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1939 Map of Thebes

Name: 1939 Topographic Map of Thebes
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1946
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1946

About this map

The Mississippi River creates a dynamic western boundary for Alexander County in this pre-war survey, where the river's winding course is marked by shifting landforms like Burnham Island and Bumgard Island. The settlement of Thebes serves as a central hub, flanked by rail infrastructure from the Missouri Pacific RR and the Chicago and Eastern Illinois RR. This era reveals a landscape deeply connected to the river's whims, evidenced by the numerous chutes and towheads such as Anita Towhead and Santa Fe Chute.

Further inland, the Horseshoe Lake State Game Preserve stands as a significant natural landmark near Miller City. The social fabric of the late 1930s is visible in the network of rural schools and churches, including Brownsville Sch, Lake Milligan Sch, and the Savannah Chapel. For researchers, the map provides an essential record of local genealogy through sites like Pollard Cemetery and Bumgard Cem, situated amidst the drainage ditches of the bottomlands.