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1973 Map of Nichols Knob

Name: 1973 Topographic Map of Nichols Knob
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1976
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1976

About this map

North Fork Bryant Creek carves a deep, winding path through this portion of the Mark Twain National Forest in the early 1970s. The settlement of Topaz sits at a critical bend in the river, supported by the nearby Topaz Spring. The landscape is defined by a dense network of named hollows, such as Brushy Mill Hollow, Sam Wood Hollow, and Hell Hole Hollow, which drain the high ridges into the creek system. This topography dictated a scattered settlement pattern, where community life centered around small country churches and family landmarks.

Local history is preserved in the locations of Bittick Cem and several rural congregations, including Pleasant Home Ch, Fieldstone Ch, and the uniquely named Y Church. Prominent elevations like Nichols Knob and Cedar Knob provided natural survey points above the timbered valleys. The map also documents resource use through features like the Gravel Pits along the river and the various springs, such as Mint Spring and Fiddle Springs, that were vital to the rural homesteads in this part of Douglas County.