This bird’s-eye view print of Centralia, Illinois was drawn by Albert Ruger and published by Chicago Lith. Co. in 1867. Centralia was founded by, and named after, the Illinois Central Railroad in the 1850's as the central crossroads of its railway lines.
The valuable railway line had been lobbied for by both Stephen Douglas and Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln was acting lawyer for the company and Douglas owned the land at Chicago for the railroad’s prospective terminal. The railway extended south following the Mississippi River all the way to Louisiana.
Centralia was located at the railway’s junction to its new branch leading to Iowa. The Illinois Central maintained its important railroad shops in Centralia.
The map from 1867 includes labeled streets, buildings and railroad lines.
Features references to the following locations:
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