1958 Map of Loving

About this map

Walker Mountain dominates the topography of this borderland area, where the Ouachita National Forest spans the state line between Oklahoma and Arkansas. This 1958 field-checked survey reveals a landscape defined by its watercourses and isolated rural communities. The settlement of Loving is situated in the northwest corner near the Poteau River, while further south, the Black Fork valley contains the Black Fork Cemetery. The cartography illustrates a period of established but sparse settlement, characterized by small churches and family-named cemeteries. Features like the Haws Creek Ch and the neighboring Puryear settlement are linked by unimproved roads that follow the natural contours of the mountain slopes and creek beds, including Cane Creek and Cedar Creek. The drainage patterns, particularly Haws Creek and Dry Branch, indicate the complex terrain and remote nature of the Scott County highlands during the mid-20th century.