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1956 Map of Spencer

Name: 1956 Topographic Map of Spencer
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1958
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1958

About this map

The White River defines the southeastern corner of this Owen County landscape, where the town of Spencer sits at a strategic bend. During the mid-1950s, the area's rural character is evident in the dense network of family cemeteries and country churches, such as Wesley Chapel and the New Union Ch, which served the surrounding farming and timbering communities. The vast acreage of the Owen State Forest dominates the northern and western sections of the map, punctuated by numerous named heights including Cooksey Hill and Gaston Hill.

Industry and transport are represented by the Pennsylvania railroad line following the river valley and a Stone Quarry located north of the tracks. Smaller settlements like Vandalia and Southport anchor the outlying districts. Genealogists will find a wealth of local history in the numerous burial grounds, such as Palestine Cem, Moriah Cem, and Rose Cem, many of which are tucked away near the headwaters of Rattlesnake Creek and Fish Creek.