2018 Map of Pearl West

About this map

Pearl and Old Pearl anchor the eastern edge of this landscape, where the Illinois river bottomlands begin to rise into the dissected ridges of Pike and Calhoun Counties. The map reveals a dense network of family-named burial grounds, including the Green Pond Cem, Hess Cem, and Kessinger Cem, reflecting generations of settlement along the timbered uplands and creek valleys. Several small communities like Straut, Greenpond, and Bee Creek are linked by rural routes such as Co Hwy 10 and Bee Creek Rd. The terrain is defined by prominent landforms such as Tick Ridge, Old Pearl Prairie, and Farmers Ridge, which are separated by a complex drainage system featuring Bay Cr, Little Blue Cr, and Hill Cr. The boundary line between Pike County and Calhoun County cuts through the southern portion of the map, just north of Belleview Hollow and Stearns Hollow, illustrating the political divisions of this rural Illinois region.