1959 Map of Tampico

About this map

Tampico sits at the heart of this southern Indiana landscape, where the agricultural plains of Grassy Fork meet the wooded elevations of the Jackson-Washington State Forest. In the late 1950s, this region was defined by a network of drainage infrastructure designed to manage the flood-prone lowlands, including the Brettfield Ditch, Smart Ditch, and Rider Ditch, all feeding toward the meandering Muscatatuck River at the southern boundary. The map captures a community anchored by local institutions, from the Russell Cem Chapel and Mt Pleasant Cem to rural school sites like Cox Sch and Emanuel Sch. These landmarks, along with the clustered settlements of Dudleytown and Sauers, reflect a mid-century rural economy deeply tied to the land and the strategic management of its waterways, such as the Vernon Fork.