1939 Map of Jefferson City

About this map

The Missouri River bisects this 1939 landscape, separating the dense grid of Jefferson City from the agricultural lowlands of Callaway County to the north. This survey documents the capital during a period of significant institutional footprint, clearly marking the Penitentiary and the Lincoln Institute campus overlooking the river. To the north, the State Prison Farm and the Jefferson City Airport dominate the river bend near Cedar City. South of the urban center, the terrain transitions into the winding loops of the Moreau River, where rural life is anchored by one-room schoolhouses like Moreau Bend Sch and East Union Sch. The rail infrastructure of the Missouri Pacific and Kansas City and Eastern lines highlights the city's role as a regional transportation hub prior to the full expansion of the modern highway system.