1956 Map of Cambridge

About this map

The Missouri River and its shifting relationship with the Chariton River dominate this mid-century landscape at the border of Chariton and Saline counties. The map captures a complex system of oxbows and river engineering, including the Old Chariton River Channel, Hayes Cutoff, and the Big Cutoff, reflecting efforts to manage the volatile bottomlands. Small agricultural centers and river landings like Cambridge and Rockford serve as focal points for local history, with rural life anchored by institutions such as Salem Sch and Potter Chapel. Genealogists will find significant value in the distribution of family-connected landmarks and burial grounds, from the Cambridge Cem on the bluffs to the isolated Aholt Cem near the river's bend, documenting the settlement patterns before modern agricultural consolidation shifted these rural communities.