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1955 Map of Rockford

Name: 1955 Topographic Map of Rockford
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1955
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1955

About this map

The Rock River valley serves as the central artery for this mid-century portrait of northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin, connecting the industrial hubs of Rockford, Beloit, and Janesville. This 1955 edition reflects a landscape defined by its transition from the glacial topography of the Kettle Moraine and Lake Koshkonong to the fertile agricultural prairies and growing suburban reaches of Elgin and Arlington Heights.

A robust railroad network, including the Chicago and North Western RR and the Illinois Central RR, crisscrosses the terrain, highlighting the region's importance as a transportation corridor between Chicago and the west. Waterways like the Pecatonica River and Fox River anchor numerous smaller settlements such as Freeport, Stoughton, and Waukesha. From the limestone bluffs near Oregon to the resort shores of Lake Geneva, the map provides a comprehensive view of the postwar infrastructure and natural drainage patterns across twenty-two counties.