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1954 Map of New Athens West

Name: 1954 Topographic Map of New Athens West
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1959
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1959

About this map

The Kaskaskia River dominates this mid-century landscape, carving a winding path through the borderlands of St. Clair and Monroe counties. This survey reveals a complex hydrological network of oxbow lakes and backwaters, including Halfmoon Lake, Sawmill Lake, and the evocative White Cabin Slough. These water features define the eastern half of the map near New Athens, where the Illinois Central railroad crosses the river, linking the rural riverbanks to broader regional markets.

Away from the river, the uplands of Prairie du Long and Beecher Ridge are dotted with the essential structures of rural Illinois life. Local history is recorded in the placement of the McQuillan Sch and Kirsch Sch, alongside several small burial grounds like the Hecker Freedom Cem and Brick Cem. Notably, the Calamus Lake Sch (Abandoned) stands as a physical marker of shifting populations during the 1950s.