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1940 Map of Oquawka

Name: 1940 Topographic Map of Oquawka
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1940
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1940

About this map

Oquawka serves as a critical riverfront hub on this pre-war survey, where the Mississippi River meets a complex network of sloughs and islands like Benton Island. The landscape transitions from the river bottoms to the dissected uplands of Henderson County, marked by a dense distribution of rural institutions. Local history and genealogy interest is particularly high here due to the numerous family-named and community landmarks, including the County Farm and a vast array of country schools such as the Little Brick Sch, Twentieth Century Sch, and Hazel Dell Sch.

Railroad corridors define the movement of goods and people across the plains, with the Chicago Burlington and Quincy and the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe lines connecting inland towns like Stronghurst, Biggsville, and Kirkwood. Smaller settlements such as Rozetta, Olena, and Media are captured in their mid-century prime, each anchored by local churches or cemeteries like Olena Cem and Walnut Grove Cem.