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1947 Map of La Salle

Name: 1947 Topographic Map of La Salle
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1958
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1958

About this map

The Illinois River serves as the industrial and geographic anchor of this mid-century landscape, flanked by the prominent urban centers of La Salle, Peru, and Spring Valley. A dense network of railroads, including the Chicago Rock Island and Pacific RR and the Chicago Burlington and Quincy RR, crisscrosses the river valley, illustrating the region's importance as a transportation hub for coal and agriculture. This 1940s revision documents the post-war state of these river towns, where St Bedes College and Webster Park overlook the valley floor.

Away from the industrial riverfront, the map reveals a rural interior defined by township divisions like Troy Grove and Ophir. Genealogists will find a wealth of country schools such as Deener School and Aitkin School, along with distinctive geological landmarks like Split Rock and the gorge at Deer Park. The presence of the Chicago Ottawa and Peoria RR (Abandoned) provides a specific marker of the evolving transit landscape as electric lines gave way to highway travel.