1980 Map of Big Fork

About this map

Big Fork serves as a central hub in this 1980 survey, where the Big Fork stream and Butcherknife Creek converge. The landscape is defined by the high ridges of the Caddo Mountains and Missouri Mountains, much of which is contained within the Ouachita National Forest. This era of the late 1970s shows a region dedicated to conservation and recreation, evidenced by the Caney Creek State Wildlife Management Area and the Little Missouri Falls Recreation Area. Local history is preserved in small family and community landmarks such as Pleasant Grove Cem near Abernathy Spring, and Huddleston Cem in the northeast corner near Sulphur Springs. The drainage patterns of the Little Missouri River and its various forks, including the Dry Fork and Straight Creek, illustrate the complex topography that historically isolated these mountain communities.