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1939 Map of Doniphan

Name: 1939 Topographic Map of Doniphan
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1975
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1975

About this map

Doniphan serves as the focal point of this pre-war survey, situated along the banks of the Current River where the Missouri Pacific railroad line terminates. The landscape is characterized by a high density of rural schools and family-named landmarks, reflecting a well-established river-valley community before the mid-century shifts in rural population. Dozens of one-room schoolhouses such as Barkadaro Sch, Ponder Sch, and Sugar Tree Sch dot the hills, while social hubs like Dudleys Club and Skipper-Johnson Club appear along the river.

Downstream from the city, the river winds past distinctive local landmarks like Pigs Ankle and Hargus Eddy, and through the braided channels near Big Island. Smaller settlements like Ponder and Poynor anchor the western reaches of Ripley County near the Arkansas border. The map also records numerous country churches, including Ripley Chapel and Mt Elizabeth Ch, alongside family cemeteries such as Little Cem and Kennon Cem, providing a detailed look at the social fabric of the Ozark foothills during the late 1930s.