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1936 Map of Potomac

Name: 1936 Topographic Map of Potomac
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1936
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1936

About this map

The Middle Fork Vermilion River carves a winding path through the central Illinois prairie, anchoring a landscape defined by its rural township structure in the early 1930s. Centered on the village of Potomac, the map illustrates a network of small agricultural hubs like Rankin, Armstrong, and Penfield, each connected by the intersecting lines of the New York Chicago and St. Louis RR and the Illinois Central RR.

This survey reveals an exceptionally dense system of country education and faith, with dozens of family-named schools such as Arnold Sch, Judy Sch, and Kuder Sch serving the surrounding farmsteads. Religious life is marked by local landmarks like Schwartz Ch and St Lawrence Ch, while several fords, including Bass Ford and Gray Ford, indicate where early commerce crossed the river before modern bridging was complete. The inclusion of a Boy Scout Camp along the river highlights the transition of the riparian corridor from purely utilitarian use to a space for recreation.