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1954 Map of Grafton

Name: 1954 Topographic Map of Grafton
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1959
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1959

About this map

The Grafton riverfront and the intricate confluence of the Illinois River and Mississippi River dominate this mid-century survey. The landscape is sharply divided between the bluff-lined northern shore in Jersey County, where deep ravines like Camden Hollow and Distillery Hollow cut through Pere Marquette State Park, and the expansive floodplain of Portage Des Sioux to the south. This lowland area is a complex network of chutes and islands, including Mason Island and Enterprise Island, punctuated by numerous backwater lakes such as Mertz Lake and Marais Temps Clair.

Rural infrastructure is well-documented throughout the flood basin, showing the Chicago and Quincy Burlington railroad line serving small communities like Orchard Farm and Wilkie. Local history is preserved through the locations of the Barweis Cem and several country schoolhouses, including Valley Sch and Phelps Sch. The presence of Smartt Airfield and the Acid Tanks near the river reflects the industrial and transportation evolution of the region during the 1950s.