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1905 Map of Peoria

Name: 1905 Topographic Map of Peoria
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1940
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1940

About this map

Industrial and institutional growth along the Illinois River defines this region during the early twentieth century. As a major rail and river hub, Peoria and its neighbor Pekin are surrounded by a dense network of transit lines, including the Chicago Burlington and Quincy RR and the Galesburg and Peoria Line. The landscape south of the city reveals a concentration of specialized facilities, notably the State Hospital and Insane Asylum in Limestone township, alongside coal extraction sites like Orchard Mines.

Smaller settlements such as Pottstown, Edwards, and Mapleton dot the rural townships of Kickapoo and Hollis. Natural features like Peoria Lake and the winding Kickapoo Creek contrast with the heavy infrastructure of the era, while multiple Poor Farm locations suggest the social services established by the county at the time. The transition from the rugged Horseshoe Bottom to the developing suburbs of Peoria Heights illustrates the diverse topography and land use of this central Illinois corridor.