1949 Map of Peoria West

About this map

Kickapoo Creek winds through a landscape of sharp ravines and industrial expansion west of Peoria in the late 1940s. The area's complex rail network is highly visible, featuring the Chicago and North Western and Peoria and Pekin Union lines serving the riverfront and upland industrial zones. In Limestone, the Peoria Municipal Airport and the expansive State Hospital Farm represent significant mid-century land use, while older rural patterns persist through numerous schoolhouses like Howarth Sch and Lonsdale Sch. The transition from the urban grid of West Peoria to the residential pockets of Norwood Park and Bellevue is clearly defined, with the Illinois River and its Peoria Lock and Dam anchoring the southeastern corner. This survey documents the era when decentralized suburban clusters began to bridge the gap between established mining operations and the city center.