1947 Map of Sullivan

About this map

Meramec State Park and the subterranean wonders of the Meramec River basin define this mid-century landscape. The area is dense with geological landmarks, from the well-known Meramec Caverns and Onondaga Cave to more obscure sites like Mushroom Cave and Cathedral Cave. The town of Sullivan serves as a hub where the ST Louis San Francisco railroad cuts through the terrain. Away from the main line, a high concentration of rural schoolhouses such as Anthonies Mill Sch, Reeds Defeat Sch, and Barker Sch suggests a late-era peak of small, localized school districts. The southern reaches are heavily wooded, containing portions of Clark National Forest and industrial traces like the Old Christy Mine. This period reveals a transition where the timber and mining economies of the Ozark foothills intersect with an emerging recreation industry centered on the river and its many limestone caves.