1942 Map of Nebo

About this map

Pleasant Hill and Nebo anchor this mid-century look at the river-bottom lands where the Mississippi River separates Illinois and Missouri. The landscape is defined by the intricate hydrology of the Sny Ch, a complex network of sloughs and cutoffs including Ransom Slough, Cocklebur Slough, and Lower Swan Lake that crisscross the fertile floodplains. Transportation is dominated by the Chicago And Alton and Chicago Burlington And Quincy railroads, which parallel the river and connect small settlements like Annada and Kissenger. Dozens of one-room schoolhouses, such as Franklin Sch, Oakland Sch, and Buckskin Sch, are scattered throughout the hills and hollows, reflecting a dense rural population before mid-century consolidation. Named knobs like Richardson Knob and McIlroy Knob rise sharply from the river valley, while landings like Riprap Landing suggest the importance of the river for commercial traffic and transport during this era of transitioning regional commerce.