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1937 Map of Jacksonville

Name: 1937 Topographic Map of Jacksonville
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1937
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1937

About this map

Jacksonville serves as the primary hub of this west-central Illinois landscape, where a dense network of iron rails and schoolhouses defines the Depression-era rural economy. The Wabash RR, Alton RR, and Burlington and Quincy RR converge in the county seat, radiating outward past smaller settlements like Pisgah and Woodson. The concentration of specialized institutions, including the Douglas Institute and Routt Sch, suggests a community of significant educational and social standing for the period.

Beyond the town center, the landscape is punctuated by a high density of country schools and churches, often named for local topography or families. Map readers can trace the winding course of Mauvaise Terre Creek and Apple Creek through areas marked by dozens of rural one-room schoolhouses, such as Prairie College Sch and Brush College. The map also preserves the locations of numerous family and community burial grounds, including Whitlock Cem and Spencer Cem, providing a detailed record for genealogical study of Morgan County.