1963 Map of Ridgway

About this map

The North Fork Saline River meanders through the heart of this Southern Illinois landscape, defining the topography near the Saline and Gallatin County line. The village of Ridgway serves as the primary population center, established along the Baltimore and Ohio railroad line. This 1963 field survey reveals a rural economy shaped by both agriculture and extraction, evidenced by the sprawling Omaha Oil and Gas Field in the northwest. Local history is deeply etched into the terrain through a network of country churches and burial grounds, such as Zion Ch, Union Chapel Cem, and St Josephs Cem. To the south, the land rises toward the prominence of Gold Hill, while smaller settlements like Elba and landmarks like the Purcell Cem mark the intersections of early local roads and waterways like Cane Creek and Crawford Creek.