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1954 Map of Lebanon

Name: 1954 Topographic Map of Lebanon
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1959
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1959

About this map

McKendree College sits at the heart of Lebanon on this mid-century survey, surrounded by the agricultural townships of O'Fallon, Lebanon, Shiloh Valley, and Mascoutah. The landscape shows a region in transition, where established rural institutions like the Emerald Mound Grange and Shiloh Valley Grange coexist with the expanding footprint of Scott Air Force Base and the Cyril Lebert Airport. A notable pattern of consolidation is evident in the numerous defunct rural schoolhouses, including Oak Hill Sch, Oak Grove Sch, and Choctaw Sch, which suggest the changing social geography of St. Clair County as small district schools closed.

Industrial and transport corridors anchor the local economy, with the Baltimore and Ohio and Southern railroads bisecting the territory. The topography is defined by the broad drainage basin of Silver Creek and its many tributaries like Rock Spring Creek and Loop Creek. Family history and local heritage are preserved in numerous burial grounds such as Bridges Cem, College Hill Cem, and the Holy Childhood of Jesus Cem near Mascoutah Lake.