1955 Map of Minonk

About this map

The central Illinois prairie around Minonk and Roanoke is defined here by the intersection of major rail lines and the deeply incised headwaters of several creek systems. In the mid-1950s, the landscape was a grid of agricultural townships like Linn, Greene, and Bennington, punctuated by evidence of early industrial activity. Multiple Mine Dumps near Minonk and Rutland indicate the coal mining history of the LaSalle Anticline area, while three major railroads—the Gulf Mobile and Ohio, Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe, and Illinois Central—dictated the placement of grain elevators and settlements. Genealogists can locate several denominational landmarks, including the Mennonite Ch and its accompanying Mennonite Cem, as well as St Peters Ch and Brethren Ch. Rural social geography is further preserved through features like Spring Hill Sch and numerous family-named burial grounds such as Hollenback Cem and Carroll Cem.