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1962 Map of Francesville

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

USGS Topo · Published 1964

About this map

Francesville anchors the northeastern corner of this 1960s landscape, where the Monon railroad corridor cuts a straight line through the agricultural heart of Pulaski and Jasper Counties. The map reveals an intensive system of water management, defined by a dense grid of drainage features including Pelsey Ditch, Barkley Ditch, and Ryan Ditch. This network allowed for the cultivation of the surrounding townships, such as Gillam and Hanging Grove, which were once dominated by the natural wet prairies of the Kankakee region.

Local history is preserved in the smaller settlements and rural landmarks that dot the terrain. Researchers can identify the community of Lee and the small cluster at Hanging Grove, alongside a Quarry and family-linked burial grounds like Osborne Cem and Nauvoo Cem. The interplay between Slough Creek and man-made channels like the Make Ever Huff Ditch illustrates the mid-century transformation of the northern Indiana prairie into productive farmland.