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1950 Map of Columbia

Name: 1950 Topographic Map of Columbia
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1950
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1950

About this map

Columbia serves as the mid-century hub of this central Missouri landscape, where the Kansas City and St Louis RR and institutional landmarks like Memorial Stadium and the State Hospital reflect the city's growth. To the southwest, the Missouri River carves a wide path through the terrain, flanked by a complex of levees and rail lines including the Missouri Kansas and Texas RR. The riverfront is dotted with small riverside settlements such as Lupus, McBaine, and Easley, which served as vital transit points before modern highway dominance.

Rural life is preserved in a dense network of local institutions, from Mt Zion Ch to the many country schools like Prospect Sch and William Wren Sch. Geologic features like the Rock Bridge and Devils Icebox along Bonne Femme Creek suggest the unique limestone topography of the region. This 1950 edition captures the area just as the Municipal Airport and early industry, such as Brick Kilns and a Strip Mine, were shaping the suburban fringe of the university town.