1959 Map of Karbers Ridge

About this map

Karbers Ridge and Sparks Hill sit at the center of this rural landscape in the Shawnee National Forest during the late 1950s. The settlement patterns reflect a rugged, upland character defined by high points like High Knob and the Pounds Escarpment to the north. These topographical features, along with the Buzzards Point landmark on the Gallatin-Hardin county line, illustrate the complex limestone and sandstone geography of Southern Illinois. The map traces the winding paths of Big Creek and Goose Creek, providing a detailed look at the rural road networks and scattered homesites that defined this area before modern developments changed the local infrastructure. Researchers will find numerous cemeteries and small churches, such as Good Hope Ch and Philadelphia Ch, which serve as vital markers for family historians tracing roots in this corner of Hardin County.