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1963 Map of Bell City

Name: 1963 Topographic Map of Bell City
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1978
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1978

About this map

Bell City serves as a focal point along the St Louis Southwestern railroad, where the lowlands of the Bootheel meet the isolated rises of the St. Francois Mountains' eastern edge. The landscape is defined by the sharp contrast between the flat, drained plains of the Jenkins Basin and several prominent elevations such as Bird Hill, Ringer Hill, and Lost Hill. This topography shaped the early development of Sylvania and Pike townships, concentrating settlements like Perkins and Painton near the base of these heights.

Water management is evident through the winding course of the Whitewater River and the artificial drainage of the East Whitewater Channel. For genealogists and local historians, the sheet preserves the locations of numerous rural landmarks, including Thomas Cem, New Hope Ch, and Pleasant Hill Ch. These sites, along with small rail-side hamlets like Heagy and Messler, offer a detailed look at the social and economic fabric of Stoddard County during the mid-20th century.