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1954 Map of Slabtown Spring

Name: 1954 Topographic Map of Slabtown Spring
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1977
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1977

About this map

The Big Piney River carves a deep path through this portion of the Mark Twain National Forest, defining the rural character of Texas, Pulaski, and Phelps Counties in the mid-1950s. The settlement pattern is deeply tied to the river and its tributaries, with Slabtown and Hazleton situated near the water's edge, while smaller communities like Wolf and Blooming Rose Camp occupy the higher ridges. The landscape is marked by numerous springs and hollows, including Slabtown Spring and the aptly named Watered Hollow.

Social life in these Ozark hills centered on institutions like Long Hollow Church and Bell Church, alongside several rural schoolhouses such as Merrill School and Mooney Hollow School. The 1976 photorevisions indicate subtle changes in road infrastructure and development while preserving the original 1954 topographic detail, including family landmarks like Omalley Cem and the natural Cave near the river bend.