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1916 Map of Marseilles

Name: 1916 Topographic Map of Marseilles
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1916
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1916

About this map

Marseilles and Seneca anchor this 1916 survey of the Illinois river valley, a landscape defined by its overlapping transportation corridors and rural school districts. The Illinois River and the adjacent Michigan Canal dominate the lower half of the map, flanked by several rail lines including the Chicago Ottawa and Peoria Electric RR. This industrial and transit core contrasts with the upland prairie and agricultural plateaus to the north, which are divided into dozens of school districts such as Arntson School, Rosedale School, and Forbes School.

Genealogists will find particular value in the scattered rural settlements like Norway and Stavanger, and the high density of family-named water features and landmarks, including McNellis Bayou and Brookfield Spring. The presence of the Fox River Academy near the northern boundary and the Town Hall in the south provides a window into the civic and educational infrastructure of LaSalle and Grundy counties during the early twentieth century.