1954 Map of Devils Elbow

About this map

The Big Piney River carves a dramatic oxbow through the landscape at Devils Elbow, a focal point of this mid-century Missouri survey. The map documents the northern expansion of the Fort Leonard Wood Military Reservation, where the US Army Hospital and the Army RR intersect with older rural landmarks. Evidence of the area's transition is seen in the decommissioned facilities, such as the Low Gap School and Spring Creek School, while Calvary Church and Community Church continue to serve the local population. Significant geological features like Shanghai Spring and Rockwell Cave are noted along the river bluffs. In the north, 66 winds through the hills, passing near an Observatory and the small settlement of Hooker, illustrating the region's role as a transportation corridor between the military installation and the surrounding Mark Twain National Forest.