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1947 Map of Fort Smith

Name: 1947 Topographic Map of Fort Smith
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1974
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1974

About this map

The Arkansas River serves as the focal point for this 1947 topographic study, marking the border between Fort Smith and its neighbors. The river-and-rail landscape is shaped by the Missouri Pacific and several other lines that converge near the state line. Urban development is concentrated in the southeast, where numerous neighborhood schools like Peabody School and North Side High Sch appear alongside the prominent National Cemetery. To the north, the terrain transitions into the hills of Dora and Roland.

Insights from the 1971 photorevisions, indicated in purple, show the expanding urban footprint of Fort Smith and Van Buren. These updates reveal the growth of infrastructure such as the Twin City Hospital and the development of recreational spaces like the Lee Creek Public Use Area. This document records the evolution of a border community as it grew from a mid-century river town into a modern regional hub.