Loading map...

1938 Map of Salem

Name: 1938 Topographic Map of Salem
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1938
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1938

About this map

Salem anchors this south-central Illinois landscape during a period of steady agrarian development and rail expansion. The town serves as a critical junction where the Baltimore and Ohio and the Chicago and Eastern Illinois railroads intersect, shaping the local economy. Water management is a visible priority for the growing population, evidenced by the presence of the Salem Reservoir, C and EI Reservoir, and Centralia Reservoir.

Rural life is meticulously documented through a dense network of country schoolhouses and churches that served small surrounding settlements like Alma, Iuka, and Cartter. Notable institutions such as the County Infirmary and family-named landmarks like Martin Cem provide essential data points for genealogical research. The terrain is defined by the winding paths of Skillet Fork and Crooked Creek, which influenced the placement of early homesteads and the numerous one-room schoolhouses like Shanafelt Sch and Apple Ridge Sch.