1958 Map of Bonne Terre

About this map

The industrial and civic core of the Lead Belt is anchored by Bonne Terre in the late 1950s, showing a landscape defined by the extraction economy. Numerous large Mine Dump sites are concentrated around the population centers, while the Missouri Illinois RR winds through the hills to serve these operations. The town center is densely mapped, featuring the City Hall, Hospital, and City Park, illustrating a robust local infrastructure supported by mining interests. Outside the main settlement, the land transitions to a network of rural schools and family cemeteries. To the south, Desloge and Cantwell appear near the banks of the Big River, where institutions like the Lead Belt Tech Sch and St Francois Cemetery reflect the long-term community development of the St. Francois County area.