1963 Map of Lewis

About this map

Industrial and agricultural landscapes intersect in this detailed view of the Vigo and Sullivan County border. The map documents the extensive presence of strip mining operations, particularly around Sanford Hill and the Keller area, which transformed the local topography. This resource extraction economy is contrasted by the lingering infrastructure of a previous era, notably the path of the Wabash and Erie Canal passing through Riley in the northeast. Small rural settlements like Blackhawk and Lewis serve as social anchors, each supported by numerous family cemeteries and local congregations such as Shady Grove Church and Fletcher Chapel. A network of water bodies, including Lee Lake and French Lake, are scattered across the terrain, reflecting the environmental changes brought about by both natural drainage and mining-related excavations near Splunge Creek.