Loading map...

1937 Map of Meramec State Park

Name: 1937 Topographic Map of Meramec State Park
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1937
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1937

About this map

Meramec State Park reveals a landscape defined by the winding Meramec River and its complex network of springs and subterranean features. Surveyed in 1934, this map highlights the development of public recreation and conservation during the New Deal era, specifically noting the presence of a CCC Camp and New Beach. The geography is rich with karst features like Meramec Caverns, Fisher Cave, and Mushroom Cave, which sit alongside established river crossings like Hamilton Ford and Sappington Bridge.

Rural life in these hills is documented through a series of small schools and churches, including Reedville Sch and Pea Ridge Sch, and the quiet settlements of Caseyville and Hamilton. A Lone Hill Firetower stands as a sentinel over the heavily dissected terrain, where numerous hollows like Copper Hollow and Levy Hollow drain into the river. The map also captures the convergence of three counties—Franklin, Crawford, and Washington—reflecting the jurisdictional boundaries of this Ozark upland.