1893 Map of Lacon

About this map

The Illinois River dominates this nineteenth-century survey, creating a complex network of backwater lakes and marshes that defined the local economy and transport before modern dredging. Extensive wetlands including Senachwine Lake, Goose Lake, and Saw Mill Lake flank the main channel, illustrating the seasonal floodplains of the era. The settlement of Lacon serves as a primary hub, while Henry is shown with its grid and a prominent Lock on the river. The landscape is also shaped by competing transit systems, with the Chicago Rock Island and Pacific Railway running north-south through Putnam and Sparland, while the Chicago and Alton Railroad cuts east-west across the southern prairie. Small rural localities like Cottage Hill and Whitefield anchor the surrounding townships, providing key points of interest for genealogists tracing family roots in Marshall and Putnam counties.