1952 Map of Hales Point

About this map

Mississippi River Needham Cut-Off (1821) dominates the central hydrology of this survey, where the river divides Mississippi County, Arkansas, from Lauderdale County, Tennessee. The landscape is a complex of abandoned river bends and active waterways like the Forked Deer River, which snakes through Moss Island before meeting the main channel. This mid-century view captures the transition from the low-lying river bottoms and sloughs like Bostic Slough to the higher ground near Ripley. The social fabric of these rural river towns is mapped through numerous dual-purpose community centers, including the Henning Grove Church and School and Matthews Church and School. Transportation history is preserved in the location of the Gypsy Ferry and the Forked Deer Electric Co infrastructure, reflecting the industrial and logistical requirements of managing a major floodplain just after the war years.