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1954 Map of Wilmington

Name: 1954 Topographic Map of Wilmington
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1965
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1965

About this map

Wilmington sits at the heart of this mid-century landscape, positioned where the Kankakee River meets a complex network of industrial and conservation lands. The map illustrates a region defined by major infrastructure, from the massive footprint of the Joliet Arsenal to the Des Plaines Wildlife Conservation Area along the Des Plaines River. These federal and state holdings dominate the center of the sheet, interspersed with small settlements and vital transit hubs like Elwood and Channahon.

Evidence of the area's economic foundations is visible in the strip mines near Braidwood and Diamond, while the legacy of early transportation persists in the Michigan Canal. Local life is recorded through numerous rural landmarks, including Wilmington High Sch, Willard Grove Cem, and smaller stops like Hitts Siding and Ritchie Sta. The confluence of the Illinois and Michigan Canal and the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal further highlights the strategic importance of this waterway corridor south of Joliet.