Loading map...

1961 Map of Coal Hill

Name: 1961 Topographic Map of Coal Hill
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1968
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1968

About this map

Industrial activity and the Arkansas River define the landscape of Johnson and Franklin Counties during the early 1960s. Extensive Strip Mine operations and a Mine Dump surround the established communities of Coal Hill and Hartman, reflecting the region's historical reliance on coal extraction. These mines are concentrated south of the towns, bordering the Missouri and Pacific railroad corridor that facilitated transport through the river valley.

Rural life is preserved in the numerous family and community burial grounds scattered across the terrain, including the uniquely named Possum Walk Cem, Huddleston Cem, and Srygley Cem. To the north, the land rises into the White Oak region, where McKinney Creek and Dirty Creek drain southward toward the river. Near the southern boundary, the McLean Bottom Cutoff and Okane Island mark the shifting course of the river, while Alix Pond sits near the small settlement of Alix.