Loading map...

1941 Map of Topaz

Name: 1941 Topographic Map of Topaz
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1941
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1941

About this map

North Fork River and its numerous tributaries, including Bess Creek and Spring Creek, carve through the Ozark landscape of Douglas, Howell, and Ozark Counties in this late 1930s survey. The map reveals a highly decentralized rural economy characterized by small, family-run general stores such as Holt Store, Woods Store, Fields Store, and Omba Store. These hubs, along with the industrial site at Hammonds Mill, suggest a society reliant on local trade and water-powered milling before larger regional centers took hold.

Education and faith were deeply localized, evidenced by the dense distribution of one-room schoolhouses and rural churches. Genealogists can trace family connections to landmarks like Mt Ararat Church, New Jail School, and the Horton Cemetery. The inclusion of the CCC Camp near Willow Springs reflects the influence of New Deal-era infrastructure projects on the region during the years leading up to the second World War.