1939 Map of Skidmore

About this map

The Nodaway River valley dominates this Northwest Missouri landscape as it appeared following surveys in 1924 and 1939. This era shows a densely organized rural society, where the grid of sections is punctuated by a remarkable concentration of country schools such as Hedge College Sch and Little Brick Sch. The transportation network is anchored by the Chicago Burlington and Quincy and the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe Railway, which supported the growth of market towns like Burlington Junction and Skidmore. Beyond the larger settlements, local centers of faith and memory like St Oswald Ch and Burr Oak Cem provide essential data points for genealogists. The map also captures several family-named landmarks and smaller hamlets, including Dawsonville and Possum Walk, which illustrate the peak of the region's agricultural settlement pattern before the mid-century shifts in rural population.