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1905 Map of Peoria

Name: 1905 Topographic Map of Peoria
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1905
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1905

About this map

Peoria and Pekin anchor this 1905 survey, illustrating a dense network of river-and-rail infrastructure along the Illinois River at the turn of the century. The map reveals the early industrial and social footprint of the region, from the Orchard Mines near Hollis to the sprawling rail yards connecting the Chicago Burlington and Quincy RR and several other major lines. Notable social institutions of the era are clearly marked, including the Insane Asylum in Bartonville and a Poor Farm located in the western bluffs.

Water and terrain dominate the eastern and southern portions, where Peoria Lake and Pekin Lake sit within the wide river valley. The map documents the expansion of suburbs like Averyville, North Peoria, and East Peoria, while the varied topography of Richwoods and Limestone townships shows how the landscape dictated the placement of settlements and transport corridors such as the Galesburg and Peoria Line.