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1956 Map of Aldrich

Name: 1956 Topographic Map of Aldrich
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1957
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1957

About this map

The Little Sac River meanders through this portion of Missouri, carving a path between steep landmarks like Blair Bluff, Tommy Bluff, and Cedar Bluff. The landscape is defined by its agrarian and spiritual centers, anchored by the settlement of Aldrich and the nearby Bungalow Hill. The abundance of small family and community burial grounds, such as Akard Cem, Henderson Cem, and Shady Grove Cem, suggests a deeply rooted rural population organized around localized landmarks and township lines.

Infrastructure in the mid-1950s includes a system of levees along the riverbanks, protecting the bottomlands from the unpredictable flows of Barren Creek and Turkey Creek. Beyond the river, the map reveals early industrial activity at the Bear Creek Quarry and centers of community life at the Mt Zion Ch and Campground Ch, providing a detailed look at the social and physical geography of Polk, Cedar, and Dade Counties before significant modern development altered these stream valleys.