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1943 Map of Newton

Name: 1943 Topographic Map of Newton
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1943
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1943

About this map

The Embarrass River meanders across this landscape, defining the character of the borderlands between Jasper and Richland counties during the early 1940s. The regional economy is anchored by the Illinois Central railroad, which connects the hub of Newton to smaller outlying settlements like Ste Marie, West Liberty, and Willow Hill. This era reveals an incredibly dense network of rural infrastructure, where nearly every township section is served by its own local schoolhouse, such as Brush College Sch, Onion Prairie Sch, and Happy Hollow Sch.

Genealogists will find a wealth of specific local landmarks, including the Richland County Club, Bethel Cem, and numerous country churches like Mt Olive Ch. The terrain varies from the flat agricultural plains of Wade to the more dissected drainage patterns of Richland Creek and Crooked Creek, illustrating a moment in Illinois history before the consolidation of rural school districts and the modernization of the small-town rail network.