1958 Map of Shirley

About this map

Clark National Forest blankets much of this area, where timbered ridges and deep hollows define the landscape of the late 1950s. The settlement of Shirley serves as a small focal point near the center, while Camp Lakewood sits on the western shore of Sunnen Lake, a significant water feature created by a massive spillway. The geography is characterized by several rural congregations and their associated burial grounds, which speak to the area's genealogical history. Notable landmarks include the Lookout Tower on a high ridge and the Floyd Lookout Tower at Little Pilot Knob. The network of creeks and branches, such as Fourche a Renault and Lost Creek, once provided vital water sources for these isolated communities. The placement of Shirley School and numerous country churches like White Oak Grove Ch highlights a dispersed but connected rural society organized around the natural drainages of the Missouri Ozarks.