1947 Map of Ione

About this map

The Petit Jean River meanders across this late-1940s landscape, defining the topography of the valley between Barber Mountain and Cauthron Mountain. Local life is anchored by small settlements and rural institutions, including the Earl Prairie District School No 66 and several hilltop houses of worship like Mt View Church and Pine Log Church. A Gin mill near Lucas points to the agricultural processing common in the river bottomlands of this era. This survey, updated in the late 1970s, captures a transition where the northern reaches of the Ouachita National Forest meet the farmland around Ione and Elm Park. The map documents a network of fords and creeks, such as Old Freedom Cr and Pack Saddle Creek, which supported travel before modern infrastructure became widespread.