Loading map...

1974 Map of Wildcat Lake

Name: 1974 Topographic Map of Wildcat Lake
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1977
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1977

About this map

Carlyle Lake State Wildlife Management Area dominates this mid-1970s landscape, illustrating a complex system of water management and conservation. The map details a significant subimpoundment area designed for flood control and habitat, featuring various water bodies like Otter Pond, Half Mile Pond, and Goose Pond. This managed ecosystem contrasts with the older agricultural and industrial layers of Fayette and Marion counties. To the south, the Patoka Oil Field marks the region's extractive history, while small rural clusters like Pittsburg and Columbus represent the localized settlement pattern of the era.

Local history is preserved through numerous family and community burial sites, including Williams Cem, Taylor Cem, and Pratt Cem, which remain as fixed points while the surrounding terrain was altered for the Kaskaskia River drainage and the development of Wildcat Lake. The inclusion of landmarks such as the Townhall and Mound Chapel provides a clear view of the civic and social centers that anchored these rural townships during a period of transition in land use.