1982 Map of Oconee

About this map

Oconee and its surrounding countryside are defined by a network of rural cemeteries and creek bottoms along the Christian Co Shelby Co line. This early 1980s landscape retains a traditional settlement pattern, where small communities like Herrick and the southern edge of Pana are linked by the Illinois Central Gulf railroad. Local history and genealogy are centered on sites such as Sacred Heart Ch and its namesake Sacred Heart Cem, along with family and community grounds like Mount Cem and Oconee Mound Cem. The terrain is shaped by the drainage systems of Opossum Creek and Becks Creek, which feed into the northern reservoir of Lake Pana. The map provides a clear look at the area before modern developments significantly altered the rural Illinois character of these Shelby County townships.