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1931 Map of De Soto SE

Name: 1931 Topographic Map of De Soto SE
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1931
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1931

About this map

The Big River carves a deep path across this corner of Jefferson and St. Francois counties, anchoring a landscape where rural education and religious life were tied to the winding hollows. In the early 1930s, the region was defined by a high density of local schools such as Mothershead Sch, Prospect Sch, and Moontown Sch, which served the scattered residents of Vineland and Blackwell. These small institutions, along with Mt Olive Ch and the Joachim Cem, suggest a community structure based on small, independent farmsteads before modern consolidation.

Transportation corridors follow the terrain's natural contours, with the Missouri Pacific line and State Highway No 21 providing the primary connections north toward De Soto. The presence of specialized railway points like Tunnel Sta and Silver Springs Sta highlights the industrial logistics required to navigate the area's relief. Notable water features like Joachim Creek and Whitehead Creek drain the surrounding hills, which were surveyed in part using early aerial photography from the U.S. Army Air Corps.