1929 Map of Decatur

About this map

Lake Decatur dominates the central landscape of this survey, illustrating the significant hydrological engineering of the Sangamon River that reshaped the region's geography. The city of Decatur serves as a dense industrial and transit hub, where the Illinois Central, Wabash, and Baltimore and Ohio railroads converge to form a complex shipping network. The surrounding rural townships like Hickory Point and Long Creek are remarkably dense with small school districts, including the curiously named Blue Door Sch and Walnut Grove College Sch. This map documents a transition from an agrarian prairie to an organized municipal center, evidenced by the development of the Decatur Airport and recreational sites like Faries Park and the Municipal Beach along the reservoir's edge. Genealogists can find numerous country schools and cemeteries, such as Graceland Cem, punctuating the sections.