Loading map...

1900 Map of Tolleston

Name: 1900 Topographic Map of Tolleston
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1939
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1939

About this map

Lake Michigan dominates the northern shoreline of this survey, where a massive concentration of rail infrastructure defines the burgeoning industrial character of Lake County. The landscape is a complex network of waterways and steel, anchored by the Grand Calumet River and Little Calumet River. These rivers run parallel to the coast, creating a distinct corridor for major trunk lines including the Baltimore and Ohio R. R. and the Pittsburg Fort Wayne and Chicago R. R..

Settlement patterns in the late nineteenth century show established hubs like Whiting and East Chicago alongside smaller stops like Clarke Station and Hessville. Further inland, the map reveals the marshy terrain and drainage efforts of the era, such as Hart Ditch near Hartsdale. The layout of the Elgin Joliet and Eastern R. R. circling the periphery highlights the region's emergence as a critical transportation bypass for the Chicago metropolitan area.