1915 Map of Ottawa

About this map

The confluence of the Fox River and the Illinois River serves as the industrial and transit hub of this 1915 survey. Centered on Ottawa, the map details a landscape defined by the Illinois and Michigan Canal and a dense network of railroads, including the Chicago Rock Island and Pacific. Just west, the terrain breaks into the dramatic sandstone bluffs and canyons of what would become a major state park, featuring Starved Rock, Lover's Leap, and Buffalo Rock. Beyond the river valley, the tablelands are divided into townships like Waltham and Freedom, marked by a remarkably high density of rural schoolhouses such as Hickory College and Edgecombe School. This record captures the region before modern highway expansion, showing the proximity of early social fixtures like the Chautauqua Grounds and the County Farm to the growing urban center.