1905 Map of New Haven

About this map

The Little Wabash River winds through a landscape defined by its intricate water systems, from the expansive Fishpond Swamp to the serpentine Old Channel. This 1905 survey, revised in the late 1930s and 1940s, reveals a river-dependent economy in the tri-state area of Illinois, Indiana, and Kentucky. At the heart of this network is New Haven, a settlement situated near the confluence of the Little Wabash and the Great Wabash River. The map illustrates a time when the river's path dictated local movement, evidenced by the many crossings including Dogtown Ferry, Mackeys Ferry, and Wabash Island Ferry. North of New Haven, the Dogtown Hills rise above the wetlands, while to the south, the Shawneetown Hills anchor the terrain. Significant sloughs such as Yellowbank Slough and Running Slough crisscross the lowlands, suggesting a dynamic environment of seasonal flooding and drainage projects like the Cypress Ditch.