1968 Map of Hampshire

About this map

The agrarian landscape of the De Kalb Co Kane Co border is defined by a rigid grid of country roads and the critical paths of mid-century rail transport. In the late 1960s, the village of Hampshire served as a concentrated hub along the Chicago Milwaukee St Paul and Pacific line, while further south, the Illinois Central corridor passes through Burlington. The map reveals a highly structured rural economy, where family-named routes like Lenschow Road, Ellithorpe Road, and Rohrsen Rd connect dispersed farmsteads to these small rail centers. Local history and genealogy are anchored by landmarks such as the Hampshire Center Cem and Burlington Union Cem, while industrial activity is noted at the Gravel Pits and the small settlement of New Lebanon along Coon Creek.