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1947 Map of Van Buren

Name: 1947 Topographic Map of Van Buren
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1954
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1954

About this map

Fort Smith and Van Buren dominate this mid-century survey, revealing a landscape defined by the convergence of the Arkansas River and Poteau River. The city of Fort Smith shows its industrial and educational roots, featuring the St Scholastica Academy, the National Cemetery, and the Fort Smith Municipal Airport. To the southeast, the massive Camp Chaffee Military Reservation occupies a significant portion of the terrain, complete with its own Landing Field and specialized infrastructure.

Evidence of the region's extraction economy is clear, from the Zinc Smelter and Smelter Chimneys north of the river to the Coal Mine and Strip Mine operations near the eastern boundary. The rail network, including the Missouri Pacific and Kansas City Southern, links smaller outlying communities like Barling, Arkoma, and Pocola. This era of development is further marked by numerous rural institutions, such as New Hope Ch and Rena Sch, which served the smaller farming and mining settlements surrounding the urban centers.