There seems to be some misconception as to what is the highest point in my current home county – Kane County, Illinois. This may seem somewhat inconsequential, as the total elevation differential in Kane County is probably about 300 ft. Having lived in the state of New Mexico for twelve years, I can honestly say that this is nothing – New Mexico ranges from 2200 to almost 14,000 feet, an elevation differential of almost 12,000 feet. Never the less, the subject of Kane Counties highest point intrigues me, probably because I’ve been mistaken for the last two years!
I originally thought that Johnson’s Mound, about five miles west of Geneva, was the highest point. The United States Geological Survey has it’s elevation at 898 ft. This is about a hundred feet above the surrounding prairie (ie corn fields). I came to this belief after reading an article in Chicago Wilderness Magazine, in the winter 2009 edition, which states that Johnson’s Mound is the highest point in the county. While researching this issue on the Internet, I found the following quote on page 240 of The Past and Present of Kane County, Illinois, published in Chicago by WM. Le Baron, Jr. & Co (186 Dearborn Street) in 1878: “Johnson’s Mound, the highest point of land in the county….” So this is a common and long held error. However, over the last two years I have had at least two people, long time natives, state that Johnson’s Mound is not the high point in the county. So I did some searching on the Internet, checked my USGS Topographic maps and did some fieldwork with my GPS unit.
Highest Point in Kane County - Map
I believe that the triangle marked “1018″ on the immediate east side of Townhall Road on this map (US Geological Survey 7.5 degree “Elburn”) is probably the highest point. The east/west road to the north is Campton Hills Road. My GPS read a little higher at this point – 1024-1038 feet. There is another area immediately to the west that gave the same GPS elevation – this is on High Point Lane. Visually, the “1018″ appeared higher. This is a residential area, and so I didn’t venture off the roads to get to the exact spot.
Some may argue that the real high point is the top of Robert Rathbun Wilson Hall at Fermi Lab in Batavia. This is the tallest building in Kane county at sixteen stories and 240 feet. Wilson Hall sits at an elevation of 745 feet, so the top is about 985 feet, 30 or more feet shy of “1018″ hill off Townhall road. However, it is taller than Johnson’s Mound!
Highest Point in Kane County
Here is a photograph of the hill labeled “1018″. This is probably the highest point in Kane County, on Townhall Road, about one mile south of State Highway 64, looking north. The largest pine tree, in the middle of the photo, marks the spot!
High Point Lane
Here is another possibility, High Point Lane – about a quarter of a mile west of “1018″. My GPS indicated the same elevation here – 1024-1038. The radio tower in the background is off of Townhall road, a couple hundred yards from “1018″. It’s top may be the highest point in the county, however there is another tower south west of here – this second tower is at a lower elevation but is taller, as can be seen in this photo:
Hills from Anderson Road
Here is a view of the hills from Anderson Road, looking east. The shorter (looking) tower to the left is the one in the “High Point Lane” photograph above. As can be seen, these hills don’t really “stick out” like Johnson’s Mound, below:
Johnson's Mound
Johnson’s Mound, 898 feet elevation, looking towards the north east. This is the most distinctive hill in Kane County, and often mistaken for it’s highest point. The hills above, however, are over 100 feet higher!
