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1943 Map of Manes

Name: 1943 Topographic Map of Manes
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1943
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1943

About this map

The Gasconade River meanders through a landscape defined by small rural hubs and a remarkable concentration of district schools in the early 1940s. Water-powered industry remains evident in the southern reaches at Latham Mill and Grimes Mill, while the surrounding hills of the Mark Twain National Forest are dotted with family and community landmarks like Doris Cem. The map documents a time when one-room schools such as Victory Sch, Sycamore Sch, and Cheerful Hill Sch were still the bedrock of local education.

Small settlements like Lynchburg, Competition, and Manes anchor the road networks, providing glimpses into the social geography of Wright and Laclede Counties before post-war consolidation. The density of spiritual sites, including the Church of God and McBride Ch, alongside numerous named hollows like Wichita Hollow and Dry Hollow, reveals a deeply settled backcountry where every creek and ridge held a specific name and community function.