1979 Map of Panola

About this map

Panola serves as the central hub of this late-1970s survey, situated along the Chicago Rock Island and Pacific railroad line. The landscape is defined by the east-west orientation of several ridgelines, including the Sans Bois Mountains, Second Mountain, and First Mountain, which channel the Fourche Maline and its tributaries across the valley floor. The placement of Rocky Point Ch and Cravens Ch alongside features like Baldwin Cem and Baldwin Prairie suggests a settled rural corridor between the rising heights of Red Oak Ridge and Limestone Ridge. This era of the region's development is marked by industrial activity, visible through numerous gas wells and a Shale Pit, balanced by the local utility of a Fish Hatchery near Austin Lake. The terrain transitions through several notable topographical breaks such as Courthouse Gap and Buzzard Gap, which provided historical passage through the otherwise steep ridges.