1959 Map of Shelby

About this map

The Kankakee River winds through the heart of this landscape, marking the historical boundaries between Lake, Newton, and Jasper counties. In the late 1950s, the area remained a complex network of managed waterways, with numerous engineered channels like the Singleton Ditch, Tully Ditch, and Brown Ditch evidence of long-term efforts to drain the marshy Kankakee basin for agricultural use. The Monon railroad serves as a primary north-south artery, connecting the settlements of Shelby, Thayer, and Roselawn. Small rural hubs such as Forest City and Knight appear alongside infrastructure like the Landing Strip near Thayer and various storage bins, reflecting the mid-century's agrarian and industrial character. Local landmarks, including a Sand and Gravel Pit and a riverside Gaging Sta, provide specific points of interest for those tracing the development of the river valley's economy.