1959 Map of Madison

About this map

The Wabash railroad cuts across the northern Missouri landscape, connecting the agricultural communities of Madison and Holliday. This 1959 survey reveals a rural society structured around watercourses and family legacies, with the Elk Fork Salt River and its many tributaries, such as Pedee Branch and Buck Branch, carving deep, wooded draws through the open fields of Marion and Union townships. Local history and genealogy are well-preserved through numerous rural burial grounds, including Sunset Hill Cemetery, Dunaway Cem, Swindell Cem, and Old Prairie Cem. While the terrain is primarily agricultural, small-scale industrial sites like a Mine and a Quarry indicate the extraction of local resources. This map serves as a precise record of Monroe County's mid-century rural infrastructure before the widespread consolidation of small farmsteads and rural roads.