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1985 Map of Springfield

Name: 1985 Topographic Map of Springfield
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1990
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1990

About this map

Springfield serves as the focal point of this Central Illinois region in the mid-1980s, where the convergence of the Sangamon River and several major transportation corridors highlights the city's role as a political and logistical hub. The map detail reveals the urban expansion around Lake Springfield and the dense concentration of civic sites, including the State Capitol and the Lincoln Home National Historic Site. To the east, Decatur anchors the edge of the sheet near Lake Decatur, while smaller agricultural settlements like Chatham, Auburn, and Rochester are connected by a network of railroads including the Illinois Central Gulf RR and the Norfolk and Western Ry.

The landscape is dotted with sites of significant genealogical and local interest, from the Camp Butler Nat Cem to Oak Ridge Cem. Large recreational and educational footprints are evident at Sangchris Lake State Park and the campus of Sangamon State Univ. The topography, while largely level, is punctuated by subtle elevations such as Buffalo Mound and Blue Mound, which overlook the prairie drainage systems of Salt Creek and the South Fork Sangamon River.