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1962 Map of Elgin

Name: 1962 Topographic Map of Elgin
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1964
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1964

About this map

The Fox River valley serves as the central artery for this early 1960s industrial and residential landscape, anchoring the bustling city of Elgin and the twin villages of West Dundee and East Dundee. The transition from urban density to rural outskirts is evident in the numerous gravel pits dotting the landscape and the presence of the Northwest Tollway, which had recently reshaped regional transit. Institutional landmarks like the sprawling Elgin State Hospital and Elgin Academy highlight the city's established social infrastructure.

To the north, Carpentersville shows significant post-war residential expansion near Lake Marian, while more traditional landmarks like Bluff City Cemetery and Lords Park define the eastern edge of the city. The map records a critical period when the Chicago and North Western and Chicago Milwaukee St Paul and Pacific railroads still provided vital connections between riverside manufacturing centers and the surrounding agricultural townships of Rutland and Dundee.