2018 Map of Harco

About this map

Harco and the surrounding rural landscapes of Saline County are defined by a network of small agricultural settlements and family burial grounds. The Middle Fork Saline River and its tributaries, including Prairie Creek and Brushy Creek, wind through the terrain, dictating the placement of early roads and homesteads. Local history is deeply etched into the land through numerous small cemeteries, such as Old Ruff Cem and the Abney Family Cem, which reflect the area's genealogical roots. The community of Galatia sits on the eastern edge of the quadrangle, while smaller hamlets like Rileyville, Banklick, and New Hope are linked by a complex web of named rural routes like Kaskaskia Road and Ebenezer Church Road. This 2018 survey reveals the persistent structure of a Southern Illinois landscape where modern county highways follow the paths of early nineteenth-century settlement.