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1956 Map of Ottumwa South

Name: 1956 Topographic Map of Ottumwa South
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1958
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1958

About this map

Ottumwa anchors the northern edge of this mid-1950s survey, where the Des Moines River bends past the Wabash railroad line. The landscape south of the city reveals a dense network of rural infrastructure, from the Drive-in Theater near the river to the scattered crossroads of Ormanville and Carbon. Educational and spiritual life is well-documented through a high concentration of country schoolhouses like Hazel Dell Sch and Hickory Flat Sch, alongside the Zion Ch and Sherman Chapel.

A notable shift in the landscape is visible at Ormanville Sch (Abandoned), signaling the consolidation of rural districts. The terrain is deeply etched by the drainage of Soap Creek and its tributaries, including Little Soap Creek and Brush Creek. Social and recreational hubs are also marked, including Hickory Grove Camp and Forest Lake Camp, providing a detailed look at the community geography of southern Wapello and Davis counties during this era.