1948 Map of Jonesboro

About this map

The neighboring hubs of Anna and Jonesboro anchor this Southern Illinois landscape just after the Second World War. The map details a sophisticated network of transportation and rural industry, where the Illinois Central and Gulf Mobile and Ohio railroads converge near the heart of town. To the north, the Black Diamond Highway cuts through the terrain, while the extensive tracts of the Union County State Forest and Shawnee National Forest dominate the western hills. The settlement pattern is defined by several rural schools and churches, including Morgan Sch and Lockard Chapel, reflecting a distributed community structure that supported the region's agricultural and timber economies. Along the western edge, the topography drops sharply toward the bottomlands near Clear Cr, marked by the distinct National Forest Boundary.