1941 revision, reflecting a period of significant water management in Southern Illinois. The map captures the newly formed reservoirs including Little Grassy Lake and Devils Kitchen Lake, surrounded by the rugged ridges of the Shawnee Hills. To the west, the city of Carbondale serves as a major hub for the Illinois Central Railroad, which cuts south through the village of Makanda toward the orchards of Cobden.

Genealogists will find a dense network of early rural infrastructure, including dozens of named schools like Briarpatch School and Clemmenstown School. Local landmarks such as the Covered Bridge north of Carbondale and the high elevations of Tip Top Knob provide specific points of interest for historical research. The transition from agricultural valley land to the protected terrain of Giant City State Park is clearly delineated across the Jackson and Union county lines.