1947 Map of Van Buren

About this map

Van Buren serves as a critical industrial and transit hub along the Arkansas River in this mid-century survey, updated to reflect the expansion of the late 1970s. The landscape is defined by the convergence of the St Louis-San Francisco and Missouri Pacific railroads, which supported local industry like the Zinc smelter and various strip mines scattered across the eastern plains. The mapping reveals a detailed social fabric of the era, marked by numerous small rural churches like Sunnyside Church and New Hope Church, alongside established family and community burial grounds including Grace Lawn Cemetery and Gills Cemetery. Near the river, the Twin City Airport and Byrns Bridge provide evidence of the region's evolving transportation infrastructure as it transitioned from a rail-dominated economy toward increased highway and air connectivity.