1945 Map of Ava

About this map

The Ozark plateau south of Ava is defined by a dense network of country schools and churches that once anchored these Missouri hill communities. In the mid-1940s, the landscape was divided into small townships such as Benton, Boone, and Spring Creek, where narrow ridges like Mt Calvary rise above the branching valleys of the Little North Fork White River and Hunter Creek. Local life centered around small gathering places like Arno, Squires, and Wasola. This survey captures a specific era of rural education and faith, documenting numerous local landmarks including the Walnut Grove School, St Marys Chapel, and Liberty Cemetery. Portions of the Mark Twain National Forest appear in the eastern reaches, where the terrain becomes increasingly complex near Mt Nebo.