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1953 Map of Coal City

Name: 1953 Topographic Map of Coal City
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1974
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1974

About this map

The industrial legacy of Goose Lake and the surrounding prairies is defined here by an extensive network of Strip Mine operations and numerous Mine Dumps that dominate the landscape between the Illinois River and Coal City. This 1953 survey, updated with 1973 revisions, reveals a dense concentration of mining infrastructure and rail lines, including the Elgin Joliet and Eastern and the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe RR, which served the extraction industry.

Settlement patterns follow the mineral wealth, with clusters of towns like Carbon Hill, Eileen, and Diamond appearing as satellites to the primary hub at Coal City. Local history is preserved in rural landmarks such as Halderman Cem, Sulphur Springs Sch, and Pine Bluff Sch. The northern portion of the map showcases the transition toward conservation with Goose Lake Prairie State Park, while the meandering paths of the Mazon River and Johnny Run cut through the industrial and agricultural sections of the terrain.