1991 Map of Eliza

About this map

Eliza and the smaller settlement of Petersville anchor this rural landscape along the border of Rock Island and Mercer counties. Published in the early 1990s, the map illustrates a deeply dissected agricultural region where traditional section lines are frequently interrupted by the winding courses of Copperas Creek and Eliza Creek. The survey identifies several significant sites for local historians, including the Union Ch and multiple burial grounds such as Miller Cem, Eliza Creek Cem, and Heath Cem. To the east, the terrain opens into the expanse of Buffalo Prairie, a distinct geographic feature that contrasts with the wooded drainage basins of Deerlick Creek and Winters Creek. The layout of roads and farmsteads reflects over a century of prairie settlement, maintaining a quiet rural character just south of the Illinois City area.