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1913 Map of Colchester

Name: 1913 Topographic Map of Colchester
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1949
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1949

About this map

Colchester and its surrounding townships at the edge of the La Moine River valley define the character of this western Illinois landscape. The 1948 revision captures a region rooted in an intricate network of rural districts, where almost every square mile is anchored by a named schoolhouse such as Pennsylvania School, Hickory Flat School, or Buncombe School. This density of one-room schools suggests a highly localized agricultural society before the consolidation of the mid-20th century.

Infrastructure is dominated by the Chicago Burlington And Quincy railroad, which links the primary settlements of Plymouth, Tennessee, and Colmar. Beyond the rail corridor, the terrain breaks into the drainage of Troublesome Creek and Bronson Creek, featuring landmarks like the Lamoine Bridge and the curiously named Rattlesnake Den. Scattered country churches, including Majorville Church and Angola Church, serve as spiritual hubs for the farmsteads that fill the spaces between the larger village centers.