Loading map...

1985 Map of Carlyle Lake

Name: 1985 Topographic Map of Carlyle Lake
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1988
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1988

About this map

The massive expanse of Carlyle Lake dominates this 1980s landscape, serving as a focal point for conservation and recreation in central Illinois. Flanking the water are significant protected lands including the Carlyle Lake State Wildlife Management Area, Hazlet State Park, and South Shore State Park. To the west, the intensifying suburban and military presence of the Metro East area is anchored by Scott Air Force Base and the historic campus of McKendree College in Lebanon.

The transition from industrial rail corridors like the Illinois Central Gulf and Baltimore and Ohio to the fertile agricultural plains is marked by significant topographic features such as Monks Mound and Pleasant Mound. Small farming communities like Bartelso, Germantown, and Posey are connected by a network of drainage systems including Silver Creek and the Kaskaskia River, illustrating the enduring relationship between the region's hydraulic management and its settlement patterns.