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1964 Map of Smackover

Name: 1964 Topographic Map of Smackover
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1964
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1964

About this map

The Ouachita River winds through this 1960s landscape, defining the boundary between Ouachita, Calhoun, and Union counties. This era reveals a region dominated by the petroleum industry, evidenced by the extensive Smackover Oil & Gas Field and several others like the Hampton Oil Field and Champagnolle Landing Oil Field. Settlements such as Smackover, Norphlet, and Standard-Umstead serve as hubs for this industrial activity, while the Missouri Pacific railroad provides the essential overland connection for the region's resources.

Away from the industrial sites, the river bottomlands are a complex network of oxbows and backwaters, including Big Horseshoe Brake and Tupelo Gum Lake. For those tracing local history, the map identifies numerous rural landmarks like China Grove Ch, Old Harmony Ch, and the Smackover Training Site. These details, alongside markers like Boones Mound and various gravel pits, provide a clear picture of the land use in Southern Arkansas during the mid-20th century.