1887 Map of Poteau Mountain #1

About this map

Waldron serves as a focal point in this 1887 survey of the Scott County landscape, situated at a transition between the Poteau Cr. and Bull Creek. The map reflects a period of established mountain settlements before the modernization of the turn of the century, with small communities like Winfield, Zelkirk, and Boles connected by a network of early roads and mountain gaps. The drainage patterns are intricate, defined by the South Fork of Poteau River and the Black Fork of Fourche River, which carve through the prominent ridges of Piney Mountain and Northern Mountain. Of particular interest to local historians is the location of Chalybeate Spring and the narrow passage at Lookout Gap, illustrating how early travelers navigated the terrain. The survey identifies numerous family-named branches and creeks, such as Russell Br. and Cousins Br., providing a primary source for the 19th-century geography of this Ouachita mountain region.