1954 Map of Wilmington

About this map

The Kankakee River winds through this landscape at a time of significant industrial and conservation activity in Will County. To the north, the massive Joliet Arsenal (U.S. Government) installation occupies much of the terrain above the river, while the Des Plaines Wildlife Conservation Area marks the confluence of local waterways. Further south, the landscape is defined by extensive industrial excavation at the Strip Mine fields near Braidwood and Diamond. The civic life of Wilmington is well-documented, featuring several local institutions like the Soldiers Widows Home, Brookside Sch, and St Rose Sch. For genealogists, the map preserves the locations of several burial grounds, including Oak Lawn Cem and the Bohemian Cem. The area’s rail-dependent history is evident in the junctions of the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad and the Gulf Mobile and Ohio line.