1923 Map of Dongola

About this map

The State Hospital anchors the northwestern corner of this Southern Illinois landscape, overlooking a dense network of early 20th-century rural infrastructure. Centered on the Third Principal Meridian, the region is defined by the swampy lowlands of the Cache River and its numerous tributaries like Cypress Creek and Mill Creek. The settlement pattern follows the rail lines, with Dongola, Wetaug, and Ullin established along the Illinois Central, while Chicago and Eastern Illinois tracks cut across the southern marshes toward Perks. This survey reveals an era before consolidated districts, where the countryside is dotted with dozens of neighborhood schoolhouses and community churches. From the Sivia School in the north to the New Hope School near the southern boundary, these sites, often named for local families like Barringer or Meisenheimer, offer specific coordinates for genealogical research in Union and Pulaski Counties.