Loading map...

1915 Map of Ottawa

Name: 1915 Topographic Map of Ottawa
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1915
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1915

About this map

Ottawa stands at the confluence of the Illinois River and the Vermilion River, serving as a major hub for early 20th-century transportation. The map reveals a dense network of transit, including the Illinois and Michigan Canal and numerous rail lines like the Chicago Ottawa and Peoria Elec. The presence of the Chautauqua Grounds near the city center and the newly established Starved Rock State Park to the west highlights the area's significance as a regional destination for recreation and assembly.

Deep ravines such as Kaskaskia Canyon and Wildcat Canyon cut through the bluffs south of the river, while the northern prairies are systematically organized into townships like Ophir and Wallace. A high density of rural schoolhouses, such as Hickory College and Fullerton School, alongside small settlements like Prairie Center, illustrates the established agricultural community that supported the industrial activity concentrated along the river valley and the Chicago Burlington and Quincy Road.