1939 Map of Portageville

About this map

The St Louis-San Francisco railroad corridors define the settlement patterns of this Missouri Bootheel landscape, linking the regional hub of Portageville to surrounding communities like De Lisle and Hayward. Located along the shifting path of the Mississippi River, the region is marked by a complex system of waterways and drainage, including Little River, Dry Bayou, and Robinson Lake. The presence of numerous rural schools, such as Grape Ridge Sch and Fisher Sch, alongside religious landmarks like Zion Rock Ch and Martins Chapel, reflects the densely populated agricultural character of the era. To the east, the river's dramatic oxbows at Little Cypress Bend and Merrivether Bend illustrate the proximity of Lake County, Tennessee, separated from Missouri by a winding state boundary that often follows old river channels and isolated landforms like Island No 14.