Loading map...

1937 Map of Metamora

Name: 1937 Topographic Map of Metamora
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1937
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1937

About this map

The Illinois River dominates the western edge of this landscape, its wide floodplain carved into a complex system of backwaters including Goose Lake, Douglas Lake, and Meadow Lake. These waters are separated by named sloughs like Babb Slough and Sawyer Slough, indicating a highly dynamic river environment before modern stabilization. On the bluffs above the river, the village of Chillicothe and its neighbor North Chillicothe serve as vital rail hubs, positioned where the Chicago Rock Island and Pacific and Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe railroads converge.

Moving inland toward Metamora, the terrain transitions to a high-density network of rural infrastructure typical of the early 20th century. The map is exceptionally dense with country schools, such as Hazel Dell Sch and Hickory Point Sch, and identifies localized landmarks like the County Home and the Lourdes Ch in the settlement of Lourdes. This intricate detail of township roads and family-named landmarks provides a clear view of the social geography in Woodford and Peoria counties during the 1930s.