1937 Map of Steelville

About this map

Steelville serves as the hub of this Missouri Ozarks landscape, where the St Louis - San Francisco railroad network winds through the river valleys of Crawford and Dent counties. The map documents an era of small, rural community centers, many defined by their proximity to the Meramec River and its tributaries like Crooked Creek and Yadkin Creek. To the south, the extensive grounds of Indian Trail State Park mark a significant transition in land use, while the surveyor's notes indicate portions of the rail line were already being identified as St Louis - San Francisco (Abandoned). Dozens of country schools, such as Peaceful Bend Sch and Cherry Valley Sch, are scattered across the townships of Meramec, Courtois, and Osage, providing a clear record of local social geography before the consolidation of rural districts.