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1969 Map of Meramec State Park

Name: 1969 Topographic Map of Meramec State Park
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1980
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1980

About this map

Meramec State Park serves as the centerpiece of this Ozark landscape, where the Meramec River carves a winding path through Franklin, Washington, and Crawford counties. This era of the late 1960s captures the transition between recreational conservation and active extraction, with famous natural sites like Meramec Caverns and Fisher Cave coexisting alongside industrial landmarks. The southern portion of the map is dominated by the Pea Ridge Mine complex, featuring extensive infrastructure such as a Landing Strip, Substation, and large Tailings Pond.

Evidence of early 19th-century industry persists at the Hamilton Iron Works and Hamilton Cave, while local community life is anchored by the Pea Ridge School, Pea Ridge Cemetery, and small rural congregations like Reedville Ch. The river remains the primary geographic axis, crossed by the Sappington Bridge and flanked by numerous named springs such as Elm Spring and Falling Spring, which define the water-rich topography of the region.