1948 Map of Alma

About this map

Alma and the surrounding Crawford County bottomlands are defined by the winding course of Frog Bayou as it approaches its confluence with the Arkansas River. This postwar landscape reflects a mix of traditional agriculture and emerging infrastructure, with the Missouri Pacific railroad corridor cutting through the northern settlements of Alma and Dyer. Local life in the mid-20th century is anchored by rural institutions like Pleasant Home Church and a series of family-named burial grounds, including Simmons Cemetery and Woods Cemetery. Southward toward the river, the terrain becomes more alluvial, dominated by the massive Arbuckle Island and the Courthouse Slough. An Abandoned mine near Mays Branch and the pumping station near Kibler indicate the local industrial footprint, while small communities such as New Town and Cross Lanes mark the transition from the rail-centered towns to the riverfront lowlands.