2017 Map of Short Bend

About this map

The Meramec River winds through a deeply dissected landscape in Dent County, creating the namesake meander at Short Bend. This 2017 survey illustrates the complex topography of the Ozark Plateau, where the river and its tributaries, such as Whitaker Cr and Dry Valley Cr, have carved numerous named hollows including Watson Hollow and Walker Hollow. Much of the southern and eastern portions of the quadrangle are protected within the Mark Twain National Forest. Local history is preserved in several family-named burial grounds dotting the hillsides, including Fraser Cem near Masters Lake and Maledy Cem further south. The settlement pattern remains largely rural, connected by a network of county roads like Co RD 4070 and State Hwy W that follow the ridgelines and valley floors near Dent Ford.