1937 Map of Sycamore

About this map

Sycamore and De Kalb anchor this 1930s landscape of DeKalb and Kane counties, where a dense network of rural schoolhouses and family cemeteries defines the social fabric of the Illinois prairie. The map reveals an agrarian society organized around water management and rail transport, evidenced by the intricate system of drainage canals like Union Ditch No. 30 and Virgil Ditch No. 3 that cross the townships. Major rail lines including the Chicago Milwaukee St Paul and Pacific and the Chicago and Northwestern converge at Cortland and Maple Park, illustrating the region's importance as a mid-century transportation hub.