1928 Map of Meramec Spring

About this map

Meramec Spring and its surrounding river valley anchor this mid-1920s topography, illustrating the transition from early resource extraction to established rural communities. The St Louis San Francisco RR and State Highway No 14 cut through the northern townships of Dillon and St James, providing vital connections for the iron-rich banks and mines of the Ozark plateau. The map details a landscape densely populated with local institutions, including nearly two dozen schools like Spring Hill School and Eichorst School, alongside country churches such as Elk Prairie Church. This density of named schools and family-associated landmarks like Asher Cemetery and Smallwood Ford suggests a peak period of upland settlement before the modernization of transport and the consolidation of rural school districts. Mining operations, including the Bronson Mine and Benton Creek Mine, highlight the region's industrial foundations.