1966 Map of Mermet

About this map

Small farming communities and family cemeteries characterize the rural landscape of the Vienna and Grantsburg areas in the mid-1960s. The southern portion of this region is defined by the extensive drainage network of the Main Ditch and Bucker Pond Ditch, which feed into the large expanse of Mermet Lake. This reservoir is the centerpiece of the Mermet Lake State Conservation Area, a significant wildlife habitat established in a formerly swampy basin. The rail lines of the Chicago Burlington and Quincy and the Chicago Eastern Illinois intersect at Mermet, illustrating the area's importance as a transportation junction for Southern Illinois timber and agricultural products. Local genealogy is well-documented through numerous burial sites like Nineveh Cem, Clymore Cem, and the Masonic Cem, often located near crossroads such as Samoth and New Columbia.