1994 Map of Gorham

About this map

The Big Muddy River winds through a series of dramatic oxbows including Horseshoe Bend, Mill Bend, and Cripps Bend as it makes its way toward the Mississippi. This 1994 revision of a mid-century survey illustrates the complex hydrology of the Grand Tower Bottoms, where a system of levees and ditches manages the lowlands near Johns Spur and Howardton. The Shawnee National Forest dominates the eastern and western horizons, containing the sharp relief of Fountain Bluff and the intricate drainage of the Little Grand Canyon. Genealogists will find several family-named burial sites along the base of the bluffs, including Henson and Hudson Cemetery. Transportation history is evident in the path of the Illinois Central Railroad, which connects the small settlements of Gorham and Sand Ridge to the river's edge at Grand Tower.