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1949 Map of Lebanon

Name: 1949 Topographic Map of Lebanon
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1949
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1949

About this map

McKendree College and the city of Lebanon anchor the northern reaches of this mid-century landscape, which is defined by a dense network of country roads, cemeteries, and rural schoolhouses. The area reflects a well-established agrarian economy punctuated by heavy transit corridors, including the Baltimore and Ohio, Southern, and Louisville and Nashville railroads. To the southwest, the expansive grounds of Scott Field demonstrate the military's significant footprint in St. Clair County during the post-war era.

The central corridor is dominated by the meandering Silver Creek, which creates a natural divide between the townships of Lebanon, Shiloh Valley, and Mascoutah. Local history is visible in the numerous family and community landmarks, such as Espenschied Chapel, the Old Mascoutah Cem, and small rural institutions like Choctaw Sch. From the Locust Hills Country Club to the southern city limits of Mascoutah, the map documents a transition from traditional farming settlements toward the modern infrastructure of the 1940s.