1976 Map of Devils Elbow

About this map

The winding course of the Big Piney River and the Gasconade River dominates this Ozark landscape in the mid-1970s. This orthophotoquad captures the physical reality of the terrain as it appeared during the bicentennial era, showcasing the sharp meander at Devils Elbow and the dense woodland surrounding local settlements. The southern portion of the sheet is marked by the expansive footprint of Fort Leonard Wood, where established infrastructure contrasts with the narrow valley roads and forested ridges of the Missouri interior. Small residential clusters like Morgan Heights and Hooker sit along the primary transit corridors, while the junction of the Big Piney and Spring Creek illustrates the intricate drainage patterns of Pulaski County. This aerial perspective, combined with land lines from a previous 1954 topographic survey, reveals the extent of post-war development in a region shaped by both military presence and rugged geography.