2018 Map of Essex

About this map

Braidwood and the smaller settlements of Godley, Braceville, and Essex anchor a landscape defined by industrial development and the convergence of Grundy, Will, and Kankakee counties. The vast Braidwood Power Plant Cooling Pond dominates the northwestern quadrant, its complex shoreline reflecting modern engineering alongside older village footprints. In the eastern reaches, the terrain is more agricultural, drained by Horse Creek and its tributaries, where the Corn Field Airport and several historic burial grounds, including Mount Olivet Cem and Custer Township Cem, provide local landmarks. The grid-like road system, featuring routes like W Smiley Rd and Co Line Rd W 6000 N RD, connects these scattered rural communities. This map details a specific intersection of infrastructure and Illinois prairie history, capturing the transition from coal-era villages like Clarke City and Torino to a landscape centered on power generation.