1953 Map of Rolla

About this map

The St. Francois Mountains and the surrounding Ozark Plateau anchor this mid-century portrait of southeast Missouri. Deeply dissected terrain is punctuated by significant heights like Taum Sauk Mt and Pilot Knob, which overlook a network of mining and industrial towns. The map reveals the early post-war development of regional infrastructure, including the newly formed Clearwater Reservoir and Wappapello Reservoir. Transport is dominated by the St. Louis-San Francisco Ry and the Missouri Pacific RR, alongside the legendary U.S. 66 corridor cutting through Rolla, St. James, and Cuba. The distribution of timber within the Mark Twain National Forest and various divisions of the Clark National Forest illustrates the balance between natural resource conservation and the established lead-belt communities like Bonne Terre and Flat River.