1985 Map of Ottawa

About this map

The Illinois River corridor serves as the industrial and recreational spine of this region during the mid-1980s, flowing past the manufacturing and shipping hubs of Ottawa, Marseilles, and Morris. The landscape reflects a complex transition from high-density natural preservation at Starved Rock and Buffalo Rock to the heavy industrial extraction of extensive Strip Mine operations near Coal City and Braidwood. This era sees the convergence of legacy river transport with modern infrastructure, where major arteries like Interstate 80 and Interstate 55 intersect historic rail lines like the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. Further south, the map documents the institutional presence of the Dwight Correctional Center and the energy infrastructure of a large Gas Storage Field near Streator. From the Kankakee Bluffs to the Des Plaines Wildlife Conservation Area, this survey captures a period when river-dependent commerce and large-scale mining still defined the Grundy and LaSalle County economies.