1985 Map of Oblong North

About this map

The North Fork Embarras River winds through the heart of this East-Central Illinois landscape, defining the rural character of the border between Jasper and Crawford Counties. By the mid-1980s, the region shows a complex intersection of traditional agriculture and energy extraction, with numerous Oil Fields interspersed among the creek-bottom lands of Business Creek and Muddy Creek. Small crossroads like Kibbie and Dogwood remain as quiet residential nodes, while the town of Oblong anchors the southeastern corner near Oblong Lake. This survey captures the infrastructure of the era, from the underground pipeline corridors to the Gaging Sta monitoring the river. The map provides a clear record of the townships of Grandville, Licking, Hunt, and Oblong, preserving the placement of local cemeteries and community landmarks during a period of steady Midwestern development.