SIUE Digital Exhibit Features 19th Century Illinois County Atlases and Histories
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Library & Information Services (LIS) has published a new digital collection featuring 19th century Illinois county atlases and illustrated histories.
Wesley Raymond Brink (1850-1902), entrepreneur and long-time resident of Edwardsville, compiled and published dozens of county atlases and county histories in the decades following the Civil War.The digital collection reproduces original volumes, preserved by Lovejoy Library, descriptive of Christian, Jackson, Macoupin, Madison, Mercer, Montgomery, Randolph, and St. Clair counties in Illinois.
Wesley Raymond Brink was a successful promoter and salesman who created a niche for himself in the publications business, explained Stephen Kerber, University archivist and Special Collections librarian. He persuaded local persons of standing to pay for inclusion in and copies of his county atlases and illustrated histories.
He simultaneously gathered and preserved for future generations a wealth of significant historical information about individuals and communities.
The digital collection includes a link to an interesting biographical article about Brink, authored by the late SIUE faculty member, Dr. Raymond Spahn and his wife Betty Spahn.
View the Wesley Raymond Brink digital collection here.
