2017 Map of Vastus

About this map

Vastus sits at the center of a heavily managed lowland landscape in southern Butler County, where a complex network of man-made drainage channels has fundamentally altered the natural hydrology of the Missouri Bootheel. The transition from native wetlands to agricultural land is evidenced by the numerous straight-cut watercourses like Harviell Ditch, Cane Creek Ditch, and Ackerman Ditch which crisscross the territory. Despite this engineering, remnants of the original swampy terrain persist in features like Allred Lake and the winding paths of Little Hunting Slough and Big Hunting Slough. To the southeast, the Black River forms distinctive meanders known as Factory Bend and Chester Bend, marking the edge of the survey. Family history and local heritage are anchored by small, rural burial sites including Hyam Cem and Coon Island Cem, providing essential points of reference for genealogists studying the families that settled this alluvial plain.