1942 Map of Shelbyville

About this map

The Kaskaskia River carves a winding path through the center of Shelby County, anchoring a landscape of small townships and riverside crossings. In the early 1940s, the county seat of Shelbyville served as the primary hub, where the New York Central and Chicago and Eastern Illinois railroads converged. The terrain rises to its highest point at Williamsburg Hill, while the surrounding countryside is marked by a dense network of one-room schools like Sandy Hill School and Ragweed School, reflecting the rural educational structure of the mid-century era. River travel and local transport relied on several named spans, including Shellenbarger Bridge and Thompson Mill Bridge. Genealogists will find a wealth of burial sites, from the prominent Glenwood Cem to the smaller Gallagher Chapel Cem, documenting the area's long-established family roots.