1951 Map of Rolla

About this map

The St Louis-San Francisco railroad cuts a vital path through the center of this Ozark landscape, connecting the growing hub of Rolla with the river towns of Newburg and Jerome. The regional infrastructure of the early 1950s is on full display, from the Missouri Trachoma Hospital in the county seat to the scattered rural schoolhouses like Wynn School and the Western Star School (abandoned). This survey captures a moment of transition where traditional timber and mining activities, evidenced by the Beaver Creek Mine and Corn Creek Lookout Tower, coexist with the expansion of the Mark Twain National Forest. The map documents numerous family-centric landmarks, including the Roach Cemetery and Strawhun Cemetery, which provide invaluable touchstones for genealogists tracing the early settlers of Phelps County and the surrounding river hollows.