2015 Map of Lacon

About this map

The Illinois River bisects this Marshall County landscape, creating a wide riparian corridor of backwater lakes and sloughs between the settlements of Lacon and Sparland. To the west, the terrain rises into upland plateaus deeply incised by drainage systems like Thenius Cr and Gimlet Cr, while the eastern side is defined by the agricultural flats of the Illinois prairie. This 2015 perspective captures the area's essential river-valley character, where transportation routes and aviation hubs like Marshall County Airport and the Villiger RLA Airport skirt the wetlands. Genealogists will find several notable burial grounds across the rural landscape, including Saint Patrick Cem in the northeast, Nightswonger Cem, Bonham Cem overlooking the river valley, and the Jason and Broaddus Cem east of Lacon. The complex shoreline features of Goose Lake, Wightman Lake, and Babb Slough illustrate the persistent natural hydraulics of the river basin despite centuries of settlement.