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1940 Map of Columbia

Name: 1940 Topographic Map of Columbia
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1940
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1940

About this map

Columbia serves as the focal point of this 1940 preliminary survey, captured just as the city and its institutional anchors were expanding. The dense grid of the central district is dominated by the sprawling campuses of the University of Missouri and Stephens College, with Rollins Field and Memorial Stadium marking the athletic landscape of the era. To the north and west, the State Hospital and the early Columbia Airport reflect the city's role as a regional service hub.

Beyond the urban core, the terrain is deeply etched by Hinkson Creek and Grindstone Creek, where the land transitions to a network of rural schools and family-named landmarks. The Wabash and Missouri rail lines provide the industrial backbone for the area, while outlying points like the small settlement of Limerick and the Bonne Femme Ch illustrate the enduring community structures of Boone County.