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1959 Map of Golconda

Name: 1959 Topographic Map of Golconda
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1960
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1960

About this map

Ohio River navigation and mining interests define this mid-century look at the border between Illinois and Kentucky. The river corridor is a hub of activity, anchored by the riverfront towns of Golconda, Rosiclare, and Elizabethtown, while Lock and Dam No 51 facilitates the heavy traffic of the day. Inland, the extraction of minerals is evident in the presence of the Empire Gem Mine, Bonanza Mines, and the Austin Mine north of the river, highlighting the area's geological importance to the industrial economy.

The map reveals a landscape of small rural communities and family landmarks, including dozens of country churches and schools like Bethesda Church and Basset School. Notable geological features such as Mantle Rock and the high overlooks at Newmans Bluff and Dogley Bluff sit alongside the dense wooded boundaries of the Shawnee National Forest. This survey captures the region just as the river-and-railway era transitioned into modern highway travel, preserving the locations of numerous family cemeteries and small crossings like the Ferry near Rosiclare.