1974 Map of Fruitdale

About this map

The Illinois Central Gulf railroad tracks run northwest through the heart of Fruitdale, a community defined by its timbered landscape and scattered family landmarks in the 1970s. The settlement's social fabric is visible through the High Sch and nearby spiritual centers like the Church of the Brethren and Epworth Ch. To the south, the landscape becomes increasingly rural, dominated by the Kurtz State Forest and a series of drainage networks including Tarkiln Creek and Byrd Creek. Small family and community cemeteries like Macedonia Cem, Grimes Cem, and Williams Cem are found throughout the area, providing valuable points of reference for genealogists. The eastern boundary is shaped by the Escatawpa River, which separates the community from the neighboring settlement of Escatawpa. Evidence of local industry appears in the form of scattered Gas Wells and a Drill Hole located west of the main town center.