1996 Map of Crab Orchard Lake

About this map

Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge dominates the landscape of southern Illinois in the mid-1990s, defined by the intricate shorelines of Crab Orchard Lake and Devils Kitchen Lake. The map details a transition from the developing residential fringes of Carterville and Crainville in the north to the managed wilderness and agricultural fields of the refuge. A legacy of local settlement is preserved in the numerous family and community burial grounds scattered across the terrain, such as Chamness Cem, McCown Cem, and Hampton Cem. The presence of the Williamson County Airport and the Southern Illinois University (School of Technology) reflects the area's mid-century modernization. This topographic study also tracks the complex hydrology of the region through labeled waterways like Pigeon Creek, Grassy Creek, and Wolf Creek, showing the relationship between human infrastructure and the natural watershed.