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1923 Map of Raymond

Name: 1923 Topographic Map of Raymond
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1965
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1965

About this map

The agrarian heart of Central Illinois is meticulously documented during the early 1920s, revealing a landscape defined by an exceptionally dense network of one-room schoolhouses and rural meeting places. Settlements such as Raymond and Farmersville serve as regional hubs, while the surrounding townships like Bois D'Arc and Zanesville are dotted with family-named or local landmarks, including the Studebaker School and Boston Chapel School. This era was the height of the decentralized education system, where a school or church like Blue Mound Church was situated every few miles to serve the surrounding farmsteads.

Transportation infrastructure was critical to the region's economy, with several major rail lines bisecting the terrain. The Illinois Central and Wabash railroads provided vital links for agricultural export, passing through towns like Waggoner and Thomasville. The drainage patterns of Macoupin Creek and Horse Creek dictate the local topography, influencing the placement of settlements and the winding paths of rural roads before the era of major highway expansion.