1954 Map of New Athens East

About this map

The Kaskaskia River meanders through the northern half of this mid-century landscape, defining the boundaries of New Athens and Fayetteville. To the south, the industrial influence of the era is evident in the presence of a Strip Mine and clustered oil tanks near Lenzburg. This period represents a transition in rural education and community structure, as several local institutions such as East Dutch Hill Sch and Hickory Grove Sch are already marked as abandoned by the mid-1950s. The dense concentration of family and community burial grounds, including Sturm Cem, Oak Ridge Cem, and Schneider Cem, offers a detailed look at the established genealogy of St. Clair County. The Illinois Central railroad cuts a straight diagonal across the southern prairie, connecting the coal and agriculture hubs of Marissa and Old Marissa to the broader regional economy.