1959 Map of Bear Branch

About this map

Laughery Creek carves a deep, serpentine path through the southeastern Indiana countryside, defining the border between Dearborn and Ohio Counties. This 1959 field-checked survey reveals a landscape where rural life centered on crossroads like Farmers Retreat and Bear Branch. The mapping of small community infrastructure is remarkably dense, capturing dozens of family and church burial grounds such as Mt Hebron Cem, Conaway Cem, and Rand Cem. Local education and faith are anchored by sites like Freedom Sch and St Johns Ch. The presence of Lost Bridge and several fords along the creek indicate the era's reliance on established low-water crossings. From the high elevations of Mexico Ridge to the bottomlands of Mud Lick, the map preserves the mid-century layout of these agricultural townships before modern road improvements altered their historical connections.