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1959 Map of Equality

Name: 1959 Topographic Map of Equality
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1990
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1990

About this map

The Saline River winds across this southern Illinois landscape, dividing the agricultural plains of Equality from the heavily wooded heights of the Wildcat Hills. Originally mapped in the 1950s and updated with late-century land-use revisions, the sheet captures the region's complex relationship between natural resources and preservation. Portions of the Shawnee National Forest and the Saline County State Conservation Area provide a contrast to the industrial activity evidenced by the Berke Mine and numerous Strip Mines.

A particularly distinctive historical marker is the Negro Spring Salt Well, situated near the base of the hills, hinting at the area's early salt production legacy. The map traces the transition of local geography through the reclamation of mining lands, identified by purple overprints of Reclaimed Strip Mines. Small rural communities like Leamington, Kedron, and Lawler serve as anchors for genealogists, alongside local landmarks like Pisgah Ch and Elmwood Cem.