2017 Map of Midridge

About this map

Midridge and Rat sit within the heavily dissected plateau of the Ozarks, surrounded by the extensive lands of the Mark Twain National Forest. The landscape is defined by its complex network of hollows and springs, many bearing the names of early settler families, such as Laxton Hollow, Barton Hollow, and Callahan Hollow. These geographic features suggest a history of localized subsistence and small-scale timber harvesting in the steep terrain of Shannon and Reynolds counties. Notable water sources like McIntire Spring, Alec Spring, and Spout Spring feed into major drainages including Blair Cr and Logan Cr. The presence of landmarks such as Nuckols Cem and Which Church Hollow provides specific points of interest for genealogists tracing the distribution of communities and families across these remote ridges and valleys during the late twentieth century and into the contemporary era.