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1946 Map of Richwoods

Name: 1946 Topographic Map of Richwoods
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1965
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1965

About this map

The Clark National Forest encompasses the deeply dissected terrain of northern Washington County, where the Meramec River cuts through the northwest corner. This mid-century landscape is defined by its rural social infrastructure, centered around the settlement of Richwoods and the historic mining district near Old Mines. A dense network of one-room schools, such as Oklahoma Sch and Berry Sch, and country churches like Souls Chapel and Maple Grove Ch, reflects a period when community life was localized to specific hollows and creek valleys.

Tracing the waterways like Mineral Fork and Fourche a Renault Creek reveals a settlement pattern dictated by topography. From the High Point Tower down to the lowlands of Racola, the map documentations the transition from timbered ridges to the mineral-rich basins of the eastern Ozarks. Industrial development is noted by a prominent Pipe Line traversing the rugged interior, while numerous hollows such as Rabbit Hollow and Joshua Hill Hollow bear witness to the region's localized family history and geography.