1968 Map of Spiro

About this map

Skullyville (Oak Lodge) and the northern edges of the San Bois and Ouachita foothills define this landscape in the late 1960s. The area is a nexus of transportation and extraction, where the Kansas City Southern and St Louis-San Francisco railroads intersect a terrain marked by extensive strip mines and gravel operations. The Poteau River winds through the center, separating the community of Spiro from the ridge of Backbone Mountain. Local life is anchored by numerous country congregations and burial grounds, including the New Hope Cem Ch and Royal Oak Ch. The map also captures infrastructure in transition, showing an Old Railroad Grade and new highway construction labeled Under Construction near Cameron, illustrating the shifting economic focus of Le Flore County as traditional mining and rail patterns evolved.