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1938 Map of Genoa

Name: 1938 Topographic Map of Genoa
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1938
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1938

About this map

Genoa stands at the heart of this 1930s landscape, where the Chicago Milwaukee St Paul and Pacific and Chicago and Northwestern railroads intersect. This rail junction defines the local economy, connecting agricultural hubs like Hampshire, Marengo, and Burlington. The map reveals a dense network of one-room schoolhouses such as Anthony Sch, Java Sch, and Bean Sch, reflecting the rural township structure before mid-century school consolidations.

The South Branch Kishwaukee River and Coon Creek meander across the terrain, shaping the development of smaller settlements like New Lebanon and Charter Grove. Genealogists will find significant detail in the placement of the North Kingston Cem and numerous named schools that served farm families across Boone, De Kalb, McHenry, and Kane counties. The surveying work of W. S. Gehres and H. E. Simmons provides a precise view of the region's transition into a modern motorized era via Illinois 23.