1954 Map of New Madrid

About this map

Mississippi River hydraulics and the complex drainage of the Little River basin dominate this mid-century survey of the Bootheel region. The landscape is defined by the sharp transition between the elevated terrain of Sikes Ridge and the intensive engineering of the lowlands, where a dense network including Main Ditch No 41 and Ditch No 46 speaks to the massive land reclamation efforts of the era. The cultural landscape shows a distinct pattern of small, segregated rural centers, including the Rosenwald School and St Mary School, serving scattered agricultural communities.