1957 Map of DeMotte

About this map

The Kankakee River and a complex network of drainage ditches define the landscape of northern Jasper County in the late 1950s. This survey illustrates the intensive engineering of the marshlands into productive agricultural terrain, where long, straight Ditch segments intersect the winding natural watercourse. The settlement of Demotte serves as the primary hub, situated along the New York Central rail line that facilitated the transport of crops from the surrounding Wheatfield region. Smaller communities and crossroads like Kersey, Deer Park, and Kniman are scattered across the township grid, connected by a network of rural roads such as Tyler and Bosma. For genealogists, the map preserves the exact locations of local landmarks including a community Cem and an early Airfield, alongside many family-named roads that reflect the area's mid-century rural character.