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1959 Map of Springfield

Name: 1959 Topographic Map of Springfield
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1959
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1959

About this map

Springfield sits at the heart of this regional study, which captures the mid-century expansion of the Springfield Plain and the Ozark Plateau. During this era, the network of federal highways including Us 66 and Us 65 facilitated the city's role as a transportation hub, while the St Louis-San Francisco RR and Missouri Pacific RR remained vital for industry. The map illustrates a landscape defined by its transition from the plateau's rugged river valleys to the flatter agricultural plains.

To the northeast, the Fort Leonard Wood Military Reservation and the Gasconade Division of the Mark Twain National Forest highlight the significant federal presence in the region. Local communities such as Lebanon, Bolivar, and Marshfield are shown amidst a dense grid of smaller settlements, schools, and cemeteries. The inclusion of new water features like the Pomme de Terre Reservoir alongside established rivers like the Niangua River documents the mid-20th-century modification of the regional watershed.