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1984 Map of Kankakee

Name: 1984 Topographic Map of Kankakee
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1985
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1985

About this map

The Kankakee River and Iroquois River anchor this 1980s landscape, serving as the primary drainage and historical corridors for a region spanning the Illinois and Indiana state line. In the west, the growing urban center around Kankakee, Bourbonnais, and Bradley reflects the industrial and educational presence of the era, including Olivet Nazarene College and the sprawling grounds of the Kankakee State Hospital. Further north, the Manteno State Hospital stands as a significant landmark of social infrastructure near Manteno.

The eastern portion of the sheet transitions into the managed wetlands and conservation areas of northwest Indiana, including the Beaver Lake Wildlife Refuge and Willow Slough State Wildlife Area. This area is defined by an intricate network of man-made drainage such as the Singleton Ditch and Tully Ditch, which transformed the former Grand Kankakee Marsh into productive agricultural land. Intersecting rail lines like the Illinois Central Gulf RR and Conrail highlight the region's enduring role as a transportation crossroads between Chicago and the southern interiors.