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1947 Map of Woodhull

Name: 1947 Topographic Map of Woodhull
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1947
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1947

About this map

The Chicago Burlington and Quincy railroad anchors the central prairie landscape of this mid-century Illinois survey, connecting the villages of Alpha and Woodhull. This region, where Henry, Knox, Mercer, and Warren Counties meet, shows a dense network of one-room schoolhouses and rural cemeteries that define the late 1940s agrarian community. Significant industrial activity is visible at the Alpha Coal Mine, while the small settlement of Shanghai and the post office at Windsor reflect the local commerce of the era.

Waterways like Edwards River and the various branches of Henderson Creek cut through the township grids, providing drainage for the productive farmland. The presence of specialized sites like Military School and numerous country churches, including Clover Chapel, illustrates a socially organized landscape before the consolidation of rural school districts and the decline of small-scale mining operations in the area.