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1966 Map of Crab Orchard Lake

Name: 1966 Topographic Map of Crab Orchard Lake
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1978
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1978

About this map

Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge dominates this landscape in southern Illinois, established as a conservation and recreation area surrounding the expansive Crab Orchard Lake. The map reveals a post-war environment where natural resource management and higher education intersect, evidenced by the Southern Illinois University (School of Technology) located within the refuge boundaries. To the north, the growing communities of Carterville and Crainville sit along the highway, while the Williamson County Airport serves as a regional transportation hub.

Genealogists will find a high density of rural burial grounds, such as McAlpin Cem, Chamness Cem, and the East Lawn Memorial Garden, which reflect the area's older pioneer and farmstead history before the lake's inundation. The presence of an Old Railroad Grade and several named water bodies like Pigeon Creek and Grassy Creek provide clues to the region's earlier industrial and agricultural drainage patterns.