1958 Map of El Dorado

About this map

The U S Naval Ammunition Depot dominates the central landscape of South Arkansas in this mid-century survey, surrounded by the timber and agricultural lands of the Gulf Coastal Plain. The map documents a dense network of timber and transit lines, including the Missouri Pacific RR and the St. Louis Southwestern Ry which connect established hubs like Hope and Camden. A distinct academic and agricultural footprint is visible at the University of Arkansas Experiment Station near Hope, while the southern reaches near the border of Arkansas and Louisiana highlight the complex hydrology of the Red River and Ouachita River valleys. Smaller settlements such as Whelen, Reader, and Tinsman illustrate the distribution of rural communities during an era when local rail stops and river crossings like Moro Bay remained vital to the regional economy and social fabric.