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1942 Map of Lena

Name: 1942 Topographic Map of Lena
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1963
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1963

About this map

Blackhawk Battlefield and Monument stands as a significant landmark in this region where Stephenson and Jo Daviess counties meet near the Wisconsin border. This 1942 survey details a landscape defined by its agricultural character and the strategic paths of the Illinois Central and Chicago Great Western railroads. These rail lines connected major local hubs like Lena and Stockton, fostering the growth of smaller hamlets such as Waddams Grove and Nora.

The topography is marked by notable heights like Simmons Mound and Stony Bluff, while the drainage network includes the Pecatonica River and Yellow Creek. A dense network of rural infrastructure is visible, with dozens of family and community-named schools including Toogood Sch and Crossroads Sch, alongside traditional gathering places like Amity Ch and St Marys Cem. This map captures a highly organized rural society before the consolidation of mid-century schools and the shifting of local transport away from the rails.