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1956 Map of Villa Grove

Name: 1956 Topographic Map of Villa Grove
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1957
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1957

About this map

Villa Grove and the surrounding agricultural townships of eastern Illinois are meticulously detailed in this mid-century survey. The landscape is defined by the rectilinear grid of section lines and the winding course of the Embarrass River, which passes near the recreational enclave of Patterson Springs and Spring Lake. Small farming settlements like Bongard, Murdock, and Longview serve as local hubs along the extensive rail networks of the Chicago and Eastern Illinois and the Baltimore and Ohio railroads.

Rural life is evidenced by numerous country churches and cemeteries, such as Lynn Grove Cem, Wesley Chapel, and the St Mary Sch. A single Mine label near Murdock suggests the presence of coal resources amidst the dominant prairie farmland. The map also captures the complex drainage systems of the region, including Scattering Fork, Jordan Slough, and the Little Vermilion River, which were critical to the development of this fertile agricultural territory.