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1951 Map of Van Buren

Name: 1951 Topographic Map of Van Buren
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1951
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1951

About this map

Van Buren serves as a focal point on the northern bank of the Arkansas River, showing the town's development just after the mid-century mark. Industrial markers like the zinc smelter and numerous strip mines dot the landscape, reflecting a reliance on extraction and processing in the Crawford County area. This 1951 edition documents several rural communities and labor settlements, including Wright Town and Catcher, alongside established neighborhoods and extensive infrastructure like the Van Buren Water Reservoir.

Genealogists and local historians can trace many burial sites across the quadrangle, from the large Grace Lawn Cemetery and Fairview Cemetery to smaller rural plots like Gills Cemetery. The river corridor is particularly detailed, showing the Upper Sandals terrain and the complex wetlands near Hollis Lake and Ned Lake. Transportation networks are well-defined, featuring the St Louis-San Francisco and Missouri Pacific railroads that shaped the regional economy.