1966 Map of Makanda

About this map

Giant City State Park dominates this Illinois landscape, where the sandstone bluffs and hills of the Shawnee National Forest meet the southern edge of the glaciated plains. The Illinois Central railroad cuts through the terrain, serving the village of Makanda and the town of Cobden, centers for the local fruit-growing industry of the mid-twentieth century. Higher elevations are marked by landmarks like Tiptop Knob and the Water Valley Lookout Tower, which provided surveillance over the dense woodlands.