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1915 Map of Gillespie

Name: 1915 Topographic Map of Gillespie
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1949
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1949

About this map

The industrial coal-mining landscape of Macoupin County is captured here during a period of significant transition and railroad expansion. Central to this map is Gillespie, serving as a hub for the network of mines and rail lines including the Illinois Traction and Chicago and Northwestern Ry. The map reveals a densely settled agricultural and mining interior, characterized by a high concentration of small rural schools like Spanish Needle School, Hickory Grove School, and Snedeker Grove School.

Evidence of the region's extraction economy is prominent near Benld and Mt Olive, where facilities like the Coal Washer and several designated mines, including Mine No 15, highlight the local industry. Natural landmarks such as Brushy Mound and the winding Macoupin Creek provide contrast to the heavy rail infrastructure. Genealogists will find particular value in the clearly marked family-named schools and burial grounds like Wayne Cem, reflecting the early 20th-century community structure before the consolidation of rural districts.