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1916 Map of Cave in Rock

Name: 1916 Topographic Map of Cave in Rock
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1924
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1924

About this map

The Ohio River forms a jagged natural boundary between Illinois and Kentucky in this 1914 survey, where the rugged bluffs of the Shawnee Hills meet the water. This preliminary edition highlights the riverfront's commercial and educational landscape, featuring a string of rural schools such as Love School, McDowell School, and Double Box School situated inland from the cliffs. Local commerce at the time was concentrated near the water at Peters Cr Store and Frailey Store.

Geological landmarks define the river's edge, most notably the famous cavern at Cave in Rock and the high bluffs of Battery Rock. The map details several river islands, including Plew I and McKinley I, which served as vital navigational markers during this era of heavy river traffic. The northern half of the sheet provides high-contrast topographic detail, while the southern portion is designated as a Preliminary Edition Unsurveyed Area, capturing the mapmaking process as it stood in the early twentieth century.