1953 Map of Orion

About this map

The Fourth Principal Meridian serves as a primary boundary in this corner of Illinois, dividing the agricultural landscape where Rock Island, Mercer, and Henry Counties meet. The village of Orion sits at a rail junction in the northeast, while the smaller settlements of Sherrard, Swedona, and Ophiem anchor the surrounding rural townships. This 1953 survey, updated with 1970s revisions, illustrates a region defined by its waterway network, including Camp Creek and the Edwards River valley, which cut through the undulating prairie. Local history is deeply etched into the land through numerous rural institutions, from the Rural Town Hall School and Caughey School to several pioneer-era burial grounds like Western Cemetery and Greenbush Cemetery. The presence of the Chicago Rock Island and Pacific railroad tracks and the Sherrard Orion Road highlights the transportation corridors that sustained these farming communities through the mid-20th century.