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1956 Map of Rusk

Name: 1956 Topographic Map of Rusk
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1958
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1958

About this map

The East Fork White River dominates this mid-1950s terrain, carving a serpentine path through the heavily wooded hills of the Hoosier National Forest. The landscape is defined by its dramatic relief and intricate drainage systems, where small settlements like South Martin and Windom serve as quiet anchors for rural life in Martin and Dubois counties. Local history is deeply etched into the hillsides, from the river crossing at Brooks Bridge to the remote Hindustan Falls in the northwest corner.

Rural infrastructure of the era is remarkably preserved in this survey, showing a network of country churches and schools such as Waggoner Chapel and Bateman Sch. Genealogy researchers can find family ties in the scattered burying grounds like Simmons Cem and Walker Cem, while the confluence of the Lost River with the White River provides a clear view of the natural hydrology before modern land alterations. This map provides a detailed account of the township boundaries for Center, Halbert, and Rutherford, documenting a moment in Indiana's southern hill country when these small communities were still central to the region's identity.