1954 Map of Olmstead

About this map

The boundary between Faulkner County and Pulaski County defines the northern reaches of this mid-century landscape, where rural communities and emerging military installations sit side-by-side. The established settlement of Olmstead is surrounded by a network of local landmarks like Bethel Church, St Peters Rock Church, and the Bayou Meto School, illustrating the communal hubs of central Arkansas during this period. To the south, the expansion of the Little Rock Air Force Base represents a significant shift in land use, neighboring the National Guard Training Area and a portion of Camp Joseph T Robinson. The terrain is characterized by a series of parallel elevations including Backbone Ridge, Mill Ridge, and Serving Ridge, which separate the drainages of Little Bayou Meto and Cypress Bayou. These ridges and the scattered ponds like Sadler Pond provide a detailed perspective on the topography before later twentieth-century development further altered the area around Jacksonville.