Loading map...

1943 Map of Lena

Name: 1943 Topographic Map of Lena
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1943
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1943

About this map

Blackhawk Battlefield And Monument serves as a central landmark in this 1943 survey of Northwestern Illinois, marking a landscape defined by its agricultural heritage and early transportation corridors. The topography is shaped by the drainage of Yellow Creek and the Apple River, while the Illinois Central and Chicago Great Western railroads dictate the placement of local hubs like Lena, Warren, and Stockton.

A dense network of rural one-room schoolhouses, such as Tigerwhip Sch and Toogood Sch, illustrates the decentralized settlement pattern before mid-century consolidation. The intersection of the Jo Daviess Co Stephenson Co border and the Wisconsin Illinois line provides a clear frame for researchers tracing land ownership. From the community of Eleroy to the heights of Simmons Mound, the map documents the transition of this prairie region into a productive dairy and farming belt, anchored by small township centers and family cemeteries like Manny Cem and Grigsby Cem.