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1970 Map of Rhea

Name: 1970 Topographic Map of Rhea
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1972
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1972

About this map

Ozark National Forest covers the eastern ridges of this 1970 landscape, where Weddington Mountain and Marrs Hill rise above the agricultural valleys of western Washington County. The settlement patterns of the era are clearly defined by localized community hubs like Weddington, Rheas Mill, and Norwood, each serving as a focal point for the surrounding rural homesteads. The terrain is deeply carved by water sources such as Moores Creek, Spring Creek, and Cincinnati Creek, while landmarks like the Weddington Lookout Tower and Roundtop provide orienting heights over the undulating topography.

Genealogists can find significant local markers including Crawford Cem and Beatty Cem, alongside several rural congregations such as Weddington Ch and Mountains View Ch. These sites, along with the Norwood Community Hall, illustrate a mid-century social structure rooted in small, church-and-hall centered districts. The western edge near Cincinnati shows the transition toward the Illinois Bayou drainage, capturing a moment when these traditional upland communities remained distinct before modern development altered the rural character.