1991 Map of Columbia

About this map

Sugarloaf Hill rises above the low-lying American Bottoms, defining the transition between the Mississippi River floodplain and the higher bluffs of Monroe County. In the early 1990s, this area shows a mix of industrial activity and growing residential clusters, centered on the city of Columbia. Industrial footprints are prominent at the Cement Hollow Oil Field and the large Quarry just north of town, while the complex rail network featuring the Gulf Mobile and Ohio Railroad and the Illinois Central Gulf Railroad underscores the region's historical role as a transit corridor toward St. Louis. Rural life remains anchored by family and community landmarks such as St Pauls Ch, Bethany United Ch, and numerous small burial grounds like Kleinschmidt Cem and Oklahoma Cem. The map traces the winding paths of Carr Creek and Palmer Creek as they drain the bluff lands toward the alluvial plains to the west.