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1963 Map of Leesville

Name: 1963 Topographic Map of Leesville
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1974
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1974

About this map

Leesville and the surrounding townships sit along the Illinois Indiana state line, reflecting a landscape defined by drainage engineering and the expansion of the Chicago Milwaukee St Paul and Pacific railroad. The map reveals the intricate network of the Lake Ditch and Redden Ditch systems, which were vital for reclaiming the prairie for agriculture. Local community life is centered around rural institutions like Pembroke Sch and several places of worship, including Guiding Star Ch and the Rehoboth Tabernacle Ch.

The eastern portion of the sheet transitions into the Willow Slough State Game Preserve, marking a shift from the cultivated fields of Pembroke to protected wetlands. Small rail-side settlements like Tallmadge and Doney anchor the northwestern corridor, while family history is preserved at the Morgan Cem near the state border. The presence of a Bible Camp and St Anne Woods further emphasizes the recreational and communal character of the Kankakee and Iroquois County borderlands during this era.