1937 Map of Lena

About this map

The Blackhawk Battlefield and Monument stands as a significant historical landmark in this 1937 survey of the borderlands between Jo Daviess and Stephenson counties. The landscape is defined by the winding course of the Pecatonica River and the high point of Simmons Mound, with the Illinois Central Railroad cutting a diagonal path through northern towns like Warren and Nora. The settlement pattern reflects a dense agricultural society, evidenced by the high concentration of neighborhood institutions such as Chelsea Ch, Amity Ch, and dozens of rural schoolhouses like Tigerwhip Sch and Toogood Sch. The central town of Lena serves as a primary hub, while smaller crossroads like Waddams Grove and Kent anchor the surrounding rural townships. The map documents a period before modern consolidation, where every few miles of countryside supported a named school or cemetery, including the Blair Cem and Manny Cem.