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1914 Map of Macomb

Name: 1914 Topographic Map of Macomb
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1949
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1949

About this map

Macomb stands as the central hub of this west-central Illinois landscape, where the Chicago Burlington and Quincy railroad intersects with early automobile-era routes like the Waubonsie Trail. The map reveals a dense network of rural infrastructure, with nearly every section of land supported by its own local education center, such as Gooseneck School, Maple Grove School, and the distinctive Cottage Corner School. These schools, often named for local families or geography, provide a precise look at the township organization of McDonough and Schuyler counties.

The terrain is defined by the drainage of the Lamoine River and various creeks like Troublesome Creek and Grindstone Creek. While agriculture dominates the prairie, industrial hints appear at the Clay Mine near the northern city limits. Smaller outlying settlements such as Bardolph and Industry offer a view into the self-sustaining village economies that thrived before the modernization of transport consolidated regional commerce in the larger county seats.