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1959 Map of Dekoven

Name: 1959 Topographic Map of Dekoven
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1977
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1977

About this map

The Ohio River and Tradewater River converge in this 1950s survey, marking a vital borderland between Kentucky and Illinois. The landscape is defined by the sharp transition from the river bottomlands to the interior ridges and knobs, including Graham Hill, Indian Hill, and Lizard Point. A complex network of small settlements and river towns highlights the era's local economy, with places like Dekoven, Caseyville, and Mulfordtown lining the Kentucky side of the water.

Transport and industry are anchored by the Illinois Central railroad, which threads through Henshaw and Curlew toward the riverbanks. For genealogists, the map is particularly dense with community landmarks, from rural churches like St Ambrose Ch and Old Bethel Ch to historic burial grounds including Odd Fellows Cem and Mitchell Cem. Across the water, the Shawnee National Forest covers the Illinois bluffs, where features like Battery Rock overlook Sturgeon Island.